Best Places for Business and Careers 2019

Kalamazoo, MI

Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
the place image

Kalamazoo, MI

Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
gross metro product
$17.8B
population
340.3K
median household income
$57,056
median home price
$159,000
cost of living
8% below nat'l avg
college attainment
35.3%
net migration
180 (year: 2018)
unemployment
3.7%
major industries
Education, Health care
job growth
1.3% (year: 2018)
As of October 2019
Kalamazoo boasts a diverse economy in education, health care and research development along with housing three local breweries, the best-known being Bell's Brewery. The annual Eccentric Day at Bell's Eccentric Cafe celebrates the brewery's Eccentric Ale on the December Friday that marks the end of finals at Western Michigan University. Other festivals within the town that reflect the area's culture include the Kalamazoo Animation Festival International, the Irving Gilmore International Keyboard Festival and Bach Festival.
Other sites of interest include the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo Valley Museum and Gilmore Car Museum.
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On forbes lists
#127
In Cost of Doing Business
#93
In Job Growth
#63
In Education
By The Numbers
EmploymentHousingEducationQuality of Life
Job Growth
1.3% (year: 2018)
Projected Annual Job Growth
0.3%
Unemployment
3.7%
Median Household Income
$57,056
Household Income Growth
4.7%
High-Tech Employment
2.9%
  • Data is for the metro area
  • Sources: Moody's Analytics; Sperling's BestPlaces; U.S. Census.
  • Numbers as of October 2019


  • a - Value of 100 means that a family with the median income has exactly enough income to qualify for a typical mortgage on a median-priced single-family home. An index above 100 signifies that the family has surplus income.
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