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 Moderate-density area
- $73,333
- Median income Near-median income area
- $234,400
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 24.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 49079 (Paw Paw, MI) rose +7.6% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 200.6 in 2023 to 215.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $35,350. The poverty rate is 11.8%, with unemployment at 3.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $234,400 (7% above the average Michigan ZIP) and median rent is $859; 78.4% of occupied homes 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. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Van Buren County, so 49079 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
50 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
40 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
32 establishments
- Construction
Construction
31 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
27 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, 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
Who lives in ZIP 49079?
39.5
Median Age
51.0%
Male
49.0%
Female
2.9%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$35,350
Per Capita Income
11.8%
Poverty Rate
3.4%
Unemployment Rate
24.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 49079 ranks among Michigan ZIPs
Paw Paw, MI household income vs. every Michigan ZIP code
Median household income among 962 reporting Michigan ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$73,333 Top 42% higher than 58% of 962 Michigan ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Michigan 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
6,216housing units
6,216
Total Housing Units
5,472
Occupied Units
744
Vacant Units
2.42
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$234,400
Median Home Value
+7% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 49079
Paw Paw (49079)
13,606 residents
- 49071
Mattawan (49071)
9,174 residents
- 49065
Lawton (49065)
6,662 residents
- 49055
Gobles (49055)
6,276 residents
- 49045
Decatur (49045)
5,598 residents
- 49064 3,717
Lawrence (49064)
3,717 residents
- 49026 2,186
Bloomingdale (49026)
2,186 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 49079 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 49079 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 49071
Mattawan (49071)
$108,629 median income
- 49079
Paw Paw (49079)
$73,333 median income
- 49065
Lawton (49065)
$71,447 median income
- 49064
Lawrence (49064)
$68,607 median income
- 49026
Bloomingdale (49026)
$68,203 median income
- 49055
Gobles (49055)
$62,083 median income
- 49045
Decatur (49045)
$57,436 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 49079, both outside MI so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (13,606 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Van Buren County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 49079's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 49079 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Paw Paw, MI ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.