St. Joseph County, MI
Housing, jobs, water, deposits and federal obligations for this county, each figure with the release it came from. Internal point 41.91, -85.52.
Assembled 2026-10-20. Read the brief.
- 45th pct · 1,674th of 3,063 US counties · median $230,451
- 45th pct · 46th of 83 Michigan counties · median $225,043
- 64th pct · 1,093rd of 3,062 US counties · median +2.9%
- 23rd pct · 64th of 83 Michigan counties · median +5.3%
- 19th pct · 1,090th of 1,358 US counties · median $1,506
- 23rd pct · 31st of 40 Michigan counties · median $1,387
- 72nd pct · 894th of 3,221 US counties · median 8,232
- 68th pct · 27th of 83 Michigan counties · median 12,414
- 62nd pct · 1,201st of 3,221 US counties · median $1,039
- 62nd pct · 32nd of 83 Michigan counties · median $1,045
- 41st pct · 1,783rd of 3,063 US counties · median 4.2
- 40th pct · 50th of 83 Michigan counties · median 4.0
Typical home value divided by the average annual wage of one covered job.
A percentile here is a min-max scaling of average rank: the smallest published value in the cohort is 0 and the largest is 100, and tied values share the average of the ranks they span. It is not the share of entities below the value, so 0 means smallest, not none below. Entities that did not publish the metric are outside the cohort entirely and are counted in neither the rank nor its denominator.
Home values #
Typical home $219,664 (Sep 2026), +4.0% over one year, +21.2% over five
- 45th pct · 1,674th of 3,063 US counties · median $230,451
- 45th pct · 46th of 83 Michigan counties · median $225,043
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph County, MI | $219,664 · +4.0% 1-yr |
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), typical value of homes in the 35th to 65th percentile, smoothed and seasonally adjusted; a model estimate of value, not a sale price. Data through Zillow Research.
Rents #
Typical rent $1,175/mo (Sep 2026), n/a over one year; price-to-rent 15.6
- 19th pct · 1,090th of 1,358 US counties · median $1,506
- 23rd pct · 31st of 40 Michigan counties · median $1,387
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph County, MI | $1,175/mo · n/a 1-yr |
Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), smoothed, all homes and multifamily; price-to-rent = typical home / (typical rent × 12).
What the typical home costs to carry #
Principal and interest of $1,217 a month on $219,664 at 7.40%, against an average weekly wage worth $4,771 a month: 25.5% of one job’s pay.
- payment = P·r / (1 − (1+r)^−n), P = $219,664 × 80% = $175,731, r = 7.40%/12 (Freddie Mac PMMS via FRED, 2026-10-15), n = 360 → $1,217/mo principal and interest
- wage share = payment / (avg weekly wage $1,101 × 52 / 12 = $4,771) = 26% of one average job's pay (BLS QCEW 2026 Q1, all covered jobs)
- years of wages = $219,664 / ($1,101 × 52) = 3.8
- price-to-rent = $219,664 / ($1,175 × 12) = 15.6
The wage is one covered job’s average, not a household’s income, so this is the share of a single paycheque and not a mortgage underwriting ratio.
Estimate. Principal and interest on the typical home with 20% down over 30 years at this week's Freddie Mac average rate; compared with the average weekly wage of all jobs covered by unemployment insurance in the area (BLS QCEW), which is pay per job, not household income.
Jobs & wages #
20,813 jobs at 2,273 employers (2026 Q1); +1.3% jobs and +5.1% average weekly wage over the year
- 72nd pct · 894th of 3,221 US counties · median 8,232
- 68th pct · 27th of 83 Michigan counties · median 12,414
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph County, MI | 20,813 jobs · $1,101/wk · +1.3% YoY |
| NAICS sector | Jobs | Avg weekly wage | Location quotient | Jobs over the year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 7,116 | $1,477 | 4.25 | -2.3% |
| Retail trade | 2,399 | $725 | 1.18 | -1.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,184 | $753 | 0.70 | -2.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,574 | $378 | 0.84 | +2.5% |
| Construction | 760 | $1,230 | 0.70 | +20.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 704 | $1,076 | 4.68 | -2.5% |
| Other services | 685 | $632 | 1.10 | +8.2% |
| Professional and technical services | 668 | $1,425 | 0.47 | +4.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 538 | $1,431 | 0.67 | +49.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 381 | $1,616 | 0.45 | -12.8% |
| Administrative and waste services | 312 | $966 | 0.26 | -1.9% |
| Management of companies | 256 | $1,584 | 0.73 | +187.6% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, all ownerships, total covered employment in the quarter's third month; over-the-year changes as published. Suppressed cells stay blank.
Drought #
No drought class at this point (USDM covers the United States only)
Sites found: 5, searched within 0 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 0 km away are not.
US Drought Monitor current week; the highest class of any polygon containing the point.
Reservoirs #
No reservoir gauges within 150 km (or the camera is above the gauge altitude)
Sites found: 0, searched within 150 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 150 km away are not.
Σ(capacity × percent full) / Σ capacity over TWDB reservoirs within 150 km. Texas only; elsewhere USGS reservoir elevation/storage is listed without a capacity to normalise by.
Stream gauges #
68 gauges · 0 flooding · 9 with quality panels averaging 100 % · 17 stale
Sites found: 68, searched within 75 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 75 km away are not.
| Site | Reading | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| USGS-0409754132 | flow 3.97 ft³/s · quality 100 % (1) | 5 km |
| USGS-04097345 | flow 93.6 ft³/s · quality 100 % (1) | 10 km |
| USGS-04097500 | flow 660.0 ft³/s · no flooding | 10 km |
| USGS-04097540 | flow 70.2 ft³/s | 10 km |
| USGS-415318085243401 | temp 14.2 °C · quality 100 % (1) · STALE | 10 km |
| USGS-040970647 | flow 18.7 ft³/s · quality 100 % (1) | 12 km |
| USGS-04099750 | flow 233.0 ft³/s · no flooding | 19 km |
| USGS-04096970 | flow 6.60 ft³/s | 20 km |
| USGS-04098980 | flow 24.4 ft³/s | 20 km |
| USGS-04097349 | stage 3.56 ft | 20 km |
USGS latest readings screened against EPA freshwater criteria (DO ≥ 5 mg/L, pH 6.5–9, conductance, turbidity, temperature); NWS flood categories where a NWPS gauge is co-located.
Groundwater #
49 wells in 0 named aquifers:
Sites found: 49, searched within 75 km of this place’s internal point. That is a disc around a point, not the area itself: sites outside the boundary are included, and sites inside it further than 75 km away are not.
| Site | Reading | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| USGS-415318085243401 | depth -1.29 ft · 2018-06-26 | 10 km |
| USGS-414431085313001 | depth 18.6 ft · 2024-11-06 | 19 km |
| USGS-414318085200601 | depth 16.5 ft · 2026-10-19 | 26 km |
| USGS-420838085344501 | depth 19.6 ft · 2004-08-01 | 26 km |
| USGS-421147085350203 | depth 7.52 ft · 1982-05-19 | 32 km |
| USGS-421151085351601 | depth 26.4 ft · 2008-12-31 | 32 km |
| USGS-421203085370401 | depth 27.0 ft · 2006-12-31 | 33 km |
| USGS-421150085383902 | depth 22.1 ft · 2006-12-31 | 33 km |
USGS latest daily water levels. A single latest reading says where the table is, not which way it is moving; select a well for its 365-day trace.
Water stress #
low (0.00)
Σ wᵢ·termᵢ / Σ wᵢ = 0.35×0.00 + 0.2×0.00 / 0.55
Banks & federal dollars #
$1.0 bn in deposits at 22 offices of 8 banks (SOD June 2026); HHI 2,162, highly concentrated. $389.2 m federal obligations in FY2026 (direct payments $371.0 m, grants $18.1 m), $18,698 per covered job
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Sturgis Bank & Trust Company | $359.5 m · 34.6% share · 6 offices | |
| Southern Michigan Bank & Trust | $268.0 m · 25.8% share · 6 offices | |
| Century Bank and Trust | $107.1 m · 10.3% share · 4 offices | |
| St. Joseph, MI | $389.2 m FY2026 · $18,698/job | |
| MULTIPLE RECIPIENTS | $361.0 m · top recipient FY2026 |
| Institution | Deposits | Share | Offices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sturgis Bank & Trust Company | $359,488,000 | 34.6% | 6 |
| Southern Michigan Bank & Trust | $268,010,000 | 25.8% | 6 |
| Century Bank and Trust | $107,136,000 | 10.3% | 4 |
| Fifth Third Bank, National Association | $85,289,000 | 8.2% | 1 |
| Flagstar Bank, National Association | $70,112,000 | 6.8% | 2 |
| The Huntington National Bank | $70,012,000 | 6.7% | 1 |
| Horizon Bank | $48,542,000 | 4.7% | 1 |
| Farmers State Bank | $29,193,000 | 2.8% | 1 |
Deposit concentration is 2,162 across 8 banks, which the 1995 Department of Justice bank merger screen calls highly concentrated.
HHI = Σ (share %)² over 8 banks with deposits in the county = 34.6² + 25.8² + 10.3² + … (5 more) = 2,162
FDIC Summary of Deposits: deposits at every insured office as of June 30, annual; HHI is the sum of squared county deposit shares (DOJ 1995 bank merger screen: 1000 / 1800). USAspending: obligations by place of performance for the latest complete federal fiscal year (Oct 1 to Sep 30), what agencies committed, not what they paid out; recipients are legal entities. Per-job divides obligations by BLS QCEW covered employment.
Federal obligations #
USAspending place-of-performance obligations for FY2026, by awarding agency.
| Awarding agency | Obligations |
|---|---|
| Social Security Administration | $332,689,146 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | $27,111,179 |
| Department of Transportation | $12,824,243 |
| Department of Agriculture | $4,534,040 |
| Department of Health and Human Services | $3,831,587 |
| Department of Housing and Urban Development | $3,233,511 |
| Department of Education | $3,010,550 |
| Railroad Retirement Board | $1,110,772 |
| Federal Communications Commission | $924,142 |
| Small Business Administration | $0 |
| Department of Energy | $0 |
| Department of Justice | -$105,080 |
That is $18,698 per covered job, against 20,813 jobs in the 2026 Q1 QCEW quarter.
per job = FY2026 obligations $389.2 m / 20,813 covered jobs (BLS QCEW 2026 Q1, all ownerships) = $18,698
USAspending obligations are recorded where the work is performed, so a prime award performed here is counted here even when the recipient is headquartered elsewhere. Recipients are legal entities, never people.
Public companies #
1 public company files with the SEC from a business address here (STURGIS BANCORP INC). The snapshot was pulled 2026-10-20; 0 of 1 carry financial facts. The county's jobs mix maps to 9 GICS sectors, led by Consumer Staples.
| Item | Value | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| STURGIS BANCORP INC | STBI · OTC · Financials · STURGIS, MI 49091 |
Snapshot pulled 2026-10-20: 1 filers, 0 with financial facts.
Public filers whose registered business address with the SEC falls in this county, from a committed snapshot of EDGAR's company_tickers_exchange file. A position is the centroid of the address's ZIP code (Census ZCTA) or, where the snapshot says so, of its city: it is not a building. Legal entities only - no officer, insider or shareholder data is read, and Forms 3, 4 and 5 are excluded everywhere. Sector exposure is the county's BLS QCEW jobs mix bridged to GICS sectors by a convention documented in lib/companies/sectors.ts; a jobs mix is not a portfolio.
National context, not this county #
These are United States, single-gauge, single-state and port series. None of them is keyed to this county.
| Series | Latest | As of | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi River at Memphis, stage · ft | not published | not published | |
| Mississippi River at St. Louis, stage · ft | not published | not published | |
| Ohio River at Louisville, stage · ft | 17.40 | 2026-10-19 | -3.1% |
| Missouri River at St. Joseph, stage · ft | not published | not published | |
| Colorado River below Hoover Dam, flow (Hoover releases) · ft³/s | 5,170.00 | 2026-02-05 | -25.3% |
| Texas reservoirs, statewide percent full · % | 72.20 | 2026-10-20 | +0.0% |
| Laredo truck crossings, monthly · trucks | 255,129.00 | 2026-09-01 | -1.4% |
| Los Angeles + Long Beach container volume, annual · TEU | 10,513,167.00 | 2023-01-01 | -13.5% |
| Containerships waiting for a berth, all US ports · ships | 7.00 | 2026-10-13 | +133.3% |
| Shanghai to Los Angeles container rate · $ per 40 ft box | 7,848.00 | 2026-09-01 | +14.9% |
| US diesel retail price · $ per gallon | unavailable | not published | |
| WTI crude oil, spot · $ per barrel | 101.91 | 2026-10-14 | +1.0% |
| 30-year fixed mortgage rate · % | 7.40 | 2026-10-15 | +0.0% |
| Housing starts, annual rate · thousands of units | 1,221.00 | 2026-09-01 | -5.2% |
| Building permits, annual rate · thousands of units | 1,400.00 | 2026-09-01 | -0.2% |
| Case-Shiller US home price index · index, Jan 2000 = 100 | 337.31 | 2026-07-01 | +0.1% |
| Unemployment rate · % | 4.20 | 2026-09-01 | +2.4% |
| US goods and services trade balance, monthly · $ millions | -105,572.00 | 2026-08-01 | -13.7% |
| Retail sales excluding food services, monthly · $ millions | 652,115.00 | 2026-09-01 | +0.7% |
The indicator registry has no county-keyed series and no geographic selection: every entry is national, a named gauge, a single state or a port. They are here as the backdrop the county's own numbers move against, and they are never this county's readings.
What changed #
St. Joseph County, MI: 7 findings, 1 at a watch level and 6 noted
watchSt. Joseph County, MI's typical home value of +4.0% scores 64 on the 0-to-100 scale across US counties but 23 across Michigan counties, a gap of 41 points.
Period 2026-09.Show the arithmetic
- 41 = |64 across US counties - 23 across Michigan counties|
position among the entities that published this metric this period; not an official level
noteSt. Joseph County, MI's average weekly wage was 5.1% higher than the same quarter a year earlier in 2026 Q1, on BLS QCEW's published over-the-year change.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- +5.1 % = BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change for 2026 Q1, as published
- the newest QCEW file carries no year-earlier level, so no move from one level to another is printed
BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published
noteSt. Joseph County, MI's covered employment was 1.3% higher than the same quarter a year earlier in 2026 Q1, on BLS QCEW's published over-the-year change.
Period 2026 Q1.Show the arithmetic
- +1.3 % = BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change for 2026 Q1, as published
- the newest QCEW file carries no year-earlier level, so no move from one level to another is printed
BLS QCEW over-the-year percent change, as published
notetypical asking rent (rent.latest) and typical asking rent (rent.momPct) for St. Joseph County, MI could not be lined up against the previous published period this run, so no change is printed for them.
Show the arithmetic
- not comparable this run: rent.latest, rent.momPct
the two newest month columns in the published file are not the two this table carries
noteThe next Unemployment rate (BLS Employment Situation, monthly) covering St. Joseph County, MI is due between 2026-10-30 and 2026-11-13, estimated from the publisher's past release pattern.
Show the arithmetic
- window = 2026-10-30 to 2026-11-13, estimated from the publisher's past release pattern
estimated from the publisher's past release pattern; not an announced date
Read all 7 findings in the full brief
Every finding is produced by a fixed rule table and a fixed sentence for each rule. Nothing here is generated prose.