49098 ZIP Code — Watervliet, MI

Berrien County, Michigan

ZIP code 49098 is located in Watervliet, Michigan, within Berrien County. It covers approximately 32.57 square miles and serves a population of 5,929 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 269.

About ZIP code 49098

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 $121,200. Owner-occupancy is high at 81%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $56,278. Poverty affects 20% of residents, above the national average. 46% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with manufacturing as the leading industry. The average commute of 25 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 21% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (24%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 49098 reflects a community defined by economic challenges above the national average, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

5,929

population

32.57

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

49098 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 49098

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 49098. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Watervliet	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

49057 Hartford (4.9 mi) 49038 Coloma (4.9 mi) 49022 Benton Harbor (5.3 mi) 49043 Covert (7.8 mi) 49064 Lawrence (9.9 mi) 49111 Eau Claire (11.2 mi) 49126 Sodus (12.4 mi) 49085 Saint Joseph (12.9 mi) 49013 Bangor (12.9 mi) 49045 Decatur (13.6 mi) 49047 Dowagiac (14.9 mi) 49104 Berrien Springs (15.7 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	5,929
Population density	182 / sq mi
State FIPS	26
County FIPS	021

Geography
Land area	32.57 sq mi
Water area	1.20 sq mi
Latitude	42.1756
Longitude	-86.2514
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	269

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 06/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	51.5%	47.1%	42.6%
$50k – $100k	33.2%	30.0%	31.1%
$100k – $200k	14.0%	18.2%	20.6%
Over $200k	1.3%	4.7%	5.7%

Demographics & statistics

5,929

Population

182

People per sq mi

38.7

Median age

$56,278

Median household income

$30,170

Per capita income

$121,200

Median home value

$994

Median monthly rent

80.5%

Home ownership

20.4%

Poverty rate

7.6%

Unemployment

2,486

Housing units

20.9%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

194

Under 5

207

252

5–9

271

157

10–14

168

159

15–19

171

217

20–24

232

330

25–34

353

333

35–44

357

265

45–54

283

194

55–59

207

166

60–64

178

345

65–74

370

219

75–84

234

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	1,405	23.7%
18 and over	4,524	76.3%
65 and over	1,235	20.8%
Median age	38.7 years

Race & ethnicity

White 84.5%

Hispanic or Latino 3.9%

Two or more races 3.6%

Other race 3%

Black or African American 3%

Asian 1.3%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%

Group	Count	%
White	5,213	84.5%
Hispanic or Latino	242	3.9%
Two or more races	222	3.6%
Other race	186	3%
Black or African American	185	3%
Asian	81	1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	42	0.7%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	51.5%	47.1%	42.6%
$50k – $100k	33.2%	30.0%	31.1%
$100k – $200k	14.0%	18.2%	20.6%
Over $200k	1.3%	4.7%	5.7%

Under $10k 4.1%

$10k–$15k 3.3%

$15k–$25k 13.2%

$25k–$35k 10.6%

$35k–$50k 11.1%

$50k–$75k 23.5%

$75k–$100k 12.3%

$100k–$150k 15.2%

$150k–$200k 2.7%

$200k+ 3.9%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	4.1%
$10k–$15k	3.3%
$15k–$25k	13.2%
$25k–$35k	10.6%
$35k–$50k	11.1%
$50k–$75k	23.5%
$75k–$100k	12.3%
$100k–$150k	15.2%
$150k–$200k	2.7%
$200k+	3.9%
Median income	$56,278

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 11.8%

$50k–$100k 24.7%

$100k–$150k 21.2%

$150k–$200k 12.2%

$200k–$300k 17.3%

$300k–$500k 6.9%

$500k–$1M 3.2%

$1M+ 2.8%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$121,200
Median rent / month	$994
Owner occupied	80.5%
Renter occupied	19.5%
Vacant	23.7%
Single-family detached	78.4%
Large apartment buildings	3.0%
Mobile homes	9.1%
Median rooms	6.0
Avg household size (owned)	2.51

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.5%
2010–2019	3.9%
2000–2009	9.7%
1990–1999	13.7%
1980–1989	9.9%
1970–1979	10.2%
1960–1969	7.2%
1950–1959	15.4%
1940–1949	8.4%
1939 or earlier	21.1%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.5%
1 bedroom	6.6%
2 bedrooms	25.0%
3 bedrooms	47.0%
4 bedrooms	17.9%
5+ bedrooms	2.9%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	5.5%
1 vehicle	33.3%
2 vehicles	39.5%
3 or more	21.6%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	59.2%
Electricity	18.0%
Propane / LP gas	16.9%
Fuel oil	3.1%
Wood	1.2%
No fuel used	0.7%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	1,050	47.1%
Cohabiting couple	226	10.1%
Male householder, no spouse	339	15.2%
Female householder, no spouse	613	27.5%
Households with children under 18	593	26.6%
Households with seniors (65+)	880	39.5%
Average household size	2.64

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	35.8%	24.3%
Married	47.2%	47.5%
Separated	2.2%	1.7%
Widowed	3.2%	7.6%
Divorced	11.7%	18.9%

Education

Less than 9th grade 4.2%

Some HS, no diploma 11.5%

HS graduate 29.5%

Some college, no degree 24.4%

Associate's degree 9.5%

Bachelor's degree 13.5%

Graduate / professional 7.4%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	84.4%
Bachelor's or higher	20.9%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	34	2.4%
Kindergarten	134	9.3%
Elementary school	676	47.1%
High school	243	16.9%
College / grad school	348	24.3%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 24.4%

Education & healthcare 18.0%

Professional & management 12.3%

Retail trade 11.1%

Arts, food & hospitality 9.3%

Construction 6.4%

Transportation & utilities 5.1%

Public administration 4.2%

Other services 4.0%

Agriculture & mining 2.3%

Finance & real estate 2.1%

Wholesale trade 0.6%

Information 0.1%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	35.8%
Service	17.2%
Sales & office	13.8%
Natural resources & construction	11.1%
Production & transportation	22.1%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	79.6%
Government	12.6%
Self-employed	7.5%
Unpaid family workers	0.2%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	72.7%
Carpool	16.8%
Public transit	1.8%
Walk	2.6%
Work from home	5.4%
Other means	0.7%
Avg commute (minutes)	24.7

Poverty

All people 20.4%

Under 18 years 30.7%

18 and over 17.2%

Married-couple families 6.3%

Female-led households 48.5%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	45.9%
Retirement income	28.4%
Supplemental Security	8.0%
Cash public assistance	5.1%
Food stamps / SNAP	11.8%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	39.7%
High blood pressure	36.1%
High cholesterol	36.2%
Diabetes	12.4%
Heart disease	8.0%
Stroke	3.9%
Asthma	11.7%
Arthritis	31.0%
Kidney disease	3.5%
Pulmonary disease	10.2%
Cancer	7.0%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	24.2%
Binge drinking	18.6%
No physical activity	24.2%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	34.2%
Depression	23.4%
Fair or poor health	18.9%
Poor mental health	17.9%
Poor physical health	13.7%
No health insurance	12.1%
Visited doctor (checkup)	73.9%
Visited dentist	60.6%
Cholesterol screening	89.8%
Teeth loss	16.9%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	226	5.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	14.0%
Under 18	3.9%
18–64 years	11.1%
65 and over	33.1%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	53.9%
Public insurance	58.0%
No insurance	6.0%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	5,528	93.2%
Spanish	77	1.4%
Other Indo-European	77	1.4%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	5,731	96.7%
Born in same state	5,674	95.7%
Born in different state	4,362	73.6%
Foreign born	57	1.0%
Naturalized citizen	198	3.3%
Not a US citizen	65	32.8%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	908	15.3%
French	710	12%
English	358	6%
Arab	125	2.1%

Ancestry	Count	%
Polish	44	0.7%
German	36	0.6%
Norwegian	25	0.4%
Irish	14	0.2%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	37.6%
Internet access	91.2%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 49098

What city is ZIP code 49098 in?

ZIP code 49098 is primarily assigned to Watervliet, Michigan.

What county is ZIP code 49098 in?

ZIP code 49098 falls within Berrien County, Michigan.

Does ZIP code 49098 have a large retiree population?

46% of households in ZIP code 49098 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 49098?

20% of residents in ZIP code 49098 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Is ZIP code 49098 mostly owner-occupied?

81% of occupied units in ZIP code 49098 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 49098?

The median home value in ZIP code 49098 is $121,200.

What timezone is ZIP code 49098 in?

ZIP code 49098 observes the EST timezone.