49970 ZIP Code — Watton, MI

Baraga County, Michigan

ZIP code 49970 is located in Watton, Michigan, within Baraga County. It covers approximately 92.92 square miles and serves a population of 277 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 906.

About ZIP code 49970

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 $102,700. Owner-occupancy is high at 96%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $58,194. 64% 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 22 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 16% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (16%), smoking (25%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 18% of civilians, above the national average of 7%.

Overall, ZIP code 49970 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, a strong veteran community, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

277

population

92.92

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

49970 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 49970

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 49970. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Watton	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

49919 Covington (8 mi) 49958 Pelkie (18 mi) 49952 Nisula (19.5 mi)

Demographics updated 06/2026

Population
Total population	277
Population density	3 / sq mi
State FIPS	26
County FIPS	013

Geography
Land area	92.92 sq mi
Water area	0.94 sq mi
Latitude	46.5068
Longitude	-88.5876
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	906

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 06/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	49.6%	54.6%	42.6%
$50k – $100k	33.3%	28.1%	31.1%
$100k – $200k	17.1%	14.4%	20.6%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.8%	5.7%

Demographics & statistics

277

Population

People per sq mi

61.4

Median age

$58,194

Median household income

$37,749

Per capita income

$102,700

Median home value

Median monthly rent

95.7%

Home ownership

7.6%

Poverty rate

0.0%

Unemployment

258

Housing units

15.7%

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

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	22	7.9%
18 and over	255	92.1%
65 and over	110	39.7%
Median age	61.4 years

Race & ethnicity

White 100%

Group	Count	%
White	277	100%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	49.6%	54.6%	42.6%
$50k – $100k	33.3%	28.1%	31.1%
$100k – $200k	17.1%	14.4%	20.6%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.8%	5.7%

Under $10k 6.4%

$15k–$25k 9.9%

$25k–$35k 12.8%

$35k–$50k 14.2%

$50k–$75k 14.9%

$75k–$100k 10.6%

$100k–$150k 12.1%

$150k–$200k 17.0%

$200k+ 2.1%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	6.4%
$15k–$25k	9.9%
$25k–$35k	12.8%
$35k–$50k	14.2%
$50k–$75k	14.9%
$75k–$100k	10.6%
$100k–$150k	12.1%
$150k–$200k	17.0%
$200k+	2.1%
Median income	$58,194

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 28.1%

$50k–$100k 20.7%

$100k–$150k 10.4%

$150k–$200k 11.9%

$200k–$300k 16.3%

$300k–$500k 12.6%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$102,700
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	95.7%
Renter occupied	4.3%
Vacant	46.6%
Single-family detached	95.5%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	4.5%
Median rooms	5.0
Avg household size (owned)	1.92

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.8%
2010–2019	2.3%
2000–2009	6.8%
1990–1999	5.7%
1980–1989	3.4%
1970–1979	17.8%
1960–1969	21.2%
1950–1959	9.1%
1940–1949	3.4%
1939 or earlier	29.5%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	14.0%
2 bedrooms	41.3%
3 bedrooms	29.5%
4 bedrooms	8.0%
5+ bedrooms	7.2%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	2.1%
1 vehicle	32.6%
2 vehicles	45.4%
3 or more	19.9%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	4.3%
Propane / LP gas	44.0%
Fuel oil	18.4%
Wood	33.3%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	86	61.0%
Cohabiting couple	4	2.8%
Male householder, no spouse	32	22.7%
Female householder, no spouse	19	13.5%
Households with children under 18	11	7.8%
Households with seniors (65+)	96	68.1%
Average household size	1.96

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	15.9%	9.2%
Married	60.1%	71.7%
Separated	0.0%	1.7%
Widowed	5.8%	11.7%
Divorced	18.1%	5.8%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.4%

Some HS, no diploma 3.4%

HS graduate 48.7%

Some college, no degree 16.1%

Associate's degree 15.7%

Bachelor's degree 8.1%

Graduate / professional 7.6%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	96.2%
Bachelor's or higher	15.7%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	12	37.5%
High school	3	9.4%
College / grad school	17	53.1%

Employment

Industry of employment

Arts, food & hospitality 26.6%

Education & healthcare 21.3%

Manufacturing 20.2%

Wholesale trade 6.4%

Agriculture & mining 5.3%

Retail trade 5.3%

Construction 4.3%

Public administration 4.3%

Information 3.2%

Finance & real estate 3.2%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	44.7%
Service	9.6%
Sales & office	8.5%
Natural resources & construction	13.8%
Production & transportation	23.4%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	83.0%
Government	13.8%
Self-employed	3.2%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	79.8%
Carpool	14.9%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	3.2%
Work from home	2.1%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	21.8

Poverty

All people 7.6%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 8.2%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	63.8%
Retirement income	68.8%
Supplemental Security	6.4%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	7.1%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	42.0%
High blood pressure	44.1%
High cholesterol	43.5%
Diabetes	16.0%
Heart disease	10.7%
Stroke	4.7%
Asthma	11.3%
Arthritis	40.6%
Kidney disease	4.1%
Pulmonary disease	12.5%
Cancer	9.2%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	24.7%
Binge drinking	15.8%
No physical activity	26.1%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	33.0%
Depression	21.9%
Fair or poor health	20.6%
Poor mental health	15.2%
Poor physical health	15.0%
No health insurance	9.8%
Visited doctor (checkup)	77.9%
Visited dentist	65.1%
Cholesterol screening	93.8%
Teeth loss	15.3%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	46	18.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	20.9%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	18.6%
65 and over	28.2%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	81.6%
Public insurance	52.0%
No insurance	1.8%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	270	97.5%
Spanish	0	0.0%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	277	100.0%
Born in same state	277	100.0%
Born in different state	232	83.8%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	0	0.0%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	35	12.6%
French	19	6.9%
English	14	5.1%
Italian	10	3.6%

Ancestry	Count	%
Irish	8	2.9%
Polish	8	2.9%
German	6	2.2%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	50.9%
Internet access	85.8%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 49970

What city is ZIP code 49970 in?

ZIP code 49970 is primarily assigned to Watton, Michigan.

What county is ZIP code 49970 in?

ZIP code 49970 falls within Baraga County, Michigan.

Does ZIP code 49970 have an older population?

40% of residents in ZIP code 49970 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Does ZIP code 49970 have a large retiree population?

64% of households in ZIP code 49970 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Is ZIP code 49970 mostly owner-occupied?

96% of occupied units in ZIP code 49970 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 49970 have a large veteran population?

18% of civilians in ZIP code 49970 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What timezone is ZIP code 49970 in?

ZIP code 49970 observes the EST timezone.