PlainZIP

Paw Paw, MI · standard

ZIP Code 49079

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

13,606
63/sq mi
$73,333
Median income
$234,400
Median home value
24.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Paw Paw pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 48%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 47%
home value, US ZIPs
63
people per sq mi
78%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49079 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 49079 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Paw Paw, Van Buren County, Michigan, home to 13,606 residents across 215.3 square miles, a density of 63 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 49079 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $73,333 (0% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $35,350. The poverty rate stands at 11.8% and the unemployment rate at 3.4%. On housing, the median home value is $234,400 (7% above the state average) with median rent at $859 per month, and 78.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.5, and the average commute is 25 minutes. Beyond these figures, 6 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Van Buren County, letting you compare 49079 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 49079

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Paw Paw, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49079.

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 49079, Paw Paw, 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

13,606

Population

215.3

Area (sq mi)

63

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 49079?

39.5

Median Age

51.0%

Male

49.0%

Female

2.9%

Foreign-Born

White 86.0%
African American 1.7%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.6%
Hispanic or Latino 9.0%

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?

$73,333

Median Household Income

-0% vs state

$35,350

Per Capita Income

11.8%

Poverty Rate

3.4%

Unemployment Rate

24.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 49079 ranks nationally

Paw Paw, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$73,333 Top 48% higher than 52% 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 58.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.8%

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

What does housing look like?

6,216

Total Housing Units

5,472

Occupied Units

744

Vacant Units

2.42

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.4%
Renter 21.6%

$234,400

Median Home Value

+7% vs state

$859

Median Rent

1980

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

+7.6%

YoY Change (2024)

216

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+116%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 49079 have increased 7.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +116% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.7% 148
2021 +11.7% 165
2022 +12.9% 187
2023 +7.3% 201
2024 +7.6% 216

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 270 business establishments in ZIP 49079, employing approximately 3,641 people with a combined annual payroll of $160,468,000.

270

Businesses

3,641

Employees

$160.5M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 50 18.5%
Accommodation and food services 40 14.8%
Other services (except public administration) 32 11.8%
Construction 31 11.5%
Health care and social assistance 27 10.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 17 6.3%
Manufacturing 15 5.6%
Finance and insurance 13 4.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 12 4.4%
Wholesale trade 9 3.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 9 3.3%
Information 4 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 1.5%

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 49079 vs 49071 →

ZIP 49079 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 49079 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 49079 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 49079 ranks #2 of 7 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
49071 Mattawan, MI 9,174 6.5 mi
49064 Lawrence, MI 3,717 7.3 mi
49065 Lawton, MI 6,662 8.0 mi
49055 Gobles, MI 6,276 9.4 mi
49026 Bloomingdale, MI 2,186 9.9 mi
49045 Decatur, MI 5,598 10.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Van Buren County

49090 standard
South Haven, MI
Pop: 13,810
49071 standard
Mattawan, MI
Pop: 9,174
49057 standard
Hartford, MI
Pop: 6,795
49065 standard
Lawton, MI
Pop: 6,662
49055 standard
Gobles, MI
Pop: 6,276
49045 standard
Decatur, MI
Pop: 5,598

Related Areas

Van Buren County Paw Paw, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 49079 in? ▼
ZIP code 49079 (Paw Paw) is located in Van Buren County, Michigan. Van Buren County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/van-buren-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 49079? ▼
ZIP code 49079 in Paw Paw, MI has a population of 13,606 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49079? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 49079 is $73,333, which is 4% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49079? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 49079 is $234,400, which is 16% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49079? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 49079 is White at 86.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49079? ▼
ZIP code 49079 has 270 business establishments employing approximately 3,641 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49079? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49079 are: Retail trade (50), Accommodation and food services (40), Other services (except public administration) (32). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49079? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49079 increased by 7.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 116%. 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 49079? ▼
In ZIP code 49079, 58.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.8% 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 49079? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49079 is 24.6 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 49079? ▼
In ZIP code 49079, approximately 78.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49079? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49079 is 11.8% 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.