Port Huron and Detroit 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
Port Huron
Detroit
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 9%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Growth
18 · Bottom 7%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
63 · Bottom 28%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs81 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs68 · Bottom 31%
Schools
26 · Bottom 17%
vs11 · Bottom 2%
Access
55 · Bottom 5%
vs94 · Top 41%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 18%
vs19 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | Port Huron | Detroit | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,620 | 638,530 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $50,366 | $39,938 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,564 | $24,594 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,532/sq mi | 4,603/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $149,300 | $83,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $982 | $1,074 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.7% | 50.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.5% | 10.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.1% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.1% | 18.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.6% | 32.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 1,908 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -40.0% | -32.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.9" | 29.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 71 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 35.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 220 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.75 | 17.80 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 19.2% | 11.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 31.8% | 22.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 64.1% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Port Huron
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Detroit
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Port Huron
51
Your Score
51
Area Score
Detroit
53
Your Score
52
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Port Huron, MI · Detroit, MI · How this is calculated: methodology