Troy receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Pontiac
Troy
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 9%
vs78 · Top 10%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs43 · Bottom 37%
Climate
61 · Bottom 16%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 42%
vs94 · Top 21%
Schools
51 · Bottom 49%
vs84 · Top 9%
Access
85 · Bottom 30%
vs87 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 14%
vs73 · Top 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Pontiac | Troy | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 62,104 | 87,898 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $44,329 | $120,045 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,080 | $58,119 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,123/sq mi | 2,628/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $121,700 | $420,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,063 | $1,602 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.6% | 73.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 10.3% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.1% | 64.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.4% | 5.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 59 | 150 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 1.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1.7% | -37.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.2" | 29.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.5 | 42.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 22 | 24 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.38 | 16.56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.6% | 62.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.5% | 72.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 52.7% | 15.6% | 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.
Full profiles: Pontiac, MI · Troy, MI · How this is calculated: methodology