PlainZIP

Ludington, MI · standard

ZIP Code 49431

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

16,875
63/sq mi
$66,336
Median income
$237,700
Median home value
31.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

41th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 46%
home value, US ZIPs
63
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49431 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 49431 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ludington, Mason County, Michigan, home to 16,875 residents across 269.1 square miles, a density of 63 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 49431 reports a modest median household income of $66,336 (10% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $40,407. Local economic indicators show a 14.0% poverty rate alongside 3.6% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $237,700 (8% above the state average); renters pay a median of $914 monthly, and 72.3% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 31.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.6, and the average commute is 16 minutes. Beyond these figures, 2 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Mason County, letting you compare 49431 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 49431

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ludington, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49431.

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 49431, Ludington, 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

16,875

Population

269.1

Area (sq mi)

63

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 49431?

48.6

Median Age

49.6%

Male

50.4%

Female

1.5%

Foreign-Born

White 91.4%
African American 1.2%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.0%
Hispanic or Latino 4.4%

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?

$66,336

Median Household Income

-10% vs state

$40,407

Per Capita Income

14.0%

Poverty Rate

3.6%

Unemployment Rate

15.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 49431 ranks nationally

Ludington, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$66,336 41st percentile higher than 41% 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 60.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.3%

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

What does housing look like?

10,051

Total Housing Units

7,765

Occupied Units

2,286

Vacant Units

2.18

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 72.3%
Renter 27.7%

$237,700

Median Home Value

+8% vs state

$914

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

+7.3%

YoY Change (2024)

264

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+164%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 49431 have increased 7.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +164% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.9% 160
2021 +15.1% 184
2022 +19.4% 219
2023 +12.0% 246
2024 +7.3% 264

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 579 business establishments in ZIP 49431, employing approximately 8,439 people with a combined annual payroll of $395,367,000.

579

Businesses

8,439

Employees

$395.4M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 90 15.5%
Accommodation and food services 79 13.6%
Health care and social assistance 64 11.1%
Other services (except public administration) 63 10.9%
Construction 57 9.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 40 6.9%
Manufacturing 33 5.7%
Finance and insurance 29 5.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 28 4.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 25 4.3%
Wholesale trade 17 2.9%
Transportation and warehousing 16 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 15 2.6%
Information 10 1.7%
Educational services 5 0.9%
Utilities 4 0.7%

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 49431 vs 49454 →

ZIP 49431 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 49431 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 49431 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 49431 ranks the highest of 3 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
49454 Scottville, MI 4,574 6.0 mi
49411 Free Soil, MI 1,538 11.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Mason County

49454 standard
Scottville, MI
Pop: 4,574
49410 standard
Fountain, MI
Pop: 2,005
49405 standard
Custer, MI
Pop: 1,559
49411 standard
Free Soil, MI
Pop: 1,538
49402 standard
Branch, MI
Pop: 1,380
49458 standard
Walhalla, MI
Pop: 119

Related Areas

Mason County Ludington, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 49431 in? ▼
ZIP code 49431 (Ludington) is located in Mason County, Michigan. Mason County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mason-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 49431? ▼
ZIP code 49431 in Ludington, MI has a population of 16,875 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49431? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 49431 is $66,336, which is 13% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49431? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 49431 is $237,700, which is 15% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49431? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 49431 is White at 91.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49431? ▼
ZIP code 49431 has 579 business establishments employing approximately 8,439 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49431? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49431 are: Retail trade (90), Accommodation and food services (79), Health care and social assistance (64). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49431? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49431 increased by 7.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 164%. 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 49431? ▼
In ZIP code 49431, 60.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 31.3% 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 49431? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49431 is 15.6 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 49431? ▼
In ZIP code 49431, approximately 72.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49431? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49431 is 14.0% 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.