Signals
Waverly
Lansing
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 17%
vs19 · Bottom 1%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs85 · Top 17%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs91 · Top 29%
Schools
39 · Bottom 34%
vs14 · Bottom 5%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
63 · Top 44%
vs51 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Waverly | Lansing | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,575 | 113,023 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,700 | $54,382 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,266 | $30,958 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,590/sq mi | 2,871/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $234,600 | $128,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,170 | $993 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.7% | 53.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 6.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -8.1% | -8.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.1% | 30.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 20.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.3" | 33.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 20.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 33.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.34 | 17.12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 25.1% | 15.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 41.0% | 21.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 58.7% | 87.1% | 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
Waverly
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Lansing
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: Waverly, MI · Lansing, MI · How this is calculated: methodology