PlainZIP

Dowagiac, MI · standard

ZIP Code 49047

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

14,805
48/sq mi
$62,963
Median income
$181,700
Median home value
20.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Dowagiac pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

35th pct
household income, US ZIPs
38th pct
home value, US ZIPs
48
people per sq mi
76%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49047 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 49047 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Dowagiac, Cass County, Michigan, home to 14,805 residents across 309.7 square miles, a density of 48 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 49047 reports a modest median household income of $62,963 (14% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $35,968. Local economic indicators show a 15.6% poverty rate alongside 7.5% unemployment. Housing costs here run $181,700 for a typical home value (17% below the state average), with rent averaging $858 a month; 76.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.9, and the average commute is 22 minutes. Beyond these figures, 3 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Cass County, letting you compare 49047 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 49047

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Dowagiac, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49047.

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 49047, Dowagiac, 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

14,805

Population

309.7

Area (sq mi)

48

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 49047?

42.9

Median Age

50.7%

Male

49.3%

Female

3.9%

Foreign-Born

White 83.2%
African American 4.8%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 3.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.9%
Hispanic or Latino 8.0%

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?

$62,963

Median Household Income

-14% vs state

$35,968

Per Capita Income

15.6%

Poverty Rate

7.5%

Unemployment Rate

22.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 49047 ranks nationally

Dowagiac, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$62,963 35th percentile higher than 35% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 53.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.3%

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

What does housing look like?

8,364

Total Housing Units

6,301

Occupied Units

2,063

Vacant Units

2.30

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 76.0%
Renter 24.0%

$181,700

Median Home Value

-17% vs state

$858

Median Rent

1964

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

+9.0%

YoY Change (2024)

222

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+122%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 49047 have increased 9.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +122% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.4% 147
2021 +11.7% 164
2022 +15.1% 188
2023 +8.1% 204
2024 +9.0% 222

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 263 business establishments in ZIP 49047, employing approximately 2,400 people with a combined annual payroll of $107,553,000.

263

Businesses

2,400

Employees

$107.6M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 46 17.5%
Other services (except public administration) 38 14.4%
Health care and social assistance 31 11.8%
Accommodation and food services 27 10.3%
Construction 23 8.8%
Finance and insurance 18 6.8%
Manufacturing 17 6.5%
Wholesale trade 12 4.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 12 4.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 11 4.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 10 3.8%
Transportation and warehousing 6 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.9%
Educational services 3 1.1%

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 49047 vs 49102 →

ZIP 49047 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 49047 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 49047 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 49047 ranks #3 of 4 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
49102 Berrien Center, MI 1,563 8.0 mi
49045 Decatur, MI 5,598 9.4 mi
49031 Cassopolis, MI 7,884 10.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Cass County

49112 standard
Edwardsburg, MI
Pop: 10,171
49031 standard
Cassopolis, MI
Pop: 7,884
49067 standard
Marcellus, MI
Pop: 4,522
49095 standard
Vandalia, MI
Pop: 1,960
49130 standard
Union, MI
Pop: 1,659
49061 standard
Jones, MI
Pop: 1,622

Related Areas

Cass County Dowagiac, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 49047 in? ▼
ZIP code 49047 (Dowagiac) is located in Cass County, Michigan. Cass County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cass-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 49047? ▼
ZIP code 49047 in Dowagiac, MI has a population of 14,805 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49047? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 49047 is $62,963, which is 17% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49047? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 49047 is $181,700, which is 35% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49047? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 49047 is White at 83.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49047? ▼
ZIP code 49047 has 263 business establishments employing approximately 2,400 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49047? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49047 are: Retail trade (46), Other services (except public administration) (38), Health care and social assistance (31). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49047? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49047 increased by 9.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 122%. 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 49047? ▼
In ZIP code 49047, 53.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.3% 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 49047? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49047 is 22.0 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 49047? ▼
In ZIP code 49047, approximately 76.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49047? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49047 is 15.6% 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.