1st Advantage MortgageKalamazoo County (262,375 residents) has a $72,532 median household income and $1,093 median rent, by the latest Census five-year survey. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Kalamazoo County
- How Kalamazoo County ranks in Michigan
- Jobs and commutes in Kalamazoo County
- Where Kalamazoo County households live
- Earnings across Kalamazoo County households
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Places inside Kalamazoo County
- Age, degrees and coverage in Kalamazoo County
- Reading the Kalamazoo County data as a borrower
- Debt-to-income at Kalamazoo County's medians
- A Kalamazoo County borrower's checklist
- Michigan lender licensing
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Kalamazoo County
Roughly 262,375 residents live in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, 9th by population among the state's 83 counties and county equivalents. Density: about 466.9 residents per square mile across 562 square miles of land. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metropolitan area. Kalamazoo (73,076 people) heads the county's list of 14 Census places, 9 incorporated and 5 census-designated.
How Kalamazoo County ranks in Michigan
The 3 Kalamazoo County numbers that rank furthest from typical in Michigan, and what each means for a borrower:
- On homeownership, Kalamazoo County sits near the bottom of Michigan at 65%, 4th lowest of 83. Many renters means few borrowers have home equity to fall back on.
- The share of adults with a bachelor's degree: 41% in Kalamazoo County. Only 4 of 83 Michigan counties are higher. More graduates often means more student debt to factor in.
- Median age: 35.0 in Kalamazoo County. Only 4 of 83 Michigan counties are lower. A young county means many first-time borrowers; read every fee line.
Jobs and commutes in Kalamazoo County
Education and health care (26%), manufacturing (18%) and retail trade (11%) lead Kalamazoo County's job mix. Kalamazoo County over-indexes on education and health care: 26% versus 23% in Michigan. 5.5% of Kalamazoo County's labor force reported being unemployed, averaged across 2020 to 2024. About 77% drive to work alone and 8% have trips of 45 minutes or more. No car: 7.3% of Kalamazoo County households.
| Industry | Share of Kalamazoo County workers | vs Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.8% | +2.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 17.8% | -0.4 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.6% | -0.2 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.9% | -0.4 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.7% | +1.2 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 6.3% | +0.5 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Where Kalamazoo County households live
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,093 in Kalamazoo County versus $1,129 statewide. 52% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 26% spend half or more. Home values center on $241,800, or 3.3 years of median income. Owners occupy 65% of homes. Median construction year: 1975. Against the median U.S. county, Kalamazoo County rent is 25% above.
| Kalamazoo County | Michigan | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,093/mo | $1,129/mo | 3% lower |
| Median home value | $241,800 | $231,600 | 4% higher |
| Owners | 65% | 73% | -8.7 pts |
| Rent-burdened renters | 52% | 50% | +1.7 pts |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 23% | -3.2 pts |
| Mobile homes | 3.4% | 5.0% | -1.6 pts |
| Vacant units | 7% | 12% | -5.0 pts |
When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Earnings across Kalamazoo County households
Median household income in Kalamazoo County: $72,532. That places it 20th among Michigan's 83 county-level areas.
| Household income | Kalamazoo County | vs Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 23.6% | +0.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 39.9% | -1.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 27.1% | +1.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.4% | -0.2 pts |
Some 24% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 36% have six-figure incomes. 12.7% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 13.2%). Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.473 here. For a borrower in Kalamazoo County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Neighboring counties at a glance
St. Joseph County is closest, 23 miles from center to center; the sixth, Allegan County, is 39 miles off. Kalamazoo County's $72,532 median trails 2 of the six and beats 4; the range runs $63,177 (Calhoun County) to $83,283 (Allegan County).
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo County | - | $72,532 | $1,093/mo | 65% |
| St. Joseph County, MI | 23 mi | $66,425 | $849/mo | 76% |
| Barry County, MI | 26 mi | $77,500 | $972/mo | 87% |
| Calhoun County, MI | 27 mi | $63,177 | $968/mo | 73% |
| Branch County, MI | 33 mi | $63,724 | $959/mo | 78% |
| Cass County, MI | 33 mi | $70,443 | $916/mo | 82% |
| Allegan County, MI | 39 mi | $83,283 | $1,100/mo | 87% |
Places inside Kalamazoo County
14 Census places fall mainly inside Kalamazoo County; the 14 biggest are below. They account for 157,137 residents, leaving about 40% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $52,153 in Galesburg to $188,750 in South Gull Lake. Rent is cheapest in South Gull Lake ($335) and steepest in Richland ($1,375). No Kalamazoo County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 14.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo | city | 73,076 | $52,272 | $1,078 | 3 mi |
| Portage | city | 49,259 | $83,212 | $1,133 | 5 mi |
| Westwood | CDP | 8,867 | $58,205 | $1,233 | 6 mi |
| Eastwood | CDP | 6,669 | $53,977 | $1,065 | 4 mi |
| Comstock Northwest | CDP | 5,391 | $73,475 | $1,080 | 5 mi |
| Vicksburg | village | 3,934 | $72,656 | $964 | 9 mi |
| Galesburg | city | 2,023 | $52,153 | $903 | 7 mi |
| Parchment | city | 2,008 | $72,798 | $1,045 | 6 mi |
| South Gull Lake | CDP | 1,801 | $188,750 | $335 | 12 mi |
| Schoolcraft | village | 1,275 | $75,000 | $918 | 10 mi |
| Richland | village | 1,098 | $95,104 | $1,375 | 9 mi |
| Augusta | village | 776 | $59,500 | $748 | 11 mi |
| Climax | village | 723 | $85,313 | $833 | 10 mi |
| Scotts | CDP | 237 | $67,054 | n/a | 7 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Age, degrees and coverage in Kalamazoo County
In Kalamazoo County, 41% of adults have at least a four-year degree (32% in Michigan). The uninsured rate is 4.7%, against 4.9% for Michigan.
| Indicator | Kalamazoo County | +/- Michigan | +/- U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's or higher | 41.3% | +8.8 pts | +19.1 pts |
| Median age | 35.0 | -5.2 yrs | -6.5 yrs |
| No high school diploma | 5.3% | -2.6 pts | n/a |
| Work from home | 12.5% | -1.0 pts | +3.8 pts |
| Poverty rate | 12.7% | -0.5 pts | -0.5 pts |
| No vehicle | 7.3% | +0.2 pts | +1.8 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.5% | -0.2 pts | +1.1 pts |
| No health insurance | 4.7% | -0.2 pts | -3.1 pts |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 33.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 44.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 14.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.9% |
| 60+ min | 4.1% |
Reading the Kalamazoo County data as a borrower
Where the Kalamazoo County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Kalamazoo County rent burden. 52% of renters are cost-burdened; ask your landlord about a payment plan before borrowing for rent.
- Consolidating cards in Kalamazoo County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
Debt-to-income at Kalamazoo County's medians
Kalamazoo County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- Start: $6,044 gross per month ($72,532 / 12)
- Rent at the median, $1,093, takes 18% of that
- $1,325: what a 40% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Two-income households and single earners in Kalamazoo County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
A Kalamazoo County borrower's checklist
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- A Michigan license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Michigan lender licensing
Kalamazoo County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. More on Michigan: Michigan personal loans.
Related local guides
No city in Kalamazoo County has its own guide yet; the state page is next up.
Frequently asked questions
Is $72,532 a good income in Kalamazoo County?
It is the county median, so half of Kalamazoo County households earn more and half less; 36% earn $100,000 or more.
Is Kalamazoo County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,093 against $1,129 statewide, and 52% of renter households are cost-burdened.
What are the biggest places in Kalamazoo County?
By population: Kalamazoo, Portage, Westwood, Eastwood, Comstock Northwest. The county has 14 Census places in all.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Kalamazoo County or elsewhere in Michigan, the same rules apply.
Is there a Kalamazoo County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Michigan it is the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services.