PlainZIP

Muskegon, MI · standard

ZIP Code 49444

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

29,456
479/sq mi
$53,054
Median income
$165,900
Median home value
17.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Muskegon pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

18th pct
household income, US ZIPs
33th pct
home value, US ZIPs
479
people per sq mi
69%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49444 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 49444 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Muskegon, Muskegon County, Michigan, with 29,456 residents across 61.5 square miles, a density of 479 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 49444 reports a modest median household income of $53,054 (28% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $28,164. Local economic indicators show a 21.1% poverty rate alongside 9.4% unemployment. On housing, the median home value is $165,900 (24% below the state average) with median rent at $979 per month, and 69.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.6, and the average commute is 19 minutes. Beyond these figures, 7 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Muskegon County, letting you compare 49444 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 49444

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Muskegon, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49444.

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 49444, Muskegon, 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

29,456

Population

61.5

Area (sq mi)

479

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 49444?

37.6

Median Age

47.9%

Male

52.1%

Female

1.2%

Foreign-Born

White 60.6%
African American 29.5%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.8%
Hispanic or Latino 4.6%

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?

$53,054

Median Household Income

-28% vs state

$28,164

Per Capita Income

21.1%

Poverty Rate

9.4%

Unemployment Rate

19.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 49444 ranks nationally

Muskegon, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$53,054 18th percentile higher than 18% 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 55.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.6%

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

What does housing look like?

11,489

Total Housing Units

10,192

Occupied Units

1,297

Vacant Units

2.54

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 69.3%
Renter 30.7%

$165,900

Median Home Value

-24% vs state

$979

Median Rent

1961

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)

223

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+123%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 49444 have increased 9.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +123% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.7% 144
2021 +14.9% 166
2022 +19.4% 198
2023 +2.5% 203
2024 +9.6% 223

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 670 business establishments in ZIP 49444, employing approximately 15,600 people with a combined annual payroll of $764,794,000.

670

Businesses

15,600

Employees

$764.8M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 154 23.0%
Health care and social assistance 100 14.9%
Accommodation and food services 77 11.5%
Other services (except public administration) 69 10.3%
Manufacturing 53 7.9%
Construction 36 5.4%
Finance and insurance 34 5.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 34 5.1%
Wholesale trade 24 3.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 24 3.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 18 2.7%
Transportation and warehousing 14 2.1%
Information 13 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 9 1.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 5 0.8%
Educational services 4 0.6%

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 49444 vs 49441 →

ZIP 49444 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 49444 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 49444 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 49444 ranks #6 of 8 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
49441 Muskegon, MI 36,308 3.7 mi
49456 Spring Lake, MI 18,581 6.2 mi
49415 Fruitport, MI 6,480 4.5 mi
49440 Muskegon, MI 953 5.0 mi
49442 Muskegon, MI 41,214 5.6 mi
49445 Muskegon, MI 20,784 9.0 mi
49448 Nunica, MI 3,410 8.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Muskegon County

49442 standard
Muskegon, MI
Pop: 41,214
49441 standard
Muskegon, MI
Pop: 36,308
49445 standard
Muskegon, MI
Pop: 20,784
49457 standard
Twin Lake, MI
Pop: 10,565
49461 standard
Whitehall, MI
Pop: 8,929
49437 standard
Montague, MI
Pop: 6,902

Related Areas

Muskegon County Muskegon, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 49444 in? ▼
ZIP code 49444 (Muskegon) is located in Muskegon County, Michigan. Muskegon County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/muskegon-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 49444? ▼
ZIP code 49444 in Muskegon, MI has a population of 29,456 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49444? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 49444 is $53,054, which is 30% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49444? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 49444 is $165,900, which is 40% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49444? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 49444 is White at 60.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49444? ▼
ZIP code 49444 has 670 business establishments employing approximately 15,600 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49444? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49444 are: Retail trade (154), Health care and social assistance (100), Accommodation and food services (77). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49444? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49444 increased by 9.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 123%. 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 49444? ▼
In ZIP code 49444, 55.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.6% 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 49444? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49444 is 19.2 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 49444? ▼
In ZIP code 49444, approximately 69.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 30.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49444? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49444 is 21.1% 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.