Crystal Falls, MI · standard
ZIP Code 49920
Iron County, Michigan - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 4,273
- 4/sq mi Low-density area
- $63,605
- Median income Near-median income area
- $129,500
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 23.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Crystal Falls pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 36th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 20th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 4
- people per sq mi
- 89%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49920 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 49920 (Crystal Falls, MI) rose +21.8% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 185.0 in 2023 to 225.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 49920 covers 1095.6 square miles in Crystal Falls, Iron County, Michigan (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,273 residents on file, a density of 4 people per square mile, in the Menominee time zone.
ZIP 49920 reports a modest median household income of $63,605 (13% below the average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $39,120. The poverty rate is 15.0%, with unemployment at 6.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $129,500 (41% below the average Michigan ZIP), and median rent is $918; owner occupancy is 88.6%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 56.3, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 5 more in Iron County, so 49920 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 49920
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Crystal Falls, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49920.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
23 establishments
- Construction
Construction
19 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
12 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
12 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
11 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 49920, Crystal Falls, 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
4,273
Population
1095.6
Area (sq mi)
4
People / sq mi
Menominee
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 49920?
56.3
Median Age
52.0%
Male
48.0%
Female
0.8%
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?
$63,605
Median Household Income
-13% vs state ZIP avg
$39,120
Per Capita Income
15.0%
Poverty Rate
6.7%
Unemployment Rate
22.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 49920 ranks among Michigan ZIPs
Crystal Falls, 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)
$63,605 38th percentile higher than 38% 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
3,391housing units
3,391
Total Housing Units
2,096
Occupied Units
1,295
Vacant Units
2.00
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$129,500
Median Home Value
-41% vs state ZIP avg
$918
Median Rent
1968
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
+21.8%
YoY Change (2024)
225
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+125%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 49920 have increased 21.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +125% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -5.4% | 130 |
| 2021 | +16.8% | 152 |
| 2022 | +23.1% | 187 |
| 2023 | -1.0% | 185 |
| 2024 | +21.8% | 225 |
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 124 business establishments in ZIP 49920, employing approximately 525 people with a combined annual payroll of $23,001,000.
124
Businesses
525
Employees
$23.0M
Annual Payroll
12
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 23 | 18.6% |
| Construction | 19 | 15.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 12 | 9.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 12 | 9.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 11 | 8.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 9 | 7.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 9 | 7.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 6 | 4.8% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 4.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 5 | 4.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 3.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 3 | 2.4% |
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 49920 vs 49902 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 49902 | Alpha, MI | 145 | 8.8 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 49920, 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 (4,273 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Iron County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 49920 in?
ZIP code 49920 (Crystal Falls) 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 49920?
ZIP code 49920 in Crystal Falls, MI has a population of 4,273 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49920?
The median household income in ZIP 49920 is $63,605, which is 17% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49920?
The median home value in ZIP 49920 is $129,500, which is 53% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49920?
The largest racial group in ZIP 49920 is White at 93.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49920?
ZIP code 49920 has 124 business establishments employing approximately 525 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49920?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49920 are: Retail trade (23), Construction (19), Professional, scientific, and technical services (12). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49920?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49920 increased by 21.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 125%. 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 49920?
In ZIP code 49920, 61.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.8% 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 49920?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49920 is 22.4 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 49920?
In ZIP code 49920, approximately 88.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 11.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49920?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49920 is 15.0% 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 49920's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 49920 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Crystal Falls, 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.