Saint Joseph, MI · standard
ZIP Code 49085
Berrien County, Michigan - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 23,804
- 391/sq mi High-density area
- $104,969
- Median income Above-median income area
- $304,600
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 50.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Saint Joseph pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 16%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 33%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 391
- people per sq mi
- 76%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49085 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 49085 (Saint Joseph, MI) rose +7.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 209.3 in 2023 to 224.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 49085 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Saint Joseph, Berrien County, Michigan, with 23,804 residents across 61.0 square miles, a density of 391 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.
ZIP 49085 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $104,969 (43% above the average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $56,068. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 4.6% and unemployment is 2.2%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $304,600 (39% above the average Michigan ZIP), while 76.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,091.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 50.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45, and the average commute is 19 minutes. The page also surfaces 8 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Berrien County, so 49085 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 49085
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Saint Joseph, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49085.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
157 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
95 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
94 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
79 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
73 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 49085, Saint Joseph, 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
23,804
Population
61.0
Area (sq mi)
391
People / sq mi
Detroit
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 49085?
45.0
Median Age
50.0%
Male
50.0%
Female
8.3%
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?
$104,969
Median Household Income
+43% vs state ZIP avg
$56,068
Per Capita Income
4.6%
Poverty Rate
2.2%
Unemployment Rate
18.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 49085 ranks among Michigan ZIPs
Saint Joseph, 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)
$104,969 Top 10% higher than 90% 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
11,552housing units
11,552
Total Housing Units
10,423
Occupied Units
1,129
Vacant Units
2.22
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$304,600
Median Home Value
+39% vs state ZIP avg
$1,091
Median Rent
1969
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
+7.1%
YoY Change (2024)
224
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+124%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 49085 have increased 7.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +124% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.7% | 153 |
| 2021 | +9.8% | 168 |
| 2022 | +11.8% | 188 |
| 2023 | +11.4% | 209 |
| 2024 | +7.1% | 224 |
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 827 business establishments in ZIP 49085, employing approximately 14,178 people with a combined annual payroll of $828,598,000.
827
Businesses
14,178
Employees
$828.6M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 157 | 19.0% |
| Retail trade | 95 | 11.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 94 | 11.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 79 | 9.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 73 | 8.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 61 | 7.4% |
| Construction | 51 | 6.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 47 | 5.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 36 | 4.3% |
| Manufacturing | 34 | 4.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 27 | 3.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 24 | 2.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 22 | 2.7% |
| Educational services | 11 | 1.3% |
| Information | 8 | 1.0% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 6 | 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 49085 vs 49127 →
ZIP 49085 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 49022
Benton Harbor (49022)
31,814 residents
- 49085
Saint Joseph (49085)
23,804 residents
- 49103 11,082
Berrien Springs (49103)
11,082 residents
- 49127 10,694
Stevensville (49127)
10,694 residents
- 49106 4,636
Bridgman (49106)
4,636 residents
- 49101 3,104
Baroda (49101)
3,104 residents
- 49126 1,341
Sodus (49126)
1,341 residents
- 49104 868
Berrien Springs (49104)
868 residents
- 49084 36
Riverside (49084)
36 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 49085 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 49085 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 49085
Saint Joseph (49085)
$104,969 median income
- 49127
Stevensville (49127)
$93,338 median income
- 49126
Sodus (49126)
$76,875 median income
- 49101
Baroda (49101)
$75,048 median income
- 49106
Bridgman (49106)
$72,500 median income
- 49103
Berrien Springs (49103)
$65,827 median income
- 49084
Riverside (49084)
$54,375 median income
- 49022 $39,499
Benton Harbor (49022)
$39,499 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 49085 ranks the highest of 8 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49127 | Stevensville, MI | 10,694 | 4.0 mi |
| 49126 | Sodus, MI | 1,341 | 5.0 mi |
| 49101 | Baroda, MI | 3,104 | 7.5 mi |
| 49022 | Benton Harbor, MI | 31,814 | 6.5 mi |
| 49103 | Berrien Springs, MI | 11,082 | 8.3 mi |
| 49104 | Berrien Springs, MI | 868 | 7.9 mi |
| 49106 | Bridgman, MI | 4,636 | 9.1 mi |
| 49084 | Riverside, MI | 36 | 10.0 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 49085, 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 (23,804 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Berrien County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 49085 in?
ZIP code 49085 (Saint Joseph) 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 49085?
ZIP code 49085 in Saint Joseph, MI has a population of 23,804 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49085?
The median household income in ZIP 49085 is $104,969, which is 38% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49085?
The median home value in ZIP 49085 is $304,600, which is 10% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49085?
The largest racial group in ZIP 49085 is White at 84.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49085?
ZIP code 49085 has 827 business establishments employing approximately 14,178 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49085?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49085 are: Health care and social assistance (157), Retail trade (95), Professional, scientific, and technical services (94). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49085?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49085 increased by 7.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 124%. 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 49085?
In ZIP code 49085, 67.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 50.8% 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 49085?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49085 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 49085?
In ZIP code 49085, approximately 76.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49085?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49085 is 4.6% 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 49085's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 49085 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Saint Joseph, 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.