City profile · Michigan · Census ACS 2023

Kalamazoo, MI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Kalamazoo - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

73,132
Residents
$48,965
Median income
$164,500
Median home
$1,162
Median rent (state)

Kalamazoo - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Kalamazoo places in the 18th percentile for household income and the 4th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

18th
percentile, household income
32nd
percentile, home value
33rd
percentile, median rent
4th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Kalamazoo, MI

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 73,132 residents in Kalamazoo, a small city within Michigan. Kalamazoo households earn a median of $48,965 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 17.2%. Home values in Kalamazoo run a median of $164,500, and the median resident age is 26.8 years. About 37.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 60.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 7 residential building permits were authorized in Kalamazoo (Construction Slowdown), down 81% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Kalamazoo's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 4731.4 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Michigan run below the national norm: the state registers 96.2 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,162 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Michigan's average monthly utility costs around $238 (state average). The average commute for Kalamazoo workers runs 16.4 minutes, with 74.1% driving alone and 8.9% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 81.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

73,132 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Michigan

Median Household Income

$48,965 /yr

Poverty 17.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.2 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Michigan average

How does Kalamazoo compare to other US cities?

Kalamazoo measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 18% higher than other cities
Home value 32% pricier than other cities
Median rent 33% pricier than other cities
Safety 4% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Michigan, Kalamazoo ranks #246 of 254 Michigan cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Kalamazoo's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Michigan, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

18thIncome percentile
4thSafety percentile

18th percentile nationally for median household income · 4th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Kalamazoo's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Kalamazoo's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 30 Avg. percentile National median
Kalamazoo's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Kalamazoo's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$164,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 68% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Kalamazoo $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Kalamazoo, MI Kalamazoo, MI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Kalamazoo, MI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Kalamazoo, MI median $48,965/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Kalamazoo, MI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Kalamazoo, MI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 37.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 17.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
73,132
Median Income
$48,965
Median Home Value
$164,500
Median Age
26.8
Poverty Rate
17.2%
Labor force participation
60.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
37.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4731.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1283.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3447.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
46
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
72,000 residents72,500 residents73,000 residents73,500 residents74,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 73,480 residents 72,683 residents ▼ -1.1%
Kalamazoo's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
7
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
6
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 36
2020 23
2021 17
2022 5
2023 4
2024 7

Permit volume decreased 81% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.4 minutes
Drive Alone
74.1%
Carpool
7.1%
Public Transit
2.2%
Walk
6.8%
Work from Home
8.9%
Other
0.9%

Based on 36,450 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Michigan - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$238
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Michigan state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Michigan state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Kalamazoo sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.2
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,162/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
81.7 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Michigan

Southfield
76,025 people
Rochester Hills
76,086 people
Wyoming
76,865 people
Novi
66,224 people
Flint
80,835 people
Farmington Hills
83,316 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Kalamazoo's 73,132 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Redlands, CA
72,985 people
New Britain, CT
73,301 people
Caguas zona urbana, PR
72,862 people
Dale, VA
72,793 people
Glen Burnie, MD
72,772 people
Jacksonville, NC
73,507 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Kalamazoo's $48,965 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

West Lealman, FL
$48,965 median income
Mount Pleasant, PA
$48,963 median income
Lake of the Woods, CA
$48,958 median income
Sherman, NY
$48,958 median income
Etna, PA
$48,955 median income
West Milwaukee, WI
$48,976 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Kalamazoo, MI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Kalamazoo, MI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 62.9% 22.7% 7.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.6% White 62.9% Black or African American 22.7% Asian 2.8% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.3% Two or more races 7.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Kalamazoo compares to nearby Michigan cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Kalamazoo (this city) 73,132 $48,965
Southfield 76,025 $65,848
Rochester Hills 76,086 $119,054
Wyoming 76,865 $72,163
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Kalamazoo, MI?

What is the population of Kalamazoo, MI? +

73,132 people live in Kalamazoo, MI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Kalamazoo, MI? +

Kalamazoo households earn a median of $48,965 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Kalamazoo? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Kalamazoo; the closest available measure is the Michigan state average, a cost of living index of 96.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Michigan vary by metro area.

Is Kalamazoo, MI safe? +

Kalamazoo has a total crime rate of 4731.4 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Kalamazoo, MI? +

The median home value in Kalamazoo is $164,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.