New Era, MI · standard
ZIP Code 49446
Oceana County, Michigan - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,321
- 28/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $65,217
- Median income Near-median income area
- $209,100
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 23.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
New Era pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 39th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 46th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 28
- people per sq mi
- 87%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49446 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 49446 (New Era, MI) fell -27.9% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 329.0 in 2023 to 237.1 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 49446 covers 83.8 square miles in New Era, Oceana County, Michigan (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,321 residents on file, a density of 28 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.
ZIP 49446 reports a modest median household income of $65,217 (11% below the average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $31,721. The poverty rate is 15.8%, with unemployment at 4.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $209,100 (5% below the average Michigan ZIP) and median rent is $744; 86.8% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.5, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Oceana County, so 49446 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 49446
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in New Era, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49446.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
8 establishments
- Construction
Construction
7 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
6 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
4 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 3
Accommodation and food services
3 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 49446, New Era, 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
2,321
Population
83.8
Area (sq mi)
28
People / sq mi
Detroit
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 49446?
44.5
Median Age
48.9%
Male
51.1%
Female
6.3%
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?
$65,217
Median Household Income
-11% vs state ZIP avg
$31,721
Per Capita Income
15.8%
Poverty Rate
4.7%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 49446 ranks among Michigan ZIPs
New Era, 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)
$65,217 43rd percentile higher than 43% 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
1,155housing units
1,155
Total Housing Units
826
Occupied Units
329
Vacant Units
2.62
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$209,100
Median Home Value
-5% vs state ZIP avg
$744
Median Rent
1981
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
-27.9%
YoY Change (2024)
237
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+137%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 49446 have decreased 27.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +137% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +0.6% | 152 |
| 2021 | +14.1% | 173 |
| 2022 | +19.0% | 206 |
| 2023 | +59.6% | 329 |
| 2024 | -27.9% | 237 |
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 39 business establishments in ZIP 49446, employing approximately 310 people with a combined annual payroll of $15,385,000.
39
Businesses
310
Employees
$15.4M
Annual Payroll
5
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 8 | 20.5% |
| Construction | 7 | 17.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 6 | 15.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 4 | 10.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3 | 7.7% |
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 49446 vs 49455 →
ZIP 49446 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 49437
Montague (49437)
6,902 residents
- 49455
Shelby (49455)
5,034 residents
- 49446 2,321
New Era (49446)
2,321 residents
- 49452 1,952
Rothbury (49452)
1,952 residents
- 49436 1,622
Mears (49436)
1,622 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 49446 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 49446 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 49437
Montague (49437)
$82,805 median income
- 49436
Mears (49436)
$67,279 median income
- 49446
New Era (49446)
$65,217 median income
- 49455
Shelby (49455)
$63,621 median income
- 49452
Rothbury (49452)
$55,441 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 49446 ranks #3 of 5 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 49446, 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 (2,321 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Oceana County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 49446 in?
ZIP code 49446 (New Era) is located in Oceana County, Michigan. Oceana County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/oceana-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 49446?
ZIP code 49446 in New Era, MI has a population of 2,321 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49446?
The median household income in ZIP 49446 is $65,217, which is 15% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49446?
The median home value in ZIP 49446 is $209,100, which is 25% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49446?
The largest racial group in ZIP 49446 is White at 79.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 14.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49446?
ZIP code 49446 has 39 business establishments employing approximately 310 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49446?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49446 are: Retail trade (8), Construction (7), Other services (except public administration) (6). There are 5 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49446?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49446 decreased by 27.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 137%. 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 49446?
In ZIP code 49446, 61.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.7% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 49446?
In ZIP code 49446, approximately 86.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49446?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49446 is 15.8% 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 49446's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 49446 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where New Era, MI ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.