Census-designated place · Michigan
Paw Paw Lake, Michigan
Paw Paw Lake, census-designated place, in Berrien County, Michigan. Paw Paw Lake had 3,323 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,889 (±412). GEOID 2663020.
Residents, 2020 Census
3,323
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 3,889 ±412
Median household income
$67,674
±$23,227 (90% margin)
Michigan: $72,875
Median home value
$191,700
±$21,634 (90% margin)
Michigan: $231,600
Median gross rent
$1,164
±$117 (90% margin)
Michigan: $1,129
Where is Paw Paw Lake and what county is it in?
Paw Paw Lake is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Berrien County, Michigan. It covers 5.1 square miles of land, 648 residents per square mile in 2020.
Paw Paw Lake is in the Niles, MI metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Paw Paw Lake lies mostly within Coloma Charter Township and reaches into Watervliet Township, towns or townships with their own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Paw Paw Lake, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 3,323 residents in Paw Paw Lake, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 3,889 (±412).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Paw Paw Lake is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Paw Paw Lake | Berrien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,889 ±412 | 153,288 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,648 ±206 | 63,999 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.35 ±0.26 | 2.35 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,809 ±220 | 77,276 | +422 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Paw Paw Lake?
The median resident of Paw Paw Lake is 39.0 years old; 19.0% are under 18 and 23.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 83.6%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.5%.
| Measure | Paw Paw Lake | Berrien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.0 ±6.4 | 42.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.0% ±6.3 pts | 21.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.7% ±5.2 pts | 21.3% | – |
| Male | 49.0% ±4.7 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.8% ±5.6 pts | 6.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 83.6% ±7.9 pts | 72.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.4% ±2.2 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±2.4 pts | 1.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.5% ±3.4 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 3.2% ±4.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.9% ±3.6 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.2% ±1.5 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.5% ±4.0 pts | 6.1% | – |
| With a disability | 17.2% ±5.3 pts | 14.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.7% ±4.6 pts | 6.4% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.9% ±4.9 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 26.1% ±7.9 pts | 30.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.3% ±4.2 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 80.4% ±10.5 pts | 89.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.7% ±4.4 pts | 2.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Paw Paw Lake earn?
Half of Paw Paw Lake's 1,648 households earn less than $67,674 a year (±$23,227), against $65,425 in Berrien County and $72,875 in Michigan. In 2015-2019 it was $65,157 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 17.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Paw Paw Lake | Berrien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,674 ±$23,227 | $65,425 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $85,957 ±$14,444 | $89,826 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,723 ±$5,887 | $38,351 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 17.8% ±10.2 pts | 15.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 33.5% ±27.7 pts | 22.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.8% ±6.9 pts | 14.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 90.7% ±6.7 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.7% ±6.9 pts | 89.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Paw Paw Lake?
Owners occupy 74.8% of Paw Paw Lake's occupied homes and renters 25.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $191,700 by its owner (±$21,634). The median renter pays $1,164 a month including utilities, and 56.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Paw Paw Lake | Berrien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $191,700 ±$21,634 | $224,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,164 ±$117 | $942 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 56.8% ±24.7 pts | 41.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,386 ±$106 | $1,462 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 74.8% ±8.9 pts | 72.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 25.2% ±8.9 pts | 27.2% | – |
| Housing units | 2,809 ±220 | 77,276 | +422 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.5% ±3.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±7.0 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 82.9% ±6.2 pts | 76.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.7% ±4.1 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.9% ±2.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.3% ±2.5 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 18.6% ±7.1 pts | 18.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.9% ±6.5 pts | 8.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Paw Paw Lake work and get to work?
72.8% of Paw Paw Lake's workers drive alone and 9.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 30.6 minutes.
| Measure | Paw Paw Lake | Berrien County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.3% ±8.4 pts | 59.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% ±3.6 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 72.8% ±9.2 pts | 76.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.5% ±7.0 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.1% ±1.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 6.1% ±5.8 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.5% ±5.7 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.6 min ±10.0 | 21.2 min | +11.1 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Paw Paw Lake?
1 census tract lies mostly in Paw Paw Lake, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 102.02Berrien County | 2,830 | $67,176 |
| Tract 103Berrien County | 5,211 | $59,022 |
| Tract 102.01Berrien County | 3,252 | $56,786 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Paw Paw Lake) · Census block assignment files
How does Paw Paw Lake compare with other places in Michigan?
Paw Paw Lake ranks 780th of 1,354 places in Michigan with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 500th | 1,356 |
| Residents per square mile | 444th | 1,356 |
| Median household income | 780th | 1,354 |
| Per capita income | 661st | 1,355 |
| Median home value | 758th | 1,354 |
| Median gross rent | 305th | 1,212 |
| Poverty rate | 210th | 1,213 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 539th | 1,350 |
| Median age | 1,026th | 1,356 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,012th | 1,356 |
| Work from home | 625th | 1,062 |
| Travel time to work | 254th | 1,356 |
Paw Paw Lake's figures with every place in Michigan (CSV)
Every place in Michigan, sortable · Compare Paw Paw Lake with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Paw Paw Lake?
20 of the 57 figures for Paw Paw Lake on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Paw Paw Lake are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.