New Buffalo, MI · standard
ZIP Code 49117
Berrien County, Michigan - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,951
- 80/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $75,114
- Median income Near-median income area
- $488,000
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 46.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
New Buffalo pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 45%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 14%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 80
- people per sq mi
- 77%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49117 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 49117 (New Buffalo, MI) rose +12.3% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 275.4 in 2023 to 309.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 49117 covers 49.6 square miles in New Buffalo, Berrien County, Michigan (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,951 residents on file, a density of 80 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.
ZIP 49117 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $75,114 (2% above the average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $63,180. The poverty rate is 15.0%, with unemployment at 9.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $488,000 (122% above the average Michigan ZIP), while 76.5% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $866.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 46.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 57.4, and the average commute is 23 minutes. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Berrien County, so 49117 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 49117
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in New Buffalo, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49117.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
28 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
28 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing
Real estate and rental and leasing
18 establishments
- Construction
Construction
14 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
14 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 49117, New Buffalo, 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
3,951
Population
49.6
Area (sq mi)
80
People / sq mi
Detroit
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 49117?
57.4
Median Age
52.5%
Male
47.5%
Female
4.7%
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?
$75,114
Median Household Income
+2% vs state ZIP avg
$63,180
Per Capita Income
15.0%
Poverty Rate
9.7%
Unemployment Rate
23.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 49117 ranks among Michigan ZIPs
New Buffalo, 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)
$75,114 Top 37% higher than 63% 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
3,823housing units
3,823
Total Housing Units
1,771
Occupied Units
2,052
Vacant Units
1.89
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$488,000
Median Home Value
+122% vs state ZIP avg
$866
Median Rent
1976
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
+12.3%
YoY Change (2024)
309
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+209%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 49117 have increased 12.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +209% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.5% | 195 |
| 2021 | +10.0% | 214 |
| 2022 | +19.0% | 255 |
| 2023 | +8.1% | 275 |
| 2024 | +12.3% | 309 |
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 160 business establishments in ZIP 49117, employing approximately 1,327 people with a combined annual payroll of $57,136,000.
160
Businesses
1,327
Employees
$57.1M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 28 | 17.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 28 | 17.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 18 | 11.3% |
| Construction | 14 | 8.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 14 | 8.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 14 | 8.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 12 | 7.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 10 | 6.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 8 | 5.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 8 | 5.0% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 1.9% |
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 49117 vs 49129 →
ZIP 49117 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 46360
Michigan City (46360)
43,625 residents
- 49117 3,951
New Buffalo (49117)
3,951 residents
- 49128 3,715
Three Oaks (49128)
3,715 residents
- 46371 3,599
Rolling Prairie (46371)
3,599 residents
- 49125 2,046
Sawyer (49125)
2,046 residents
- 49129 609
Union Pier (49129)
609 residents
- 49116 394
Lakeside (49116)
394 residents
- 49115 294
Harbert (49115)
294 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 49117 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 49117 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 49116
Lakeside (49116)
$127,857 median income
- 49129
Union Pier (49129)
$106,181 median income
- 46371
Rolling Prairie (46371)
$99,830 median income
- 49125
Sawyer (49125)
$79,766 median income
- 49117
New Buffalo (49117)
$75,114 median income
- 49128
Three Oaks (49128)
$67,398 median income
- 46360
Michigan City (46360)
$59,266 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 49117 ranks #5 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 49117, 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 (3,951 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 49117 in?
ZIP code 49117 (New Buffalo) 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 49117?
ZIP code 49117 in New Buffalo, MI has a population of 3,951 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49117?
The median household income in ZIP 49117 is $75,114, which is 2% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49117?
The median home value in ZIP 49117 is $488,000, which is 75% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49117?
The largest racial group in ZIP 49117 is White at 90.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49117?
ZIP code 49117 has 160 business establishments employing approximately 1,327 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49117?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49117 are: Retail trade (28), Accommodation and food services (28), Real estate and rental and leasing (18). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49117?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49117 increased by 12.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 209%. 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 49117?
In ZIP code 49117, 71.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 46.7% 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 49117?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49117 is 23.1 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 49117?
In ZIP code 49117, approximately 76.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49117?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49117 is 15.0% 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 49117's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 49117 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where New Buffalo, MI ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.