Norton Shores receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Norton Shores
Muskegon
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 20%
vs10 · Bottom 1%
Growth
41 · Bottom 34%
vs36 · Bottom 26%
Climate
64 · Bottom 30%
vs64 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
98 · Top 1%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 26%
vs78 · Bottom 46%
Schools
44 · Bottom 40%
vs16 · Bottom 6%
Access
77 · Bottom 19%
vs75 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
61 · Top 49%
vs26 · Bottom 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Norton Shores | Muskegon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,041 | 37,226 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,579 | $44,735 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,997 | $24,151 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,077/sq mi | 2,632/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $234,800 | $142,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,341 | $996 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 84.2% | 53.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 7.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.9% | -7.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.3% | 15.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.5% | 24.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 30 | 54 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.0% | -8.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.1" | 35.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 22.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.6 | 36.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.64 | 15.49 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 29.3% | 10.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 44.2% | 27.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.4% | 78.4% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Norton Shores
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Muskegon
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Norton Shores
65
Your Score
63
Area Score
Muskegon
50
Your Score
49
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Norton Shores, MI · Muskegon, MI · How this is calculated: methodology