Detroit receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Melvindale
Detroit
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 9%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Growth
11 · Bottom 2%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
62 · Bottom 24%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs81 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 33%
vs68 · Bottom 31%
Schools
7 · Bottom 1%
vs11 · Bottom 2%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs94 · Top 41%
Economic stability
26 · Bottom 4%
vs19 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | Melvindale | Detroit | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,554 | 638,530 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $42,185 | $39,938 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $20,408 | $24,594 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,604/sq mi | 4,603/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $125,800 | $83,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,110 | $1,074 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.8% | 50.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.5% | 10.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.0% | 18.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 39.1% | 32.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 1,908 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.3" | 29.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.3 | 35.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 220 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.96 | 17.80 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 5.3% | 11.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 21.9% | 22.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 92.1% | 85.4% | 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.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Melvindale
49
Your Score
47
Area Score
Detroit
53
Your Score
52
Area Score
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Full profiles: Melvindale, MI · Detroit, MI · How this is calculated: methodology