PlainZIP

Beulah, MI · standard

ZIP Code 49617

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

3,363
29/sq mi
$74,207
Median income
$304,000
Median home value
37.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 46%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 33%
home value, US ZIPs
29
people per sq mi
93%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49617 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 49617 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 116.8 square miles in Beulah, Benzie County, Michigan. The area is home to 3,363 residents, producing a population density of 29 people per square mile, and falls within the Detroit time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 49617 against Michigan and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 49617 sits at $74,207 (1% above the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $44,792. The poverty rate stands at 9.7% and the unemployment rate at 3.7%. On housing, the median home value is $304,000 (38% above the state average) with median rent at $738 per month, and 93.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 49617 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 37.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 52.1, and the average commute is 28 minutes. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Benzie County, so you can benchmark 49617 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 49617

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49617.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 49617, Beulah, MI · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

3,363

Population

116.8

Area (sq mi)

29

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 49617?

52.1

Median Age

47.2%

Male

52.8%

Female

2.4%

Foreign-Born

White 89.6%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%

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?

$74,207

Median Household Income

+1% vs state

$44,792

Per Capita Income

9.7%

Poverty Rate

3.7%

Unemployment Rate

28.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 49617 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$74,207 Top 46% higher than 54% 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 62.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 37.6%

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

What does housing look like?

2,723

Total Housing Units

1,546

Occupied Units

1,177

Vacant Units

2.24

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 93.3%
Renter 6.7%

$304,000

Median Home Value

+38% vs state

$738

Median Rent

1986

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

+12.0%

YoY Change (2024)

227

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+127%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 49617 have increased 12.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +127% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.2% 146
2021 +13.0% 165
2022 +21.9% 202
2023 +0.3% 202
2024 +12.0% 227

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 94 business establishments in ZIP 49617, employing approximately 363 people with a combined annual payroll of $18,595,000.

94

Businesses

363

Employees

$18.6M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 18 19.1%
Accommodation and food services 16 17.0%
Retail trade 13 13.8%
Other services (except public administration) 10 10.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 5 5.3%
Health care and social assistance 5 5.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 5.3%
Finance and insurance 4 4.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 4 4.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 4 4.3%
Transportation and warehousing 3 3.2%

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 49617 vs 49640 →

ZIP 49617 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 49617 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 49617 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 49617 ranks #2 of 4 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
49640 Honor, MI 1,618 5.0 mi
49616 Benzonia, MI 1,974 5.4 mi
49683 Thompsonville, MI 1,939 8.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Benzie County

49635 standard
Frankfort, MI
Pop: 3,350
49650 standard
Lake Ann, MI
Pop: 3,144
49616 standard
Benzonia, MI
Pop: 1,974
49683 standard
Thompsonville, MI
Pop: 1,939
49640 standard
Honor, MI
Pop: 1,618
49628 standard
Elberta, MI
Pop: 372

Related Areas

Benzie County Beulah, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 49617 in? ▼
ZIP code 49617 (Beulah) is located in Benzie County, Michigan. Benzie County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/benzie-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 49617? ▼
ZIP code 49617 in Beulah, MI has a population of 3,363 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49617? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 49617 is $74,207, which is 3% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49617? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 49617 is $304,000, which is 9% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49617? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 49617 is White at 89.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49617? ▼
ZIP code 49617 has 94 business establishments employing approximately 363 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49617? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49617 are: Construction (18), Accommodation and food services (16), Retail trade (13). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49617? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49617 increased by 12.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 127%. 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 49617? ▼
In ZIP code 49617, 62.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 37.6% 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 49617? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49617 is 28.1 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 49617? ▼
In ZIP code 49617, approximately 93.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 6.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49617? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49617 is 9.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Reading Census Demographics
How to interpret population, income, and education data from the Census Bureau.
Understanding ZIP Code Data
What ZIP codes are, how ZCTAs differ, and what the data reveals.
Best ZIP Codes for Families
Key factors to evaluate when choosing a family-friendly neighborhood.
ZIP Codes for Relocation
Data-driven tips for evaluating ZIP codes before a move.

Official Data Resources for Beulah, MI

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

U.S. Census Bureau
Official demographic, economic, and housing data from the American Community Survey.
HUD Fair Market Rents
Department of Housing and Urban Development rental cost estimates by metropolitan area.
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Official crime statistics compiled from law enforcement agencies nationwide.
FHFA House Price Index
Federal Housing Finance Agency home value trends based on repeat sales and appraisals.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.