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
Westland
Opportunity
57 · Top 48%
vs60 · Top 42%
Growth
25 · Bottom 12%
vs13 · Bottom 3%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs62 · Bottom 24%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs81 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 36%
vs90 · Top 32%
Schools
60 · Top 39%
vs20 · Bottom 11%
Access
83 · Bottom 27%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
68 · Top 35%
vs54 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Howell | Westland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,021 | 83,633 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,449 | $62,076 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,479 | $34,530 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,008/sq mi | 4,093/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $265,600 | $184,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,177 | $1,158 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.9% | 61.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.2% | 23.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 14.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5 | 8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -75.0% | -83.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.1" | 34.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 27.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.8 | 38.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.44 | 17.44 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.4% | 15.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.9% | 32.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 23.9% | 57.7% | 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.
Westland
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Howell, MI · Westland, MI · How this is calculated: methodology