PlainZIP

Idlewild, MI · standard

ZIP Code 49642

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

842
18/sq mi
$26,950
Median income
$116,100
Median home value
12.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Idlewild pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

1th pct
household income, US ZIPs
15th pct
home value, US ZIPs
18
people per sq mi
82%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49642 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 49642 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Idlewild, Lake County, Michigan, home to just 842 residents across 47.0 square miles, a density of 18 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 49642 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $26,950 (63% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $21,211. 37.6% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 1.6%. On housing, the median home value is $116,100 (47% below the state average) with median rent at $763 per month, and 81.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.2, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 3 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 4 more sharing Lake County, letting you compare 49642 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 →

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 49642, Idlewild, 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

842

Population

47.0

Area (sq mi)

18

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 49642?

42.2

Median Age

64.5%

Male

35.5%

Female

0.3%

Foreign-Born

White 51.3%
African American 40.5%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 2.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.2%
Hispanic or Latino 5.1%

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?

$26,950

Median Household Income

-63% vs state

$21,211

Per Capita Income

37.6%

Poverty Rate

1.6%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 49642 ranks nationally

Idlewild, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$26,950 1st percentile higher than 1% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 49.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 12.4%

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

What does housing look like?

1,086

Total Housing Units

382

Occupied Units

704

Vacant Units

2.58

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 81.9%
Renter 18.1%

$116,100

Median Home Value

-47% vs state

$763

Median Rent

1975

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 3 business establishments in ZIP 49642, employing approximately 10 people with a combined annual payroll of $609,000.

3

Businesses

10

Employees

$609K

Annual Payroll

0

Industry Sectors

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 49642 vs 49623 →

ZIP 49642 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 49642 ranks #4 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 49642 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 49642 ranks #4 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
49623 Chase, MI 1,164 4.7 mi
49304 Baldwin, MI 4,328 6.3 mi
49309 Bitely, MI 1,843 9.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lake County

49304 standard
Baldwin, MI
Pop: 4,328
49644 standard
Irons, MI
Pop: 2,033
49656 standard
Luther, MI
Pop: 1,534
49623 standard
Chase, MI
Pop: 1,164

Related Areas

Lake County Idlewild, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 49642 in? ▼
ZIP code 49642 (Idlewild) is located in Lake County, Michigan. Lake County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lake-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 49642? ▼
ZIP code 49642 in Idlewild, MI has a population of 842 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49642? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 49642 is $26,950, which is 65% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49642? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 49642 is $116,100, which is 58% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49642? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 49642 is White at 51.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49642? ▼
ZIP code 49642 has 3 business establishments employing approximately 10 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 49642? ▼
In ZIP code 49642, 49.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.4% 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 49642? ▼
In ZIP code 49642, approximately 81.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49642? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49642 is 37.6% 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.