49431 ZIP Code — Ludington, MI
Mason County, Michigan
ZIP code 49431 is located in Ludington, Michigan, within Mason County. It covers approximately 96.07 square miles and serves a population of 17,121 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 231.
About ZIP code 49431
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $197,400. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 73%.
Median household income is $62,715. 49% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 16 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 28% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
17,121
population
96.07
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Eastern (ET)
timezone
49431 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 49431
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 49431. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Ludington | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
49454 Scottville (5.8 mi)
49405 Custer (11 mi)
49449 Pentwater (11.7 mi)
49411 Free Soil (11.8 mi)
49410 Fountain (13 mi)
49420 Hart (17 mi)
49402 Branch (17.9 mi)
49436 Mears (19.2 mi)
Demographics
updated 06/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 17,121 |
| Population density | 178 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 26 |
| County FIPS | 105 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 96.07 sq mi |
| Water area | 15.53 sq mi |
| Latitude | 43.9624 |
| Longitude | -86.3978 |
| Timezone | Eastern (ET) |
| Area code | 231 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 06/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 47.7% | 49.1% | 42.6% |
| $50k – $100k | 33.5% | 34.0% | 31.1% |
| $100k – $200k | 15.5% | 14.1% | 20.6% |
| Over $200k | 3.2% | 2.7% | 5.7% |
Demographics & statistics
17,121
Population
178
People per sq mi
48.4
Median age
$62,715
Median household income
$36,708
Per capita income
$197,400
Median home value
$865
Median monthly rent
73.1%
Home ownership
13.4%
Poverty rate
3.9%
Unemployment
7,884
Housing units
27.9%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
381
Under 5
394
422
5–9
435
517
10–14
534
440
15–19
455
452
20–24
467
917
25–34
947
828
35–44
856
822
45–54
850
600
55–59
619
703
60–64
726
1,391
65–74
1,436
674
75–84
696
275
85+
284
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 3,282 | 19.2% |
| 18 and over | 13,839 | 80.8% |
| 65 and over | 4,756 | 27.8% |
| Median age | 48.4 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
90%
Two or more races
3.7%
Hispanic or Latino
2.7%
Black or African American
1.7%
Other race
0.9%
Asian
0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.5%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 15,822 | 90% |
| Two or more races | 644 | 3.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 467 | 2.7% |
| Black or African American | 300 | 1.7% |
| Other race | 159 | 0.9% |
| Asian | 107 | 0.6% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 89 | 0.5% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 47.7% | 49.1% | 42.6% |
| $50k – $100k | 33.5% | 34.0% | 31.1% |
| $100k – $200k | 15.5% | 14.1% | 20.6% |
| Over $200k | 3.2% | 2.7% | 5.7% |
Under $10k
3.1%
$10k–$15k
4.3%
$15k–$25k
8.6%
$25k–$35k
10.9%
$35k–$50k
12.0%
$50k–$75k
19.5%
$75k–$100k
15.5%
$100k–$150k
14.1%
$150k–$200k
7.7%
$200k+
4.2%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 3.1% |
| $10k–$15k | 4.3% |
| $15k–$25k | 8.6% |
| $25k–$35k | 10.9% |
| $35k–$50k | 12.0% |
| $50k–$75k | 19.5% |
| $75k–$100k | 15.5% |
| $100k–$150k | 14.1% |
| $150k–$200k | 7.7% |
| $200k+ | 4.2% |
| Median income | $62,715 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
2.5%
$50k–$100k
13.9%
$100k–$150k
14.0%
$150k–$200k
20.4%
$200k–$300k
24.7%
$300k–$500k
17.4%
$500k–$1M
5.8%
$1M+
1.1%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $197,400 |
| Median rent / month | $865 |
| Owner occupied | 73.1% |
| Renter occupied | 26.9% |
| Vacant | 24.9% |
| Single-family detached | 71.9% |
| Large apartment buildings | 4.8% |
| Mobile homes | 8.5% |
| Median rooms | 5.7 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.31 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.5% |
| 2010–2019 | 5.8% |
| 2000–2009 | 11.9% |
| 1990–1999 | 13.1% |
| 1980–1989 | 10.8% |
| 1970–1979 | 12.8% |
| 1960–1969 | 7.0% |
| 1950–1959 | 11.0% |
| 1940–1949 | 4.9% |
| 1939 or earlier | 22.0% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 0.7% |
| 1 bedroom | 8.5% |
| 2 bedrooms | 27.2% |
| 3 bedrooms | 44.0% |
| 4 bedrooms | 15.8% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 3.8% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 8.0% |
| 1 vehicle | 33.8% |
| 2 vehicles | 39.6% |
| 3 or more | 18.6% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 67.0% |
| Electricity | 11.8% |
| Propane / LP gas | 13.2% |
| Fuel oil | 0.6% |
| Wood | 5.3% |
| No fuel used | 0.9% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 3,874 | 52.2% |
| Cohabiting couple | 379 | 5.1% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 1,254 | 16.9% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 1,910 | 25.8% |
| Households with children under 18 | 1,706 | 23.0% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 3,370 | 45.4% |
| Average household size | 2.27 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 26.9% | 20.3% |
| Married | 57.3% | 52.4% |
| Separated | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Widowed | 5.2% | 12.5% |
| Divorced | 10.0% | 14.1% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
1.8%
Some HS, no diploma
3.9%
HS graduate
33.1%
Some college, no degree
19.9%
Associate's degree
13.4%
Bachelor's degree
16.2%
Graduate / professional
11.7%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 94.3% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 27.9% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 199 | 6.3% |
| Kindergarten | 185 | 5.8% |
| Elementary school | 1,506 | 47.4% |
| High school | 762 | 24.0% |
| College / grad school | 527 | 16.6% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
22.5%
Manufacturing
14.8%
Retail trade
14.2%
Arts, food & hospitality
11.4%
Professional & management
7.9%
Construction
6.8%
Finance & real estate
5.1%
Transportation & utilities
4.8%
Public administration
4.8%
Other services
3.1%
Agriculture & mining
1.9%
Information
1.5%
Wholesale trade
1.1%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 36.6% |
| Service | 16.0% |
| Sales & office | 20.5% |
| Natural resources & construction | 10.1% |
| Production & transportation | 16.8% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 78.5% |
| Government | 14.8% |
| Self-employed | 6.7% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 76.2% |
| Carpool | 14.2% |
| Public transit | 0.1% |
| Walk | 0.8% |
| Work from home | 8.2% |
| Other means | 0.6% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 16.1 |
Poverty
All people
13.4%
Under 18 years
29.9%
18 and over
9.4%
Married-couple families
4.3%
Female-led households
26.6%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 48.5% |
| Retirement income | 37.8% |
| Supplemental Security | 4.7% |
| Cash public assistance | 2.0% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 9.6% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 36.6% |
| High blood pressure | 36.4% |
| High cholesterol | 36.5% |
| Diabetes | 12.2% |
| Heart disease | 8.1% |
| Stroke | 3.7% |
| Asthma | 10.9% |
| Arthritis | 32.9% |
| Kidney disease | 3.5% |
| Pulmonary disease | 9.0% |
| Cancer | 8.2% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 19.4% |
| Binge drinking | 17.6% |
| No physical activity | 21.7% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 31.1% |
| Depression | 21.9% |
| Fair or poor health | 15.8% |
| Poor mental health | 15.7% |
| Poor physical health | 11.9% |
| No health insurance | 9.3% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 76.1% |
| Visited dentist | 70.2% |
| Cholesterol screening | 91.9% |
| Teeth loss | 13.2% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 1,159 | 8.4% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 3.9% |
| 18–64 years | 13.4% |
| 65 and over | 31.9% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 70.1% |
| Public insurance | 50.6% |
| No insurance | 5.5% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 3.7% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 16,346 | 95.5% |
| Spanish | 95 | 0.6% |
| Other Indo-European | 28 | 0.2% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 28 | 0.2% |
| Other languages | 39 | 0.2% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 16,866 | 98.5% |
| Born in same state | 16,780 | 98.0% |
| Born in different state | 13,307 | 77.7% |
| Foreign born | 86 | 0.5% |
| Naturalized citizen | 255 | 1.5% |
| Not a US citizen | 155 | 60.8% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| French | 1,907 | 11.1% |
| Italian | 1,719 | 10% |
| English | 802 | 4.7% |
| Arab | 579 | 3.4% |
| Dutch | 437 | 2.6% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Polish | 348 | 2% |
| German | 198 | 1.2% |
| Norwegian | 164 | 1% |
| Irish | 105 | 0.6% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 43.3% |
| Internet access | 91.7% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 49431
What city is ZIP code 49431 in?
ZIP code 49431 is primarily assigned to Ludington, Michigan.
What county is ZIP code 49431 in?
ZIP code 49431 falls within Mason County, Michigan.
Does ZIP code 49431 have an older population?
28% of residents in ZIP code 49431 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.
Does ZIP code 49431 have a large retiree population?
49% of households in ZIP code 49431 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.
What is the population of ZIP code 49431?
ZIP code 49431 has an estimated population of 17,121 residents, with a density of 178 people per square mile.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 49431?
The median home value in ZIP code 49431 is $197,400.
What timezone is ZIP code 49431 in?
ZIP code 49431 observes the EST timezone.