PlainZIP

Benton Harbor, MI · standard

ZIP Code 49022

Berrien County, Michigan - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

31,814
179/sq mi
$39,499
Median income
$159,600
Median home value
18.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Benton Harbor pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

5th pct
household income, US ZIPs
29th pct
home value, US ZIPs
179
people per sq mi
58%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49022 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 49022 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Benton Harbor, Berrien County, Michigan, with 31,814 residents across 178.1 square miles, a density of 179 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 49022 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $39,499 (46% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $26,444. Local economic indicators show a 31.0% poverty rate alongside 14.6% unemployment. Median home value sits at $159,600 (27% below the state average), median rent at $881 a month, and owner-occupancy at 57.5%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 18.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.1, and the average commute is 19 minutes. To put 49022 in local context, 8 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Berrien County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 49022

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Benton Harbor, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49022.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 49022, Benton Harbor, MI · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

31,814

Population

178.1

Area (sq mi)

179

People / sq mi

Detroit

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 49022?

39.1

Median Age

47.3%

Male

52.7%

Female

2.8%

Foreign-Born

White 38.6%
African American 49.9%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.8%
Hispanic or Latino 6.6%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$39,499

Median Household Income

-46% vs state

$26,444

Per Capita Income

31.0%

Poverty Rate

14.6%

Unemployment Rate

18.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 49022 ranks nationally

Benton Harbor, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$39,499 5th percentile higher than 5% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 51.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 18.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

14,560

Total Housing Units

12,868

Occupied Units

1,692

Vacant Units

2.27

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 57.5%
Renter 42.5%

$159,600

Median Home Value

-27% vs state

$881

Median Rent

1961

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+9.6%

YoY Change (2024)

223

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+123%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 49022 have increased 9.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +123% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.4% 150
2021 +13.2% 170
2022 +13.8% 193
2023 +5.2% 203
2024 +9.6% 223

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 677 business establishments in ZIP 49022, employing approximately 12,013 people with a combined annual payroll of $760,921,000.

677

Businesses

12,013

Employees

$760.9M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 146 21.6%
Accommodation and food services 76 11.2%
Other services (except public administration) 71 10.5%
Manufacturing 70 10.3%
Health care and social assistance 54 8.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 46 6.8%
Construction 39 5.8%
Wholesale trade 38 5.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 30 4.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 29 4.3%
Transportation and warehousing 18 2.7%
Finance and insurance 18 2.7%
Information 14 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 11 1.6%
Management of companies and enterprises 9 1.3%
Educational services 5 0.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 49022 vs 49084 →

ZIP 49022 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 49022 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 49022 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 49022 ranks #8 of 8 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
49084 Riverside, MI 36 4.8 mi
49126 Sodus, MI 1,341 6.1 mi
49038 Coloma, MI 9,310 6.5 mi
49104 Berrien Springs, MI 868 10.4 mi
49085 Saint Joseph, MI 23,804 6.5 mi
49111 Eau Claire, MI 3,346 7.3 mi
49098 Watervliet, MI 5,966 7.4 mi
49127 Stevensville, MI 10,694 10.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Berrien County

49120 standard
Niles, MI
Pop: 37,122
49085 standard
Saint Joseph, MI
Pop: 23,804
49103 standard
Berrien Springs, MI
Pop: 11,082
49127 standard
Stevensville, MI
Pop: 10,694
49107 standard
Buchanan, MI
Pop: 10,382
49038 standard
Coloma, MI
Pop: 9,310

Related Areas

Berrien County Benton Harbor, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 49022 in? ▼
ZIP code 49022 (Benton Harbor) is located in Berrien County, Michigan. Berrien County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/berrien-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 49022? ▼
ZIP code 49022 in Benton Harbor, MI has a population of 31,814 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49022? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 49022 is $39,499, which is 48% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49022? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 49022 is $159,600, which is 43% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49022? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 49022 is African American at 49.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49022? ▼
ZIP code 49022 has 677 business establishments employing approximately 12,013 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49022? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49022 are: Retail trade (146), Accommodation and food services (76), Other services (except public administration) (71). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49022? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49022 increased by 9.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 123%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 49022? ▼
In ZIP code 49022, 51.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 18.0% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 49022? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49022 is 18.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 49022? ▼
In ZIP code 49022, approximately 57.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49022? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49022 is 31.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.