Walker receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Walker
Grand Haven
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 45%
vs38 · Bottom 14%
Growth
42 · Bottom 35%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Climate
62 · Bottom 22%
vs64 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs95 · Top 3%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 36%
vs86 · Top 40%
Schools
64 · Top 34%
vs82 · Top 12%
Access
96 · Top 31%
vs81 · Bottom 23%
Economic stability
75 · Top 17%
vs41 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Walker | Grand Haven | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,386 | 10,996 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,360 | $60,669 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,951 | $40,528 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,033/sq mi | 1,921/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $295,200 | $250,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,202 | $939 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.2% | 68.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.4% | -7.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.6% | 36.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 14.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 57 | 30 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 2.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 16.3% | 15.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.4" | 35.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 37 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 18.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.9 | 46.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.77 | 15.54 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.4% | 54.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 57.7% | 70.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 40.7% | 35.9% | 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.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Walker
72
Your Score
69
Area Score
Grand Haven
66
Your Score
66
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Walker, MI · Grand Haven, MI · How this is calculated: methodology