South Lyon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
South Lyon
Pontiac
Opportunity
65 · Top 31%
vs33 · Bottom 9%
Growth
57 · Top 37%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
63 · Bottom 27%
vs61 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
95 · Top 3%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs75 · Bottom 42%
Schools
70 · Top 27%
vs51 · Bottom 49%
Access
91 · Bottom 47%
vs85 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
81 · Top 6%
vs38 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | South Lyon | Pontiac | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,950 | 62,104 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,467 | $44,329 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,721 | $26,080 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,194/sq mi | 3,123/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $294,600 | $121,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,310 | $1,063 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.3% | 46.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 10.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.2% | 16.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.0% | 24.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 23 | 59 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 130.0% | 1.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.2" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.8 min | 23.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.8 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.08 | 16.38 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 47.7% | 34.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 63.0% | 43.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 15.9% | 52.7% | 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
South Lyon
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Pontiac
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.
South Lyon
78
Your Score
76
Area Score
Pontiac
61
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: South Lyon, MI · Pontiac, MI · How this is calculated: methodology