Watervliet, MI housing market
Homes typically sell in 49 days, a little above asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Watervliet compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Watervliet at a glance
A strong seller's market
Homes are selling faster than new ones are listed: less than two months of supply. Well-priced homes can draw several offers.
Home prices up 69% in 5 years
The federal house price index for the ZIP code around Watervliet rose 69% over the past 5 years, faster than across Michigan (52%). Last year prices rose 12%. Carrying the Census median home value forward with that index puts the typical Watervliet home at roughly $270,000 today.
Show as a table
| Year | Change that year | Since 2000 | Michigan since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | +12% | +179% | +97% |
| 2024 | +14% | +148% | +88% |
| 2023 | +3.7% | +118% | +76% |
| 2022 | +8.4% | +110% | +64% |
| 2021 | +18% | +94% | +45% |
| 2020 | +6.8% | +65% | +30% |
| 2019 | +8.6% | +54% | +26% |
| 2018 | +3.7% | +42% | +20% |
| 2017 | −1.8% | +37% | +12% |
| 2016 | +6.1% | +40% | +5.3% |
| 2015 | +6.5% | +32% | 0% |
| 2014 | +5.5% | +23% | −4.7% |
| 2013 | −4.1% | +17% | −12% |
| 2012 | −4.2% | +22% | −16% |
| 2011 | +0.5% | +27% | −16% |
| 2010 | −10% | +27% | −12% |
| 2009 | −2.8% | +41% | −5% |
| 2008 | +3.7% | +45% | +3.5% |
| 2007 | +2.1% | +40% | +11% |
| 2006 | +2.9% | +37% | +16% |
| 2005 | +7.1% | +33% | +18% |
| 2004 | +4.6% | +25% | +14% |
| 2003 | +4.3% | +19% | +10% |
| 2002 | +3.5% | +14% | +8.3% |
| 2001 | +10% | +10% | +5% |
| 2000 | — | — | — |
How Watervliet ranks on rising home prices →
Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index (annual, developmental) for ZIP code 49098, weighted by land area. It tracks repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, so it shows how prices changed, not what homes cost. The estimated value scales the Census (ACS 2020-2024) median home value by that change.
8 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 8 new homes in Watervliet in 2025, all single-family houses, worth about $1.5 million to build. That's 3.7 per 1,000 residents, faster than across Michigan (2.3). Over the past 10 years, Watervliet has permitted 71 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Watervliet's population fell by 66 even though 7 new homes were permitted. Homes are holding fewer people: households are getting smaller, or more homes are used part of the year. Across Michigan: 1.2 new residents per new home.
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 9 | 9 | 0 | $1.7 million |
| 2025 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $1.5 million |
| 2024 | 16 | 16 | 0 | $3.1 million |
| 2023 | 27 | 27 | 0 | $5.2 million |
| 2022 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $1.4 million |
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $300,000 |
| 2020 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $341,000 |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $250,000 |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $1.5 million |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $200,000 |
| 2007 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $297,000 |
| 2006 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $289,000 |
| 2005 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $172,000 |
| 2004 | 9 | 6 | 3 | $811,000 |
| 2003 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $500,000 |
| 2002 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $165,000 |
| 2001 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $260,000 |
| 2000 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $250,000 |
How Watervliet ranks on new homes being built →
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
2.2 years of income
The typical Watervliet home costs about 2.2 years of the town's median household income, less than across Michigan (3.7 years).
How Watervliet ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,400
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Watervliet is $1,400 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Watervliet pay a median of $885, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 27% of the town's median household income.
Studio $970 · 4 bedrooms $1,860
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (49098; Niles, MI MSA), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Price trend: Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.