Howard City, MI · standard
ZIP Code 49329
Montcalm County, Michigan - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 8,641
- 41/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $74,235
- Median income Near-median income area
- $207,900
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 14.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Howard City pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 46%
- household income, US ZIPs
- 46th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 41
- people per sq mi
- 91%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49329 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 49329 (Howard City, MI) rose +7.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 222.8 in 2023 to 238.7 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 49329 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Howard City, Montcalm County, Michigan, home to 8,641 residents across 211.3 square miles, a density of 41 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.
ZIP 49329 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $74,235 (1% above the average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $37,110. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 7.8% and unemployment is 3.7%. Median home value is $207,900 (5% below the average Michigan ZIP) and median rent is $832; 90.8% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.1, and the average commute is 36 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Montcalm County, so 49329 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 49329
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Howard City, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49329.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
17 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
16 establishments
- Construction
Construction
13 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
10 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
10 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 49329, Howard City, 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
8,641
Population
211.3
Area (sq mi)
41
People / sq mi
Detroit
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 49329?
37.1
Median Age
55.9%
Male
44.1%
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?
$74,235
Median Household Income
+1% vs state ZIP avg
$37,110
Per Capita Income
7.8%
Poverty Rate
3.7%
Unemployment Rate
36.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 49329 ranks among Michigan ZIPs
Howard City, 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)
$74,235 Top 40% higher than 60% 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
3,849housing units
3,849
Total Housing Units
3,370
Occupied Units
479
Vacant Units
2.71
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$207,900
Median Home Value
-5% vs state ZIP avg
$832
Median Rent
1993
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)
239
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+139%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 49329 have increased 7.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +139% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.1% | 149 |
| 2021 | +12.5% | 167 |
| 2022 | +17.5% | 197 |
| 2023 | +13.4% | 223 |
| 2024 | +7.1% | 239 |
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 108 business establishments in ZIP 49329, employing approximately 890 people with a combined annual payroll of $37,380,000.
108
Businesses
890
Employees
$37.4M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 17 | 15.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 16 | 14.8% |
| Construction | 13 | 12.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 10 | 9.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 10 | 9.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 9 | 8.3% |
| Manufacturing | 7 | 6.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 6 | 5.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 5 | 4.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 3.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 2.8% |
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 49329 vs 49339 →
ZIP 49329 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 49329
Howard City (49329)
8,641 residents
- 49343
Sand Lake (49343)
5,489 residents
- 49336
Morley (49336)
4,352 residents
- 49339 2,283
Pierson (49339)
2,283 residents
- 49347 1,257
Trufant (49347)
1,257 residents
- 49322 1,212
Coral (49322)
1,212 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 49329 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 49329 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 49347
Trufant (49347)
$91,477 median income
- 49339
Pierson (49339)
$86,611 median income
- 49343
Sand Lake (49343)
$80,408 median income
- 49329
Howard City (49329)
$74,235 median income
- 49322
Coral (49322)
$73,750 median income
- 49336
Morley (49336)
$54,522 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 49329 ranks #4 of 6 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 49329, 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 (8,641 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Montcalm County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 49329 in?
ZIP code 49329 (Howard City) is located in Montcalm County, Michigan. Montcalm County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/montcalm-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 49329?
ZIP code 49329 in Howard City, MI has a population of 8,641 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49329?
The median household income in ZIP 49329 is $74,235, which is 3% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49329?
The median home value in ZIP 49329 is $207,900, which is 25% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49329?
The largest racial group in ZIP 49329 is White at 86.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49329?
ZIP code 49329 has 108 business establishments employing approximately 890 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49329?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49329 are: Retail trade (17), Other services (except public administration) (16), Construction (13). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49329?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49329 increased by 7.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 139%. 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 49329?
In ZIP code 49329, 59.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.5% 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 49329?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49329 is 36.4 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 49329?
In ZIP code 49329, approximately 90.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 9.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49329?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49329 is 7.8% 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 49329's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 49329 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Howard City, MI ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.