Forest Park receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Madison Heights
Forest Park
Opportunity
76 · Top 13%
vs71 · Top 21%
Growth
25 · Bottom 12%
vs19 · Bottom 7%
Climate
63 · Bottom 28%
vs64 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs89 · Top 12%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 20%
vs94 · Top 22%
Access
90 · Bottom 43%
vs94 · Top 41%
Economic stability
60 · Top 50%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Madison Heights | Forest Park | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,419 | 20,025 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,503 | $75,956 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,044 | $32,344 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,011/sq mi | 3,105/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $199,100 | $190,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,176 | $1,306 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.8% | 54.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.9% | 26.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.8% | 10.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.9" | 41.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 25.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.0 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.06 | 15.29 | 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
Madison Heights
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Forest Park
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Madison Heights
67
Your Score
68
Area Score
Forest Park
72
Your Score
70
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Madison Heights, MI · Forest Park, OH · How this is calculated: methodology