Houghton, MI · standard
ZIP Code 49931
Houghton County, Michigan - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 9,630
- 132/sq mi High-density area
- $50,408
- Median income Below-median income area
- $232,800
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 62.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Houghton pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.
- 15th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 47%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 132
- people per sq mi
- 44%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 49931 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 49931 (Houghton, MI) rose +15.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 235.9 in 2023 to 271.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 49931 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Houghton, Houghton County, Michigan, home to 9,630 residents across 73.2 square miles, a density of 132 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.
ZIP 49931 reports a modest median household income of $50,408 (31% below the average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $27,865. The poverty rate is 31.1%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Median home value is $232,800 (6% above the average Michigan ZIP) and median rent is $972; 44.1% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 62.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 22.1, and the average commute is 12 minutes. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Houghton County, so 49931 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 49931
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Houghton, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 49931.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
58 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
48 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
36 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
29 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
28 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 49931, Houghton, 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
9,630
Population
73.2
Area (sq mi)
132
People / sq mi
Detroit
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 49931?
22.1
Median Age
59.0%
Male
41.0%
Female
13.0%
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?
$50,408
Median Household Income
-31% vs state ZIP avg
$27,865
Per Capita Income
31.1%
Poverty Rate
8.2%
Unemployment Rate
11.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 49931 ranks among Michigan ZIPs
Houghton, 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)
$50,408 13th percentile higher than 13% 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
3,507housing units
3,507
Total Housing Units
3,049
Occupied Units
458
Vacant Units
2.21
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$232,800
Median Home Value
+6% vs state ZIP avg
$972
Median Rent
1976
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
+15.1%
YoY Change (2024)
271
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+171%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 49931 have increased 15.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +171% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.2% | 164 |
| 2021 | +10.9% | 181 |
| 2022 | +20.1% | 218 |
| 2023 | +8.4% | 236 |
| 2024 | +15.1% | 271 |
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 287 business establishments in ZIP 49931, employing approximately 3,727 people with a combined annual payroll of $149,144,000.
287
Businesses
3,727
Employees
$149.1M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 58 | 20.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 48 | 16.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 36 | 12.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 29 | 10.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 28 | 9.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 18 | 6.3% |
| Construction | 12 | 4.2% |
| Information | 11 | 3.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 11 | 3.8% |
| Manufacturing | 10 | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 6 | 2.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 2.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 1.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4 | 1.4% |
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 49931 vs 49921 →
ZIP 49931 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 49931
Houghton (49931)
9,630 residents
- 49913
Calumet (49913)
7,248 residents
- 49930
Hancock (49930)
6,987 residents
- 49905 2,005
Atlantic Mine (49905)
2,005 residents
- 49922 1,043
Dollar Bay (49922)
1,043 residents
- 49963 1,024
South Range (49963)
1,024 residents
- 49955 371
Painesdale (49955)
371 residents
- 49921 360
Dodgeville (49921)
360 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 49931 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 49931 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 49905
Atlantic Mine (49905)
$77,617 median income
- 49930
Hancock (49930)
$72,314 median income
- 49955
Painesdale (49955)
$64,402 median income
- 49963
South Range (49963)
$58,958 median income
- 49922
Dollar Bay (49922)
$55,313 median income
- 49913
Calumet (49913)
$53,571 median income
- 49931
Houghton (49931)
$50,408 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 49931 ranks #7 of 7 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 49931, 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 (9,630 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Houghton County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 49931 in?
ZIP code 49931 (Houghton) is located in Houghton County, Michigan. Houghton County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/houghton-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 49931?
ZIP code 49931 in Houghton, MI has a population of 9,630 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 49931?
The median household income in ZIP 49931 is $50,408, which is 34% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 49931?
The median home value in ZIP 49931 is $232,800, which is 16% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 49931?
The largest racial group in ZIP 49931 is White at 82.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 49931?
ZIP code 49931 has 287 business establishments employing approximately 3,727 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 49931?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 49931 are: Retail trade (58), Accommodation and food services (48), Health care and social assistance (36). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 49931?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 49931 increased by 15.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 171%. 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 49931?
In ZIP code 49931, 77.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 62.1% 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 49931?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 49931 is 11.6 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 49931?
In ZIP code 49931, approximately 44.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 55.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49931?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 49931 is 31.1% 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 49931's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 49931 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Houghton, MI ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.