PlainZIP

Alpha, MI · standard

ZIP Code 49902

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

145
178/sq mi
$39,115
Median income
$34,100
Median home value
8.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

5th pct
household income, US ZIPs
0th pct
home value, US ZIPs
178
people per sq mi
88%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49902 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 49902 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Alpha, Iron County, Michigan, home to just 145 residents across 0.8 square miles, a density of 178 people per square mile, in the Menominee time zone.

ZIP 49902 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $39,115 (47% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $25,932. Local economic indicators show a 21.4% poverty rate alongside 2.9% unemployment. Median home value sits at $34,100 (84% below the state average), median rent at - a month, and owner-occupancy at 87.8%.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 8.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 58.7, and the average commute is -. A geography-based comparison follows: 1 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 49902, plus 5 more within Iron County, give a clearer read than the national average 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 49902, Alpha, 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

145

Population

0.8

Area (sq mi)

178

People / sq mi

Menominee

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 49902?

58.7

Median Age

42.8%

Male

57.2%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 95.3%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 2.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.9%
Hispanic or Latino 0.0%

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?

$39,115

Median Household Income

-47% vs state

$25,932

Per Capita Income

21.4%

Poverty Rate

2.9%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 49902 ranks nationally

Alpha, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$39,115 5th percentile higher than 5% 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 66.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 8.1%

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

What does housing look like?

148

Total Housing Units

115

Occupied Units

33

Vacant Units

1.87

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 87.8%
Renter 12.2%

$34,100

Median Home Value

-84% vs state

1945

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 49902, employing approximately 8 people with a combined annual payroll of $134,000.

3

Businesses

8

Employees

$134K

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 49902 vs 49920 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
49920 Crystal Falls, MI 4,273 8.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Iron County

49935 standard
Iron River, MI
Pop: 6,096
49920 standard
Crystal Falls, MI
Pop: 4,273
49915 standard
Caspian, MI
Pop: 630
49927 standard
Gaastra, MI
Pop: 483
49903 standard
Amasa, MI
Pop: 133

Related Areas

Iron County Alpha, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 49902 in? ▼
ZIP code 49902 (Alpha) is located in Iron County, Michigan. Iron County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/iron-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 49902? ▼
ZIP code 49902 in Alpha, MI has a population of 145 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49902? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 49902 is $39,115, which is 49% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49902? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 49902 is $34,100, which is 88% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49902? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 49902 is White at 95.3%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49902? ▼
ZIP code 49902 has 3 business establishments employing approximately 8 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 49902? ▼
In ZIP code 49902, 66.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 8.1% 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 49902? ▼
In ZIP code 49902, approximately 87.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49902? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49902 is 21.4% 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.