Jobs, pay and daily life in Niles, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Niles is a city in Michigan with 11,803 residents. The median household earns $51,376 a year and the median rent is $855 a month, which is 20.0% of the median household income. It is part of the Niles, MI metropolitan area, where BLS counts 59,970 jobs.
How Niles compares. Among the 100 largest places in Michigan, Niles is #89 by population, #98 for remote work (#1 = most), #11 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #82 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Berrien County, is #22 of 83 counties for average pay ($57,009).
Niles has 11,803 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.1% of the population of Michigan. It covers 6 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,037 people per square mile. The median age is 39.2, about the same as the state median (39.2 against 40.2).
The median gross rent is $855 a month (rent plus utilities), 24% below the state median ($855 against $1,129). Over a year that is 20.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $135,100, which is 2.6 times the median household income ($51,376); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 63.2% of households own their home, 14% below the state average (63.2% against 73.2%).
The Niles, MI metropolitan area has 59,970 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $45,980 a year, 10% below the national median ($45,980 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are food preparation and serving related (7,080 jobs, median $34,000); office and administrative support (6,540 jobs, median $44,850); production (5,880 jobs, median $45,030). The area is most specialised in production (1.8 times) and food preparation and serving related (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($45,030) and office and administrative support ($44,850). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Berrien County was 4.2%. 62.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Berrien County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 76.4% drive alone, 0.4% use public transit, 3.2% walk, 5.1% work from home. 7.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 39% below the state average (7.9% against 12.9%).
17.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 48% below the state share (17.0% against 32.5%). 3.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 48% below the state share (3.8% against 7.2%). The poverty rate is 17.8%, 35% above the state rate (17.8% against 13.2%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 26°F (-3.2°C). About 994 mm (39 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (111 mm) and Feb the driest (58 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Granger (9 miles, rent 94% higher); South Bend (11 miles, rent 21% higher); Mishawaka (12 miles, rent 25% higher); Elkhart (18 miles, rent 17% higher). Rent differences are against Niles; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Michigan (335) →State guide: MichiganCountry guideBerrien CountyMichigan rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 335 federal postings open in Michigan (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Michigan →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,670 | 1.12 | $27,740 | $25,960 | $36,840 | -11% |
| Cashiers | 1,610 | 1.35 | $29,550 | $25,960 | $36,250 | -10% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,590 | 1.05 | $34,170 | $27,710 | $46,660 | -4% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,390 | 1.59 | $38,130 | $27,040 | $62,330 | +8% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,330 | 1.02 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,200 | 1.10 | $34,750 | $28,050 | $47,960 | -7% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,100 | 0.82 | $85,850 | $45,550 | $199,730 | -19% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,040 | 1.09 | $42,180 | $29,880 | $59,300 | -6% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,020 | 1.20 | $35,570 | $29,270 | $42,890 | -3% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,010 | 0.61 | $30,540 | $29,900 | $37,060 | -15% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 980 | 1.80 | $37,970 | $33,280 | $54,300 | -15% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 930 | 0.92 | $43,620 | $31,840 | $61,380 | -3% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 840 | 1.55 | $36,610 | $28,990 | $45,210 | -2% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 750 | 1.41 | $60,760 | $46,950 | $84,230 | -5% |
| Security Guards | 740 | 1.49 | $35,690 | $28,170 | $64,330 | -6% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 690 | 0.61 | $37,790 | $29,610 | $48,300 | -6% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 690 | 1.26 | $35,490 | $29,120 | $39,010 | -4% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 640 | 0.81 | $48,780 | $39,690 | $66,390 | -17% |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 640 | 1.74 | $36,970 | $29,560 | $49,540 | -6% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 610 | 1.29 | $37,290 | $29,170 | $60,600 | -15% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineers | 550 | 4.84 | $106,320 | $76,750 | $135,590 | +2% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,100 | 0.82 | $85,850 | $45,550 | $199,730 | -19% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 750 | 1.41 | $60,760 | $46,950 | $84,230 | -5% |
| Machinists | 530 | 4.81 | $50,430 | $37,230 | $63,290 | -14% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 640 | 0.81 | $48,780 | $39,690 | $66,390 | -17% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 500 | 0.93 | $48,070 | $35,370 | $62,540 | -5% |
| Bus Drivers, School | 580 | 3.75 | $47,210 | $39,400 | $48,060 | -1% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 500 | 1.15 | $44,440 | $30,030 | $63,670 | -8% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 530 | 0.90 | $44,310 | $30,750 | $64,900 | -11% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 930 | 0.92 | $43,620 | $31,840 | $61,380 | -3% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 610 | 0.93 | $43,140 | $31,890 | $58,660 | -9% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,040 | 1.09 | $42,180 | $29,880 | $59,300 | -6% |
| Nursing Assistants | 590 | 1.06 | $41,070 | $37,060 | $45,790 | -3% |
| Bartenders | 520 | 1.78 | $38,970 | $26,790 | $74,710 | +13% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,390 | 1.59 | $38,130 | $27,040 | $62,330 | +8% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 980 | 1.80 | $37,970 | $33,280 | $54,300 | -15% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 690 | 0.61 | $37,790 | $29,610 | $48,300 | -6% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 610 | 1.29 | $37,290 | $29,170 | $60,600 | -15% |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 640 | 1.74 | $36,970 | $29,560 | $49,540 | -6% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 840 | 1.55 | $36,610 | $28,990 | $45,210 | -2% |
These figures are for the whole Niles, MI metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $45,980 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.2% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 20.8% |
| Education and health care | 20.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 11.6% |
| Retail trade | 11.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.3% |
| Construction | 5.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.6% |
| Other services | 3.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.4% |
| Information | 2.2% |
| Public administration | 2.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Niles lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Cass County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berrien County | 153,288 | $9,718 million | $63,399 | 60,626 | 4,096 | $57,009 | +0.5% | 4.2% | 69,803 |
| Cass County | 51,520 | $1,897 million | $36,825 | 9,373 | 932 | $51,894 | +1.4% | 4.3% | 22,229 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 11,601 | 23.1% | $83,266 | 2.33 |
| Health care and social assistance | 8,001 | 15.9% | $57,662 | 0.92 |
| Retail trade | 7,096 | 14.1% | $34,508 | 1.17 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,789 | 13.5% | $23,690 | 1.23 |
| Administrative and waste services | 3,037 | 6.0% | $48,646 | 0.85 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 2,176 | 4.3% | $37,863 | 1.19 |
| Finance and insurance | 2,013 | 4.0% | $84,874 | 0.82 |
| Construction | 1,974 | 3.9% | $73,579 | 0.62 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,822 | 3.6% | $64,743 | 0.76 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,375 | 2.7% | $75,557 | 0.33 |
| Educational services | 1,259 | 2.5% | $43,739 | 1.00 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 1,186 | 2.4% | $29,007 | 2.42 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 866 | 1.7% | $26,791 | 0.85 |
| Real estate and rental | 493 | 1.0% | $47,520 | 0.52 |
| Information | 386 | 0.8% | $59,856 | 0.34 |
| Management of companies | 119 | 0.2% | $109,463 | 0.12 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 94 | 0.2% | $123,568 | 0.41 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 76.4% |
| Public transit | 0.4% |
| Walk | 3.2% |
| Work from home | 5.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 7.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,376 |
| Income per person | $27,036 |
| Median gross rent per month | $855 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.0% |
| Median home value | $135,100 |
| Homeowners | 63.2% |
| Poverty rate | 17.8% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.4 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $45,980 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 4.25%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 89.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 17.0% |
| Born abroad | 3.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 62.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.2 | 26 | 64 |
| Feb | -2.6 | 27 | 58 |
| Mar | 2.1 | 36 | 61 |
| Apr | 7.9 | 46 | 88 |
| May | 13.7 | 57 | 111 |
| Jun | 19.5 | 67 | 94 |
| Jul | 22.7 | 73 | 90 |
| Aug | 22.4 | 72 | 103 |
| Sep | 18.6 | 65 | 83 |
| Oct | 11.6 | 53 | 108 |
| Nov | 5.1 | 41 | 70 |
| Dec | -0.3 | 31 | 64 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Granger | IN | 9 mi | 30,321 | $123,318 | $1,656 |
| South Bend | IN | 11 mi | 103,085 | $55,786 | $1,033 |
| Mishawaka | IN | 12 mi | 51,021 | $54,291 | $1,070 |
| Elkhart | IN | 18 mi | 53,733 | $51,028 | $998 |
| Goshen | IN | 28 mi | 34,420 | $59,184 | $1,093 |
| La Porte | IN | 29 mi | 22,449 | $59,307 | $948 |
| Michigan City | IN | 33 mi | 31,814 | $53,089 | $967 |
| Portage | MI | 42 mi | 49,259 | $83,212 | $1,133 |
| Sturgis | MI | 43 mi | 11,054 | $62,710 | $826 |
| Chesterton | IN | 45 mi | 14,446 | $91,060 | $1,274 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
11,803 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$855 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.0% of the median household income.
$51,376 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.2% (BLS county, Berrien County (latest month 2026M09)).
Michigan. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.