Lansing-East Lansing and Kalamazoo-Portage receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Lansing-East Lansing | Kalamazoo-Portage | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 472,669 | 262,375 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,550 | $72,532 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,863 | $41,530 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 278/sq mi | 467/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $216,700 | $241,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,086 | $1,093 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.6% | 64.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -8.1% | -7.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.5% | 41.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.5% | 12.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 914 | 438 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 21.7% | 2.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.3" | 33.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 22.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.5 | 35.0 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Lansing-East Lansing
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Kalamazoo-Portage
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Lansing-East Lansing, MI Metro Area · Kalamazoo-Portage, MI Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology