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
Kentwood
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 45%
vs32 · Bottom 9%
Growth
42 · Bottom 35%
vs46 · Bottom 42%
Climate
62 · Bottom 22%
vs62 · Bottom 22%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs94 · Top 6%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 36%
vs88 · Top 36%
Schools
64 · Top 34%
vs57 · Top 43%
Access
96 · Top 31%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
75 · Top 17%
vs67 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Walker | Kentwood | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,386 | 54,296 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,360 | $74,373 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,951 | $36,116 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,033/sq mi | 2,596/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $295,200 | $268,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,202 | $1,260 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.2% | 61.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 4.9% | 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% | 10.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 57 | 119 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 16.3% | 54.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.4" | 39.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 21.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.9 | 35.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.77 | 17.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.4% | 37.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 57.7% | 49.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 40.7% | 69.6% | 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: Walker, MI · Kentwood, MI · How this is calculated: methodology