PlainZIP

Hillsdale, MI · standard

ZIP Code 49242

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

15,248
65/sq mi
$61,029
Median income
$183,700
Median home value
26.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Hillsdale pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

31th pct
household income, US ZIPs
39th pct
home value, US ZIPs
65
people per sq mi
73%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49242 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 49242 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Hillsdale, Hillsdale County, Michigan, home to 15,248 residents across 234.6 square miles, a density of 65 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 49242 reports a modest median household income of $61,029 (17% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $29,984. The poverty rate stands at 15.1% and the unemployment rate at 4.7%. The typical home here is valued at $183,700 (16% below the state average); renters pay a median of $806 monthly, and 73.2% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 26.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.6, and the average commute is 18 minutes. We also surface 5 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Hillsdale County, so you can benchmark 49242 against its immediate geography rather than a national average 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 49242

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hillsdale, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49242.

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 49242, Hillsdale, 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

15,248

Population

234.6

Area (sq mi)

65

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 49242?

37.6

Median Age

48.9%

Male

51.1%

Female

2.3%

Foreign-Born

White 91.3%
African American 1.0%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.1%
Hispanic or Latino 3.2%

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?

$61,029

Median Household Income

-17% vs state

$29,984

Per Capita Income

15.1%

Poverty Rate

4.7%

Unemployment Rate

17.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 49242 ranks nationally

Hillsdale, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$61,029 31st percentile higher than 31% 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 65.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 26.1%

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

What does housing look like?

6,576

Total Housing Units

5,427

Occupied Units

1,149

Vacant Units

2.46

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 73.2%
Renter 26.8%

$183,700

Median Home Value

-16% vs state

$806

Median Rent

1964

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

+9.6%

YoY Change (2024)

199

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+99%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 49242 have increased 9.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +99% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.4% 131
2021 +12.2% 147
2022 +15.8% 170
2023 +6.8% 181
2024 +9.6% 199

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 338 business establishments in ZIP 49242, employing approximately 5,185 people with a combined annual payroll of $245,514,000.

338

Businesses

5,185

Employees

$245.5M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 58 17.2%
Retail trade 49 14.5%
Other services (except public administration) 47 13.9%
Accommodation and food services 34 10.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 24 7.1%
Manufacturing 23 6.8%
Finance and insurance 23 6.8%
Construction 16 4.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 14 4.1%
Wholesale trade 11 3.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 11 3.3%
Transportation and warehousing 8 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 2.1%
Information 6 1.8%
Educational services 5 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 49242 vs 49266 →

ZIP 49242 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 49242 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 49242 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 49242 ranks #3 of 6 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
49266 Osseo, MI 2,942 4.5 mi
49250 Jonesville, MI 6,182 9.4 mi
49274 Reading, MI 3,670 8.1 mi
49232 Camden, MI 2,801 10.2 mi
49262 North Adams, MI 1,280 9.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Hillsdale County

49250 standard
Jonesville, MI
Pop: 6,182
49274 standard
Reading, MI
Pop: 3,670
49249 standard
Jerome, MI
Pop: 3,408
49266 standard
Osseo, MI
Pop: 2,942
49232 standard
Camden, MI
Pop: 2,801
49233 standard
Cement City, MI
Pop: 2,646

Related Areas

Hillsdale County Hillsdale, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 49242 in? ▼
ZIP code 49242 (Hillsdale) is located in Hillsdale County, Michigan. Hillsdale County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/hillsdale-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 49242? ▼
ZIP code 49242 in Hillsdale, MI has a population of 15,248 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49242? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 49242 is $61,029, which is 20% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49242? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 49242 is $183,700, which is 34% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49242? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 49242 is White at 91.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49242? ▼
ZIP code 49242 has 338 business establishments employing approximately 5,185 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49242? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49242 are: Health care and social assistance (58), Retail trade (49), Other services (except public administration) (47). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49242? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49242 increased by 9.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 99%. 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 49242? ▼
In ZIP code 49242, 65.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 26.1% 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 49242? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49242 is 17.6 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 49242? ▼
In ZIP code 49242, approximately 73.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 26.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49242? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49242 is 15.1% 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.