The Kalamazoo metro is home to 261,437 people (down 22.4% over five years), with a median household income of $70,525. Typical rent of $1,287/month works out to 21.9% of the median household income — comfortably below the 30% affordability threshold (Census ACS + Zillow, September 2026).
The share of Kalamazoo's workforce by sector — the base of tenant demand:
| Sector | % of workforce |
|---|---|
| Education & health care | 25.4% |
| Manufacturing | 17.4% |
| Retail trade | 10.7% |
| Arts, food & hospitality | 10.4% |
| Professional & management | 9.4% |
Education & health care is the metro's largest employment base — sectors like education and health care are recession-resilient anchors for rental demand.
Rents at 21.9% of median income leave room for rent growth without pricing out the median tenant. Market pricing, yields and the Star Score live on the Kalamazoo market page; run a deal in the calculator.
At the 30%-of-income affordability rule, typical rent of $1,287/month suggests a household income around $51,000/year. The metro's median household income is $70,525.
By workforce share: Education & health care (25.4%), Manufacturing (17.4%), Retail trade (10.7%) (Census ACS 5-year).