PlainZIP

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
$104,969
Median income
$304,600
Median home value
50.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

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 Michigan average), while per-capita income is $56,068. 4.6% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 2.2%. On housing, the median home value is $304,600 (39% above the state average) with median rent at $1,091 per month, and 76.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

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. Beyond these figures, 8 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Berrien County, letting you compare 49085 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 49085

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Saint Joseph, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49085.

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 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

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 49085?

45.0

Median Age

50.0%

Male

50.0%

Female

8.3%

Foreign-Born

White 84.7%
African American 2.5%
Asian 4.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.1%
Hispanic or Latino 3.5%

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

$56,068

Per Capita Income

4.6%

Poverty Rate

2.2%

Unemployment Rate

18.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 49085 ranks nationally

Saint Joseph, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$104,969 Top 16% higher than 84% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $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 67.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 50.8%

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

What does housing look like?

11,552

Total Housing Units

10,423

Occupied Units

1,129

Vacant Units

2.22

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 76.3%
Renter 23.7%

$304,600

Median Home Value

+39% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 49085 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 49085 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 49085 ranks the highest 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
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

More ZIP Codes in Berrien County

49120 standard
Niles, MI
Pop: 37,122
49022 standard
Benton Harbor, MI
Pop: 31,814
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 Saint Joseph, MI Michigan

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.

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