Census-designated place · Kalamazoo County, Michigan

South Gull Lake, Michigan

South Gull Lake is a census-designated place in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, part of the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area. It has 1,801 residents. South Gull Lake, Michigan has a quality-of-life score of 69 out of 100 (high), ranking #4,797 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Michigan it ranks #91 of 444 cities and towns. It ranks best on bachelor's degree or higher (high), rent as share of income (low) and uninsured residents (under 65) (low). It ranks worst on violent crime rate (high), property crime rate (high) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) (high).

69High

Quality-of-life score: #4,797 of 15,651 cities and towns
Michigan: #91 of 444 in MI
Population: 1,801 (2020-2024)
Land area: 1 mi²
Density: 1,333.5 /mi²
FIPS code: 2674975

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 74 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety12#13,703/15,637
Economy73#4,184/15,631
Housing—
Health68#4,982/15,609
Healthcare86#2,265/15,650
Environment23#11,875/15,453
Education59#6,388/15,649
Infrastructure84#2,581/15,650
Community79#3,220/15,651
Leisure & amenities67#5,146/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where South Gull Lake, Michigan ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Kalamazoo County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Bachelor's degree or higher · high87.5%
100/100Michigan 32.5%United States 35.7%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003
Rent as share of income · low9.0%
100/100Michigan 30.2%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071
Uninsured residents (under 65) · low0.0%
100/100Michigan 6.2%United States 9.8%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B27010
Poverty rate · low0.8%
99/100Michigan 13.4%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001High uncertainty
Distance to an Amtrak station · low5 mi
95/100Michigan 25 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauKalamazoo County value
Poor or fair health · low11.7%
93/100Michigan 19.3%United States 19.9%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate

Weaknesses

Violent crime rate · high580 /100k
6/100Michigan 416 /100kUnited States 328 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationKalamazoo County value
Property crime rate · high2,324 /100k
7/100Michigan 1,259 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationKalamazoo County value
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · high9.3 µg/m³
7/100Michigan 8.6 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyKalamazoo County value
Time spent in the emergency room · high225 min
10/100Michigan 163 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesKalamazoo County value
Depression · high28.0%
12/100Michigan 26.5%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Days with unhealthy air · high1.9%
21/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyKalamazoo County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
1,236 (2015-2019) → 1,801 (2020-2024)
+46%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Median household incomeImproving
$79,265 (2015-2019) → $188,750 (2020-2024)
+138%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
62.7% (2015-2019) → 87.5% (2020-2024)
+25 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
18.6% (2015-2019) → 5.0% (2020-2024)
−14 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Rent as share of incomeImproving
21.0% (2015-2019) → 9.0% (2020-2024)
−12 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Average commute timeImproving
29.9 min (2015-2019) → 21.0 min (2020-2024)
−30%5 yearsCensus table B08013US 26.9 min → 26.4 min

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, South Gull Lake, Michigan improved on 2 of 7 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 5 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Bachelor's++25 points62.7% → 87.5%
Rent / income−12 points21.0% → 9.0%

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 7 measures

Change of every measure of South Gull Lake, Michigan between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Bachelor's degree or higher	62.7%2015-2019	87.5%2020-2024	+25 points	Improved	100%
Broadband subscriptions	94.3%2015-2019	97.2%2020-2024	+3 points	Within the margin of error	20%
Child poverty rate	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	42%
High school diploma or higher	100.0%2015-2019	100.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	33%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4752015-2019	0.4642020-2024	−0.011	Within the margin of error	61%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	21.0%2015-2019	9.0%2020-2024	−12 points	Improved	95%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 6681 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like South Gull Lake, Michigan five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of South Gull Lake, Michigan in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, South Gull Lake, Michigan itself moved +2.8 points in standing on average over the same 5 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,801 residents (±446)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 60–69 men (−4.7 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

1,801 residents (±446)

South Gull Lake, Michigan
Michigan share

White96%1,734
Black0.4%†7
Hispanic or Latino0.0%0
Asian0.0%0
American Indian and Alaska Native0.0%0
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races3.3%†60

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

1,444 residents (±454)

South Gull Lake, Michigan
Michigan share

No high school diploma0.0%0
High school or GED2.1%†31
Some college9.8%†142
Associate degree0.6%†8
Bachelor's degree53%†768
Graduate degree34%†495

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Associate degree (−9.5 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

799 households (±226)

South Gull Lake, Michigan
Michigan share

Under $25k1.6%†13
$25k–50k11%†85
$50k–75k14%†113
$75k–100k1.9%†15
$100k–150k6.9%†55
$150k–200k16%†126
$200k or more49%†392

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $200k or more (+35.7 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

799 households (±226)

South Gull Lake, Michigan
Michigan share

Own82%†652
Rent18%†147

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

119 households (±124)

South Gull Lake, Michigan
Michigan share

Under $75095%†113
$750–1,0000.0%0
$1,000–1,5005.0%†6

Home values

652 homes (±240)

South Gull Lake, Michigan
Michigan share

Under $150k0.0%0
$150k–250k0.0%0
$250k–400k20%†131

Age of homes

964 homes (±225)

South Gull Lake, Michigan
Michigan share

2010 or later9.3%†90
2000–200926%†249
1980–199918%†174

Size of homes

964 homes (±225)

South Gull Lake, Michigan
Michigan share

Studio1.5%†14
1 bedroom1.3%†13
2 bedrooms21%†203

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

998 workers (±485)

South Gull Lake, Michigan
Michigan share

Drive alone57%†568
Carpool0.0%0
Public transit0.0%0
Walk2.0%†20
Bike0.0%0
Work from home41%†410
Other0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+27.0 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

588 workers (±284)

South Gull Lake, Michigan
Michigan share

Under 15 min23%†134
15–29 min48%†282
30–44 min15%†

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Kalamazoo-Portage, MI

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Kalamazoo County, the county holding most of South Gull Lake's residents.

Kalamazoo County has 5,704 employer establishments, 217 for every 10,000 residents (0.88× the US rate of 248; 0.95× Michigan's), with 114,065 paid employees at an average annual pay of $60,232. The Census Bureau also counts 19,019 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 5,704; 19,019 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 217; US 248 · Michigan 228
Paid employees: 114,065
Average annual pay: $60,232; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Kalamazoo County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	500	19.1	0.91×About typical	7,095	$82,647	1,159
Restaurants and other eating places	456	17.4	0.95×About typical	9,959	$20,096	70
Specialty trade contractors	266	10.1	0.65×Fewer than typical	3,955	$78,999	970
Limited-service restaurants	211	8	1.00×About typical	4,585	$17,932	27
Lessors of real estate	209	8	0.65×Fewer than typical	1,144	$46,384	1,894
Full-service restaurants	198	7.5	0.98×About typical	4,572	$22,456	27
Services to buildings and dwellings	195	7.4	1.10×About typical	2,105	$31,683	991
Religious organizations	175	6.7	1.20×About typical	1,510	$27,217	—
Offices of other health practitioners	169	6.4	1.06×About typical	1,032	$43,096	674
Construction of buildings	150	5.7	0.76×Fewer than typical	1,372	$83,449	541
Automotive repair and maintenance	140	5.3	1.06×About typical	840	$53,125	165
Offices of physicians	130	5	0.76×Fewer than typical	2,509	$131,224	173

Rank places for an industry Open Kalamazoo County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 262,460 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in South Gull Lake, Michigan: $0 per resident (US $2,007).

Obligations: $0; −100% vs FY2025
Per resident: $0; US $2,007
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.7%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

9.6KFY2017
1.1KFY2018
21.6KFY2019
2.9KFY2020
4.2KFY2021
13.4KFY2022
9.3KFY2023
2KFY2025

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 9, 2026, loaded Oct 9, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in South Gull Lake, Michigan, so they do not add up across cities.

South Gull Lake, Michigan's figures are part of those of Kalamazoo County, MI ($35.3M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: South Gull Lake is mostly in Kalamazoo County.

See federal money in Kalamazoo County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

South Gull Lake, Michigan is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).