Niles receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Niles
Bay City
Opportunity
20 · Bottom 1%
vs12 · Bottom 1%
Growth
15 · Bottom 4%
vs6 · Bottom 1%
Climate
61 · Bottom 17%
vs60 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
86 · Top 15%
vs78 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 18%
vs99 · Top 11%
Schools
51 · Bottom 49%
vs37 · Bottom 32%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 26%
vs40 · Bottom 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Niles | Bay City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,803 | 32,320 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,376 | $49,420 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,036 | $29,853 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,037/sq mi | 3,179/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $135,100 | $97,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $855 | $766 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.2% | 70.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 7.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.1% | -7.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.0% | 18.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.8% | 19.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.2" | 32.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 22.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.2 | 40.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.27 | 17.01 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 35.4% | 23.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.1% | 41.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 60.4% | 64.2% | 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
Niles
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Bay City
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: Niles, MI · Bay City, MI · How this is calculated: methodology