Jackson receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Jackson
Muskegon
Opportunity
9 · Bottom 1%
vs10 · Bottom 1%
Growth
52 · Top 47%
vs36 · Bottom 26%
Climate
61 · Bottom 19%
vs64 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
90 · Top 11%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 41%
vs78 · Bottom 46%
Schools
34 · Bottom 28%
vs16 · Bottom 6%
Access
81 · Bottom 24%
vs75 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 13%
vs26 · Bottom 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Jackson | Muskegon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,058 | 37,226 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $44,558 | $44,735 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,996 | $24,151 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,883/sq mi | 2,632/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $103,200 | $142,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $898 | $996 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.7% | 53.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 9.3% | 7.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -6.7% | -7.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.1% | 15.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.6% | 24.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 181 | 54 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.8 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 110.5% | -8.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.2" | 35.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 22.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.3 | 36.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 18 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.76 | 15.49 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 19.8% | 10.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.2% | 27.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.1% | 78.4% | 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
Jackson
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, strong wind.
Muskegon
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: Jackson, MI · Muskegon, MI · How this is calculated: methodology