49969 ZIP Code — Watersmeet, MI

Gogebic County, Michigan

ZIP code 49969 is located in Watersmeet, Michigan, within Gogebic County. It covers approximately 254.97 square miles and serves a population of 1,039 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 906.

About ZIP code 49969

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $260,000. Owner-occupancy is high at 82%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $55,694. 53% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with arts, entertainment, and food service as the leading industry. The average commute of 19 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 26% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (17%), smoking (23%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 13% of civilians, above the national average of 7%.

Overall, ZIP code 49969 reflects a community defined by a strong veteran community, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

1,039

population

254.97

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

49969 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 49969

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 49969. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Watersmeet	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

54540 Land O Lakes (7 mi) 54519 Conover (11.8 mi) 54554 Phelps (13.6 mi) 54521 Eagle River (18.3 mi) 54560 Sayner (19.8 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	1,039
Population density	4 / sq mi
State FIPS	26
County FIPS	053

Geography
Land area	254.97 sq mi
Water area	22.91 sq mi
Latitude	46.2154
Longitude	-89.2407
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	906

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	59.8%	60.5%	42.6%
$50k – $100k	21.6%	23.8%	31.1%
$100k – $200k	16.6%	12.6%	20.6%
Over $200k	2.0%	3.1%	5.7%

Demographics & statistics

1,039

Population

People per sq mi

59.4

Median age

$55,694

Median household income

$42,633

Per capita income

$260,000

Median home value

$445

Median monthly rent

82.1%

Home ownership

11.9%

Poverty rate

3.2%

Unemployment

1,429

Housing units

25.5%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

139

65–74

129

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	172	16.6%
18 and over	867	83.4%
65 and over	417	40.1%
Median age	59.4 years

Race & ethnicity

White 72.2%

American Indian / Alaska Native 16.9%

Two or more races 6.5%

Black or African American 2.8%

Hispanic or Latino 1.3%

Asian 0.3%

Group	Count	%
White	760	72.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native	178	16.9%
Two or more races	68	6.5%
Black or African American	30	2.8%
Hispanic or Latino	14	1.3%
Asian	3	0.3%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	59.8%	60.5%	42.6%
$50k – $100k	21.6%	23.8%	31.1%
$100k – $200k	16.6%	12.6%	20.6%
Over $200k	2.0%	3.1%	5.7%

Under $10k 7.8%

$10k–$15k 7.6%

$15k–$25k 5.8%

$25k–$35k 9.4%

$35k–$50k 14.3%

$50k–$75k 14.1%

$75k–$100k 16.5%

$100k–$150k 10.5%

$150k–$200k 5.8%

$200k+ 8.3%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	7.8%
$10k–$15k	7.6%
$15k–$25k	5.8%
$25k–$35k	9.4%
$35k–$50k	14.3%
$50k–$75k	14.1%
$75k–$100k	16.5%
$100k–$150k	10.5%
$150k–$200k	5.8%
$200k+	8.3%
Median income	$55,694

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 11.2%

$50k–$100k 8.4%

$100k–$150k 3.1%

$150k–$200k 11.2%

$200k–$300k 24.9%

$300k–$500k 18.9%

$500k–$1M 18.3%

$1M+ 4.0%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$260,000
Median rent / month	$445
Owner occupied	82.1%
Renter occupied	17.9%
Vacant	63.8%
Single-family detached	95.4%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	3.7%
Median rooms	4.7
Avg household size (owned)	1.79

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	4.0%
2000–2009	11.6%
1990–1999	19.7%
1980–1989	13.9%
1970–1979	19.3%
1960–1969	12.4%
1950–1959	5.2%
1940–1949	2.3%
1939 or earlier	11.5%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	1.6%
1 bedroom	11.3%
2 bedrooms	42.0%
3 bedrooms	35.3%
4 bedrooms	7.5%
5+ bedrooms	2.4%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	10.5%
1 vehicle	31.6%
2 vehicles	45.9%
3 or more	11.9%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	33.3%
Electricity	0.5%
Propane / LP gas	53.0%
Wood	13.2%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	238	43.0%
Cohabiting couple	45	8.1%
Male householder, no spouse	136	24.6%
Female householder, no spouse	134	24.2%
Households with children under 18	90	16.3%
Households with seniors (65+)	311	56.2%
Average household size	1.87

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	16.6%	17.7%
Married	61.4%	56.1%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	6.7%	8.3%
Divorced	15.3%	17.9%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.5%

Some HS, no diploma 2.0%

HS graduate 36.2%

Some college, no degree 23.9%

Associate's degree 11.9%

Bachelor's degree 15.5%

Graduate / professional 10.1%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	97.5%
Bachelor's or higher	25.5%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	99	62.7%
High school	47	29.7%
College / grad school	12	7.6%

Employment

Industry of employment

Arts, food & hospitality 23.3%

Retail trade 17.7%

Finance & real estate 14.7%

Other services 9.6%

Public administration 9.6%

Transportation & utilities 6.1%

Agriculture & mining 5.8%

Manufacturing 3.8%

Education & healthcare 3.3%

Construction 2.8%

Information 2.8%

Professional & management 0.5%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	31.4%
Service	23.5%
Sales & office	22.8%
Natural resources & construction	4.3%
Production & transportation	18.0%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	79.0%
Government	18.0%
Self-employed	3.0%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	69.2%
Carpool	10.9%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	3.1%
Work from home	16.3%
Other means	0.5%
Avg commute (minutes)	19.1

Poverty

All people 11.9%

Under 18 years 7.0%

18 and over 12.9%

Married-couple families 1.3%

Female-led households 35.7%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	53.2%
Retirement income	43.4%
Supplemental Security	2.5%
Cash public assistance	2.2%
Food stamps / SNAP	10.1%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	40.5%
High blood pressure	45.9%
High cholesterol	43.2%
Diabetes	16.8%
Heart disease	11.3%
Stroke	5.1%
Asthma	11.3%
Arthritis	41.2%
Kidney disease	4.4%
Pulmonary disease	12.2%
Cancer	9.6%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	23.0%
Binge drinking	14.6%
No physical activity	27.3%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	33.6%
Depression	21.1%
Fair or poor health	20.9%
Poor mental health	15.6%
Poor physical health	15.1%
No health insurance	9.5%
Visited doctor (checkup)	78.5%
Visited dentist	64.0%
Cholesterol screening	93.7%
Teeth loss	16.3%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	110	12.7%

Disability	%
Any disability	15.3%
Under 18	2.9%
18–64 years	18.2%
65 and over	17.3%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	75.0%
Public insurance	59.5%
No insurance	4.5%
Uninsured under 19	6.1%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,010	97.2%
Spanish	3	0.3%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	3	0.3%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,036	99.7%
Born in same state	1,033	99.4%
Born in different state	353	34.0%
Foreign born	3	0.3%
Naturalized citizen	3	0.3%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	123	11.8%
Italian	93	9%
French	70	6.7%
Polish	32	3.1%
English	24	2.3%

Ancestry	Count	%
German	17	1.6%
Dutch	9	0.9%
Irish	4	0.4%
Norwegian	3	0.3%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	53.2%
Internet access	88.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 49969

What city is ZIP code 49969 in?

ZIP code 49969 is primarily assigned to Watersmeet, Michigan.

What county is ZIP code 49969 in?

ZIP code 49969 falls within Gogebic County, Michigan.

Does ZIP code 49969 have an older population?

40% of residents in ZIP code 49969 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Does ZIP code 49969 have a large retiree population?

53% of households in ZIP code 49969 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Is ZIP code 49969 mostly owner-occupied?

82% of occupied units in ZIP code 49969 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 49969 have a large veteran population?

13% of civilians in ZIP code 49969 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What timezone is ZIP code 49969 in?

ZIP code 49969 observes the CST timezone.