Howell receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Howell
Pontiac
Opportunity
57 · Top 48%
vs33 · Bottom 9%
Growth
25 · Bottom 12%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs61 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 36%
vs75 · Bottom 42%
Schools
60 · Top 39%
vs51 · Bottom 49%
Access
83 · Bottom 27%
vs85 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
68 · Top 35%
vs38 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Howell | Pontiac | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,021 | 62,104 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,449 | $44,329 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,479 | $26,080 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,008/sq mi | 3,123/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $265,600 | $121,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,177 | $1,063 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.9% | 46.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 10.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.2% | 16.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 24.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5 | 59 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -75.0% | 1.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.1" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 23.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.8 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.44 | 16.38 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.4% | 34.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.9% | 43.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 23.9% | 52.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Howell
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Pontiac
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Howell, MI · Pontiac, MI · How this is calculated: methodology