PlainZIP

Reading, MI · standard

ZIP Code 49274

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

3,670
24/sq mi
$58,087
Median income
$171,100
Median home value
21.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

26th pct
household income, US ZIPs
35th pct
home value, US ZIPs
24
people per sq mi
80%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49274 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 49274 covers 154.9 square miles in Reading, Hillsdale County, Michigan (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,670 residents on file, a density of 24 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 49274 reports a modest median household income of $58,087 (21% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $31,144. 20.1% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 4.5%. The typical home here is valued at $171,100 (22% below the state average); renters pay a median of $809 monthly, and 79.6% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.5, and the average commute is 27 minutes. To put 49274 in local context, 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Hillsdale County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 49274

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Reading, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49274.

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 49274, Reading, 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

3,670

Population

154.9

Area (sq mi)

24

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 49274?

46.5

Median Age

50.7%

Male

49.3%

Female

0.9%

Foreign-Born

White 94.9%
African American 0.4%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.6%

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?

$58,087

Median Household Income

-21% vs state

$31,144

Per Capita Income

20.1%

Poverty Rate

4.5%

Unemployment Rate

26.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 49274 ranks nationally

Reading, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$58,087 26th percentile higher than 26% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 59.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.1%

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

What does housing look like?

2,008

Total Housing Units

1,533

Occupied Units

475

Vacant Units

2.39

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 79.6%
Renter 20.4%

$171,100

Median Home Value

-22% vs state

$809

Median Rent

1972

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

+15.8%

YoY Change (2024)

200

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+100%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 49274 have increased 15.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +100% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.0% 138
2021 +12.7% 156
2022 +11.9% 174
2023 -0.9% 173
2024 +15.8% 200

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 47 business establishments in ZIP 49274, employing approximately 263 people with a combined annual payroll of $11,336,000.

47

Businesses

263

Employees

$11.3M

Annual Payroll

8

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 10 21.3%
Transportation and warehousing 5 10.6%
Other services (except public administration) 5 10.6%
Construction 4 8.5%
Wholesale trade 4 8.5%
Health care and social assistance 4 8.5%
Accommodation and food services 4 8.5%
Manufacturing 3 6.4%

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 49274 vs 49227 →

ZIP 49274 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 49274 ranks #3 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 49274 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 49274 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
49227 Allen, MI 1,284 7.9 mi
49255 Montgomery, MI 1,939 6.4 mi
49242 Hillsdale, MI 15,248 8.1 mi
49232 Camden, MI 2,801 8.3 mi
49082 Quincy, MI 6,579 9.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Hillsdale County

49242 standard
Hillsdale, MI
Pop: 15,248
49250 standard
Jonesville, MI
Pop: 6,182
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 Reading, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 49274 in? ▼
ZIP code 49274 (Reading) 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 49274? ▼
ZIP code 49274 in Reading, MI has a population of 3,670 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49274? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 49274 is $58,087, which is 24% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49274? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 49274 is $171,100, which is 38% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49274? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 49274 is White at 94.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49274? ▼
ZIP code 49274 has 47 business establishments employing approximately 263 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49274? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49274 are: Retail trade (10), Transportation and warehousing (5), Other services (except public administration) (5). There are 8 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49274? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49274 increased by 15.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 100%. 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 49274? ▼
In ZIP code 49274, 59.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.1% 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 49274? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49274 is 26.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 49274? ▼
In ZIP code 49274, approximately 79.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49274? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49274 is 20.1% 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.