PlainZIP

Grand Rapids, MI · standard

ZIP Code 49503

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

35,940
1,933/sq mi
$64,661
Median income
$241,900
Median home value
44.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Grand Rapids pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, renter-heavy area.

38th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 45%
home value, US ZIPs
1,933
people per sq mi
36%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49503 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 49503 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan, with 35,940 residents across 18.6 square miles, a density of 1,933 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 49503 reports a modest median household income of $64,661 (12% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $37,781. Local economic indicators show a 20.7% poverty rate alongside 4.8% unemployment. Housing costs here run $241,900 for a typical home value (10% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,301 a month; 36.2% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 44.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.1, and the average commute is 19 minutes. To put 49503 in local context, 10 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 49503

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Grand Rapids, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49503.

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 49503, Grand Rapids, 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

35,940

Population

18.6

Area (sq mi)

1,933

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 49503?

31.1

Median Age

50.9%

Male

49.1%

Female

11.0%

Foreign-Born

White 61.0%
African American 13.4%
Asian 2.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 16.0%
Hispanic or Latino 19.9%

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?

$64,661

Median Household Income

-12% vs state

$37,781

Per Capita Income

20.7%

Poverty Rate

4.8%

Unemployment Rate

18.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 49503 ranks nationally

Grand Rapids, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$64,661 38th percentile higher than 38% 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 64.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 44.8%

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

What does housing look like?

19,328

Total Housing Units

17,960

Occupied Units

1,368

Vacant Units

2.08

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 36.2%
Renter 63.8%

$241,900

Median Home Value

+10% vs state

$1,301

Median Rent

1938

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

+6.1%

YoY Change (2024)

312

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+212%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 49503 have increased 6.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +212% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.8% 198
2021 +14.5% 227
2022 +19.3% 271
2023 +8.5% 294
2024 +6.1% 312

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 1,717 business establishments in ZIP 49503, employing approximately 52,626 people with a combined annual payroll of $3,794,127,000.

1,717

Businesses

52,626

Employees

$3.8B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 320 18.6%
Health care and social assistance 229 13.3%
Accommodation and food services 198 11.5%
Other services (except public administration) 191 11.1%
Finance and insurance 161 9.4%
Retail trade 128 7.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 79 4.6%
Manufacturing 75 4.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 74 4.3%
Construction 65 3.8%
Wholesale trade 49 2.9%
Information 42 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 29 1.7%
Educational services 27 1.6%
Management of companies and enterprises 24 1.4%
Transportation and warehousing 22 1.3%
Utilities 3 0.2%

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 49503 vs 49507 →

ZIP 49503 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 49503 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 49503 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 49503 ranks #9 of 9 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
49507 Grand Rapids, MI 35,459 2.2 mi
49505 Grand Rapids, MI 31,216 2.7 mi
49506 Grand Rapids, MI 31,354 2.6 mi
49504 Grand Rapids, MI 39,994 2.8 mi
49548 Grand Rapids, MI 30,524 6.4 mi
49509 Wyoming, MI 26,720 4.8 mi
49508 Grand Rapids, MI 39,148 6.4 mi
49519 Wyoming, MI 27,424 5.4 mi
49525 Grand Rapids, MI 27,383 5.3 mi
49321 Comstock Park, MI 16,241 7.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Kent County

49504 standard
Grand Rapids, MI
Pop: 39,994
49508 standard
Grand Rapids, MI
Pop: 39,148
49507 standard
Grand Rapids, MI
Pop: 35,459
49341 standard
Rockford, MI
Pop: 33,737
49546 standard
Grand Rapids, MI
Pop: 31,880
49506 standard
Grand Rapids, MI
Pop: 31,354

Related Areas

Kent County Grand Rapids, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 49503 in? ▼
ZIP code 49503 (Grand Rapids) 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 49503? ▼
ZIP code 49503 in Grand Rapids, MI has a population of 35,940 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49503? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 49503 is $64,661, which is 15% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49503? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 49503 is $241,900, which is 13% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49503? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 49503 is White at 61.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 19.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49503? ▼
ZIP code 49503 has 1,717 business establishments employing approximately 52,626 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49503? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49503 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (320), Health care and social assistance (229), Accommodation and food services (198). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49503? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49503 increased by 6.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 212%. 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 49503? ▼
In ZIP code 49503, 64.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 44.8% 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 49503? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49503 is 18.5 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 49503? ▼
In ZIP code 49503, approximately 36.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 63.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49503? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49503 is 20.7% 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.