Monroe and Midland 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
Monroe
Midland
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 9%
vs38 · Bottom 16%
Growth
29 · Bottom 18%
vs21 · Bottom 9%
Climate
63 · Bottom 40%
vs60 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 24%
vs79 · Top 15%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
92 · Top 20%
vs94 · Top 18%
Economic stability
72 · Top 23%
vs70 · Top 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Monroe | Midland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 155,505 | 83,757 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,335 | $77,705 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,470 | $43,622 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 283/sq mi | 162/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $228,900 | $195,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,059 | $1,016 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.7% | 78.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.6% | -8.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 36.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 10.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 201 | 121 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -5.6% | -62.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.2" | 32.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 24.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.8 | 41.8 | 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
Monroe
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Midland
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: Monroe, MI Metro Area · Midland, MI Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology