PlainZIP

Alto, MI · standard

ZIP Code 49302

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

7,585
60/sq mi
$134,722
Median income
$400,700
Median home value
47.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Alto pairs a top-decile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 6%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 20%
home value, US ZIPs
60
people per sq mi
97%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49302 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 49302 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Alto, Kent County, Michigan, home to 7,585 residents across 126.2 square miles, a density of 60 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 49302 skews affluent, with a median household income of $134,722 (84% above the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $48,635. 3.2% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 3.4%. Median home value sits at $400,700 (82% above the state average), median rent at - a month, and owner-occupancy at 96.8%.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 47.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.2, and the average commute is 23 minutes. To put 49302 in local context, 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Kent 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 49302

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Alto, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49302.

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 49302, Alto, 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

7,585

Population

126.2

Area (sq mi)

60

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 49302?

39.2

Median Age

55.6%

Male

44.4%

Female

2.1%

Foreign-Born

White 95.3%
African American 0.1%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.2%
Hispanic or Latino 1.6%

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?

$134,722

Median Household Income

+84% vs state

$48,635

Per Capita Income

3.2%

Poverty Rate

3.4%

Unemployment Rate

23.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 49302 ranks nationally

Alto, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$134,722 Top 6% higher than 94% 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%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). This entry sits in this band. $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 69.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 47.0%

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

What does housing look like?

3,180

Total Housing Units

3,052

Occupied Units

128

Vacant Units

3.17

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 96.8%
Renter 3.2%

$400,700

Median Home Value

+82% vs state

1992

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

+8.4%

YoY Change (2024)

222

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+122%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 49302 have increased 8.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +122% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.8% 150
2021 +10.7% 166
2022 +17.7% 195
2023 +4.7% 205
2024 +8.4% 222

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 139 business establishments in ZIP 49302, employing approximately 1,294 people with a combined annual payroll of $70,104,000.

139

Businesses

1,294

Employees

$70.1M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 42 30.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 21 15.1%
Other services (except public administration) 16 11.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 9 6.5%
Wholesale trade 7 5.0%
Retail trade 6 4.3%
Transportation and warehousing 6 4.3%
Finance and insurance 6 4.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6 4.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 4.3%
Manufacturing 5 3.6%
Accommodation and food services 4 2.9%
Health care and social assistance 3 2.2%

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 49302 vs 48815 →

ZIP 49302 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 49302 ranks #5 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 49302 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 49302 ranks the highest of 7 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
48815 Clarksville, MI 2,259 7.3 mi
49325 Freeport, MI 1,909 6.7 mi
49331 Lowell, MI 16,627 9.2 mi
49333 Middleville, MI 11,191 9.3 mi
49512 Grand Rapids, MI 15,448 8.5 mi
49546 Grand Rapids, MI 31,880 10.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Kent County

49504 standard
Grand Rapids, MI
Pop: 39,994
49508 standard
Grand Rapids, MI
Pop: 39,148
49503 standard
Grand Rapids, MI
Pop: 35,940
49507 standard
Grand Rapids, MI
Pop: 35,459
49341 standard
Rockford, MI
Pop: 33,737
49546 standard
Grand Rapids, MI
Pop: 31,880

Related Areas

Kent County Alto, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 49302 in? ▼
ZIP code 49302 (Alto) is located in Kent County, Michigan. Kent County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/kent-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 49302? ▼
ZIP code 49302 in Alto, MI has a population of 7,585 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49302? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 49302 is $134,722, which is 77% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49302? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 49302 is $400,700, which is 44% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49302? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 49302 is White at 95.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49302? ▼
ZIP code 49302 has 139 business establishments employing approximately 1,294 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49302? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49302 are: Construction (42), Professional, scientific, and technical services (21), Other services (except public administration) (16). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49302? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49302 increased by 8.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 122%. 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 49302? ▼
In ZIP code 49302, 69.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 47.0% 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 49302? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49302 is 23.0 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 49302? ▼
In ZIP code 49302, approximately 96.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 3.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49302? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49302 is 3.2% 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.