Paw Paw, MI

Village in Van Buren County, MI, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

3,289

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

35.6

years ∙ half population younger than 35.6, half older

Diversity Index

39.6%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

5.7%

foreign-born population

94.3%Native

5.7% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Paw Paw is a village within Van Buren County, Michigan, United States.

Location

Village in Van Buren County, MI, US

Co-ordinates

DEC42.214235° N, 85.892177° W

DMS42° 12′ 51.25″ N, 85° 53′ 31.84″ W

Population Density & area

1,232/sq mi (476.7/km²)

Total Area

2.89 sq mi (7.48 km²)

Land Area

2.67 sq mi (6.9 km²) · 92.3%

Water Area

0.22 sq mi (0.58 km²) · 7.7%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

51.8% male

Male 51.8%

Female 48.2%

males per 100 females

Paw Paw 107.4

Van Buren County 99.5

Michigan 98.2

Nativity

5.7%

foreign-born population

94.3%Native

5.7% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Paw Paw 5.7%

Van Buren County 4.6%

Michigan 7.2%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

35.6

years ∙ half population younger than 35.6, half older

Paw Paw

35.6

Van Buren County

41.2

Michigan

40.2

Dependency ratio

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Paw Paw 82

Van Buren County 74.9

Michigan 66.3

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Paw Paw	Van Buren County	Michigan
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	26.8%	22.9%	21.2%
Working age (18-64)	54.9%	57.2%	60.2%
Senior (65+)	18.3%	19.9%	18.6%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	82	74.9	66.3
Child dependency ratio	48.7	40.1	35.3
Old-age dependency ratio	33.3	34.8	31

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

76.4%

Black

2.6%

Asian

3.1%

Hispanic

12.8%

Other

5.1%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

39.6%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Paw Paw 39.6%

Van Buren County 37%

Michigan 45.2%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Paw Paw population

	Paw Paw	Van Buren County	Michigan
Hispanic or Latino	12.8%	12.5%	5.9%
Mexican	10.4%	10.8%	4%
Puerto Rican	0.5%	0.5%	0.5%
Cuban	1.2%	0.2%	0.2%
Other Hispanic / Latino	0.6%	1%	1.2%
Not Hispanic or Latino	87.2%	87.5%	94.1%
One race	82.2%	83.1%	89.6%
White	76.4%	78.2%	72.4%
Black or African American	2.6%	3.5%	13.1%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0%	0.4%	0.3%
Asian	3.1%	0.5%	3.4%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
Some Other Race	0%	0.4%	0.5%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	5%	4.4%	4.5%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

56% family

Family 56%

Non family 44%

% family households

Paw Paw 56%

Van Buren County 67.6%

Michigan 62.4%

Average household size

2.07

persons per household

Paw Paw

2.07

Van Buren County

2.44

Michigan

2.42

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Paw Paw population

	Paw Paw	Van Buren County	Michigan
Total households	1,505	30,622	4,076,369
Average houshold size	2.07	2.44	2.42
Family households	843	20,691	2,545,621
Average family size	2.81	2.95	3.05
Married couple family	400	15,295	1,878,767
Other families	443	5,396	666,854
Male householder	107	1,779	199,150
Female householder	336	3,617	467,704
Non-family households	662	9,931	1,530,748
One-person households	630	8,294	1,250,418
Male householder	189	3,876	583,425
Senior (65+) living alone	51	1,447	188,594
Female householder	441	4,418	666,993
Senior (65+) living alone	234	2,797	349,637
Other living arrangements	32	1,637	280,330

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

1,589

housing units

Paw Paw 1,589

Van Buren County 37,405

Michigan 4,622,236

Occupancy status

94.7% occupied

Occupied 94.7%

Vacant 5.3%

vacancy rate

Paw Paw 5.3%

Van Buren County 18.1%

Michigan 11.8%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

53.2%

Single family houses

53.2%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

42.7%

Mobile homes

4.2%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1968

Half of houses were built before 1968, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

26.9%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

27.5%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

39.8%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

5.9%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Paw Paw	Van Buren County	Michigan
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	4.5	5.9	5.9
1–3 rooms	22.1%	7.6%	10.5%
4–6 rooms	56.1%	54.3%	51.9%
7+ rooms	21.8%	38.1%	37.6%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	6.3%	1.2%	1.6%
1 bedroom	17.7%	5.9%	8.9%
2 bedrooms	48.2%	23.4%	24.6%
3 bedrooms	15.6%	46.4%	43.5%
4+ bedrooms	12.3%	23.1%	21.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1968	1978	1972
Total housing units	1,589	37,405	4,622,236

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

48.8% owners

Renter-occupied 51.2%

Owner-occupied 48.8%

homeownership rate

Paw Paw 48.8%

Van Buren County 80.6%

Michigan 73.2%

Average household size

2.34

Owner-occupied

1.8

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Paw Paw 2.34

Van Buren County 2.52

Michigan 2.54

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Paw Paw	Van Buren County	Michigan
Total occupied units	1,505	30,622	4,076,369
Year moved in
2020 or later	30.2%	17.7%	21%
2010 to 2019	46.7%	38.4%	39.5%
2000 to 2009	11.3%	17.9%	16%
1999 or earlier	11.8%	25.9%	23.4%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	100%	98%	98.4%
1.01 to 1.50	0%	1.6%	1.2%
1.51 or more	0%	0.4%	0.4%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	9.8%	5.7%	7%
1 vehicle	52.2%	31.9%	34.8%
2 vehicles	28.5%	38.9%	38.3%
3 or more vehicles	9.5%	23.4%	19.8%
House heating fuel used
Gas	79.6%	77.2%	83.6%
Electricity	17.5%	12.1%	12.1%
Solar	0%	0%	0%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0%	2.9%	0.8%
All other fuels	1.1%	7.1%	3%
No fuel used	1.9%	0.7%	0.5%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	1.2%	0.4%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	1.2%	0.6%	0.7%
No telephone service available	1.2%	0.8%	0.7%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$148,200

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Paw Paw

$148,200

Van Buren County

$206,500

Michigan

$231,600

Housing Cost Burden

25.9%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

25.9%

Owners without a mortgage

31.1%

Renters

28.3%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Paw Paw	Van Buren County	Michigan
Property value
Median Value	$148,200	$206,500	$231,600
Under $100,000	24.4%	18.4%	16.8%
$100,000 - $200,000	55.3%	29.9%	24.7%
$200,000 - $300,000	15.4%	22.2%	23.4%
$300,000 - $500,000	3.4%	20.1%	24.1%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	1.5%	8.1%	9.2%
$1,000,000 and more	0%	1.2%	1.6%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	74.5%	58.6%	57.8%
Without a mortgage	25.5%	41.4%	42.2%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,189	$1,404	$1,569
Without a mortgage	$512	$570	$602
Gross rent
Median rent	$761	$870	$1,129

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

15.4%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Paw Paw 15.4%

Van Buren County 23%

Michigan 32.4%

Adults without a high school diploma

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Paw Paw 5%

Van Buren County 10.5%

Michigan 8%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

681

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

4.6%

K–12

81.2%

College / Undergraduate

14.2%

Graduate / Professional

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

16.8%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Paw Paw

16.8%

Van Buren County

21.1%

Michigan

41.1%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Paw Paw	Van Buren County	Michigan
Total enrolled (age 3+)	681	16,318	2,312,914
Nursery / preschool	4.6%	6.5%	5.6%
K–12	81.2%	78.5%	67.9%
Kindergarten	20.7%	5.7%	5.2%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	26.1%	23.7%	19.7%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	16%	25.2%	20.8%
High School: Grades 9–12	18.4%	23.8%	22.2%
College or graduate school	14.2%	15%	26.5%
College, undergraduate	14.2%	12.6%	21.1%
Graduate, professional school	0%	2.4%	5.4%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	16.8%	21.1%	41.1%
School type
Public school	88.3%	91%	85.2%
Private school	11.7%	9%	14.8%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

2,308

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

2.1%

9th-12th, no diploma

2.9%

HS graduate

41.2%

Some college no degree

28.1%

Associates degree

10.4%

Bachelors degree

13.3%

Graduate or professional degree

2.1%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

37.5% · 62.5%

9th-12th, no diploma

57.6% · 42.4%

HS graduate

45.7% · 54.3%

Some college no degree

42.7% · 57.3%

Associates degree

25.9% · 74.1%

Bachelors degree

51.6% · 48.4%

Graduate or professional degree

52.1% · 47.9%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Paw Paw	Van Buren County	Michigan
Population (25+)	2,308	52,835	7,008,507
Less than 9th grade	2.1%	4.3%	2.6%
9th–12th, no diploma	2.9%	6.2%	5.4%
High school diploma or GED	41.2%	33.3%	28%
Some college, no degree	28.1%	23.8%	21.9%
Associate's degree	10.4%	9.5%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	15.4%	23%	32.4%
Bachelor's degree	13.3%	14.6%	19.7%
Graduate or professional	2.1%	8.4%	12.7%
High School or higher	95.1%	89.6%	92.1%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$41,285

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$—

HS graduate

$32,404

Some college or associates

$41,071

Bachelors degree

$56,250

Graduate or professional degree

$—

Poverty Rate

3.1%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

10.7%

HS graduate

22.8%

Some college or associates

20.3%

Bachelors degree or higher

3.1%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Paw Paw	Van Buren County	Michigan
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$41,285	$47,211	$50,316
Less than high school graduate	$—	$32,222	$31,851
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$32,404	$39,846	$37,777
Some college or associate's degree	$41,071	$47,237	$44,844
Bachelor's degree	$56,250	$57,960	$66,893
Graduate or professional degree	$—	$73,285	$85,195
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	10.7%	29.6%	27.4%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	22.8%	14%	15.2%
Some college or associate's degree	20.3%	10.5%	10.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher	3.1%	4.9%	4.2%

Insights for Paw Paw, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

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