Population 10,421 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 49544
Household size in ZIP 49544
| Period | ZIP 49544 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.22 | 2.69 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.28 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.48 | 2.69 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.35 | 2.66 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.13 | −0.03 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in ZIP 49544 are small: just 2.35 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has climbed from 2.22 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in ZIP 49544
| Period | ZIP 49544 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.3 | 36.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.6 | 37.2 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.7 | 37.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.2 | 38.3 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.9 | +2.3 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
ZIP 49544 is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.2, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.3, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the southeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in ZIP 49544
| Period | ZIP 49544 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.8% | 11.0% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 10.9% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 10.5% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.8% | 9.7% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in ZIP 49544 as they are nationally: 10.8%, against 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the wider Grand Rapids area (9.7%). The single-parent share is down 3.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in ZIP 49544
Renters in ZIP 49544
| Period | ZIP 49544 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.5% | 24.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 51.6% | 26.9% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 49.4% | 26.6% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 42.3% | 25.4% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | +0.7 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is more common in ZIP 49544 than nationally: 42.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 45.5% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 4.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in ZIP 49544
| Period | ZIP 49544 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 9.6% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 8.8% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 7.1% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 2.1% | 6.6% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.7 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 2.1% of homes in ZIP 49544 are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 6.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 475 Michigan ZIP codes with 5,000+ people, only three have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in ZIP 49544
| Period | ZIP 49544 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1974 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1974 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1976 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1978 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +3 | +6 |
Homes in ZIP 49544 are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1981, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1978 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in ZIP 49544
| Period | ZIP 49544 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $653 | $800 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $716 | $848 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $949 | $950 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,239 | $1,285 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$586 | +$485 | +$395 | +$606 |
A typical rental in ZIP 49544 costs $1,239 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $586 a month from 2006–10, a 90% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 26.6% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in ZIP 49544
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 49544
| Period | ZIP 49544 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.6% | 27.1% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.9% | 29.1% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.1% | 31.9% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.5% | 36.9% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +15.9 pts | +9.8 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in ZIP 49544 as nationally: 35.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 15.9 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the northwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in ZIP 49544
| Period | ZIP 49544 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.8% | 88.5% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.1% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.6% | 91.0% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.6% | 92.2% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in ZIP 49544 is above the national rate: 93.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the Grand Rapids area. The share with a diploma is up 5.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in ZIP 49544
| Period | ZIP 49544 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 9.2% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 9.0% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.4% | 4.2% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 3.9% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | −5.3 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in ZIP 49544 than nationally: unemployment was 4.4%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 4.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
ZIP 49544 compared with nearby ZIP codes
| ZIP code | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP 49544 | 2.35 | 36.2 | 10.8% | 42.3% | 2.1% | 1981 | $1,239 | 35.5% | 93.6% | 4.4% |
| ZIP 49321 | 2.51 | 37.4 | 13.6% | 34.6% | 7.0% | 1986 | $1,271 | 30.0% | 91.5% | 6.2% |
| ZIP 49504 | 2.35 | 34.7 | 11.7% | 43.1% | 9.3% | 1953 | $1,326 | 39.1% | 89.6% | 5.4% |
| ZIP 49505 | 2.33 | 35.9 | 14.1% | 34.3% | 5.1% | 1960 | $1,388 | 41.4% | 95.5% | 4.1% |
| ZIP 49534 | 2.53 | 40.5 | 7.7% | 26.3% | 5.1% | 1985 | $1,394 | 36.8% | 95.7% | 2.9% |
| ZIP 49503 | 2.26 | 31.4 | 15.7% | 63.1% | 7.8% | 1954 | $1,331 | 42.6% | 87.6% | 5.8% |
| ZIP 49525 | 2.51 | 39.4 | 9.1% | 20.6% | 4.1% | 1984 | $1,497 | 52.7% | 97.3% | 4.0% |
| ZIP 49435 | 2.92 | 37.5 | 4.4% | 16.4% | 8.7% | 1979 | $1,283 | 31.9% | 95.9% | 2.7% |
| ZIP 49507 | 3.02 | 31.8 | 20.1% | 38.2% | 5.9% | 1943 | $1,209 | 26.8% | 77.9% | 6.6% |
| ZIP 49306 | 2.78 | 44.1 | 6.3% | 3.1% | 3.3% | 1994 | $1,253 | 50.4% | 95.9% | 4.1% |
| ZIP 49506 | 2.82 | 33.8 | 6.8% | 25.8% | 6.1% | 1950 | $1,624 | 67.5% | 97.5% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 84315, UT · 36460, AL · 18324, PA · 16415, PA · 15137, PA · 19806, DE · 04976, ME · 04730, ME · 99021, WA · 60083, IL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up ZIP 49544. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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