Housing data for New Buffalo, MI
New Buffalo, MI has an estimated 1,338 residents and 1,675 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Berrien County.
22.8% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,042 a month.
Its population shrank measurably since 2015–2019 (−21.9%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 1,338 (±202)
- Housing units
- 1,675 (±175)
- Households that rent
- 22.8%
- Median gross rent
- $1,042
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −21.9%
What stands out in New Buffalo
Median home value: $391,200 (±$45,684) in New Buffalo, higher than in Berrien County ($224,300).
Median real estate taxes: $3,229 (±$469) in New Buffalo, higher than in Berrien County ($2,429).
Households that moved in since 2020: 12.8% (±5.1 points) in New Buffalo, lower than in Berrien County (20.4%).
Housing in New Buffalo at a glance
- Median rent: $1,042 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,186 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Rent burden: 52.6% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 22.8% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $64,702 median household income
- Home values: $391,200 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,779 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $3,229 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 14.3% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 65.6% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 58.9% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 15.8% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 71.3% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 20.6 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 650 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: −21.9% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 12.8% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 0.0% of homes have more than 1 person per room (Small sample: wide margin of error)
New Buffalo against Berrien County, its state and the nation
| New Buffalo | Berrien County | Michigan | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 1,338 (±202) | 153,288 (exact) | 10,077,761 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 1,675 (±175) | 77,276 (±73) | 4,622,236 (±795) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 22.8% (±7.5 points) | 27.2% (±1.3 points) | 26.8% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,042 (±$212) | $942 (±$24) | $1,129 (±$4) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $64,702 (±$24,988) | $65,425 (±$1,108) | $72,875 (±$293) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $391,200 (±$45,684) | $224,300 (±$3,751) | $231,600 (±$642) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $3,229 (±$469) | $2,429 (±$48) | $2,904 (±$9) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 58.9% (±10.5 points) | 69.4% (±1.9 points) | 62.1% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 20.6 minutes (±4.9) | 21.2 minutes (±0.7) | 24.2 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 87.3% (±9.4 points) | 89.3% (±0.9 points) | 90.5% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 54.5 years (±7.6) | 42.7 years (±0.2) | 40.2 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
New Buffalo covers 2.5 square miles of land, about 542 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How New Buffalo has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 1,714 (±226) | 1,338 (±202) | −21.9% | Measurable decrease |
| Housing units | 1,699 (±131) | 1,675 (±175) | −1.4% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $903 (±$144) | $1,042 (±$212) | +15.4% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $223,100 (±$13,410) | $391,200 (±$45,684) | +75.3% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $48,102 (±$7,238) | $64,702 (±$24,988) | +34.5% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,359 (±$152) | $1,779 (±$358) | +30.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $2,171 (±$235) | $3,229 (±$469) | +48.7% | Up after inflation |
| Households that rent | 28.5% (±6.8 points) | 22.8% (±7.5 points) | −5.7 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 10.6% (±14.0 points) | 15.8% (±15.9 points) | +5.2 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in New Buffalo
In 2025, the New Buffalo Police Department reported 650 violent and 473 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Berrien County, the departments that report recorded 482 violent and 1,455 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in New Buffalo
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49117 | 13% | 3,358 | $866 | $488,000 | $75,114 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near New Buffalo
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Buffalo Township | 1.2 mi | $749 | $618,200 | 22.0% |
| Grand Beach | 2.6 mi | — | $1,110,300 | 3.2% |
| Michiana | 4.0 mi | — | $790,000 | 2.5% |
| Michiana Shores | 4.6 mi | $1,000 | $451,300 | 5.8% |
| Springfield Township (LaPorte County) | 5.0 mi | $1,408 | $256,500 | 19.2% |
| Long Beach | 6.4 mi | — | $672,300 | 2.7% |
| Three Oaks Township | 6.4 mi | $1,074 | $245,500 | 20.2% |
| Three Oaks | 6.6 mi | $1,074 | $215,700 | 31.0% |
Places in Michigan most like New Buffalo
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk Rapids | $1,056 | $393,400 | $70,938 | 24.8% |
| South Haven | $834 | $454,100 | $68,239 | 29.3% |
| Harbor Springs | $1,027 | $415,700 | $75,417 | 31.9% |
| Elk Rapids Township | $1,238 | $401,100 | $82,933 | 24.3% |
| Otsego Township | $1,167 | $265,000 | $74,145 | 22.5% |
| Little Traverse Township | $988 | $345,400 | $88,368 | 17.7% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Michigan.
HUD Fair Market Rent for New Buffalo, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $802 | $887 | $1,152 | $1,512 | $1,514 |
HUD income limits for New Buffalo, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $19,400 | $32,300 | $51,650 |
| 2 people | $22,150 | $36,900 | $59,000 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $41,500 | $66,400 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $46,100 | $73,750 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $49,800 | $79,650 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $53,500 | $85,550 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $57,200 | $91,450 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $60,900 | $97,350 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Niles, MI MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $92,200.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about New Buffalo
What is the average rent in New Buffalo, MI?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in New Buffalo is $1,042 (±$212) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
Are renters in New Buffalo rent-burdened?
52.6% of renting households in New Buffalo pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in New Buffalo?
New Buffalo has an estimated 171 (±63) renting households, 22.8% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in New Buffalo?
The median household income in New Buffalo is $64,702 (±$24,988) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in New Buffalo, MI?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $391,200 (±$45,684) for owner-occupied homes in New Buffalo (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average mortgage payment in New Buffalo?
The Census Bureau publishes total owner costs rather than the mortgage alone: the median for owners with a mortgage in New Buffalo, MI is $1,779 (±$358) a month, including taxes, insurance and utilities.
Is New Buffalo growing?
In New Buffalo, the number of residents went from 1,714 in 2015–2019 to 1,338 in 2020–2024 (−21.9%), a measurable decrease.
What ZIP codes are in New Buffalo?
The ZIP code that covers New Buffalo is 49117.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 49117?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 49117 is $866 (±$364) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — New Buffalo city, Michigan
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — New Buffalo city, Michigan
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — New Buffalo city, Michigan
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — New Buffalo city, Michigan
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — New Buffalo city, Michigan
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — New Buffalo city, Michigan
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — New Buffalo city, Michigan
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Niles, MI MSA
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Niles, MI MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: New Buffalo Police Department (ORI MI1161100)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for New Buffalo city, Michigan (place:57220, in state:26).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .