PlainZIP

Sandusky, OH · standard

ZIP Code 44870

Erie County, Ohio - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

41,030
272/sq mi
$62,082
Median income
$163,200
Median home value
24.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Sandusky pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

33th pct
household income, US ZIPs
31th pct
home value, US ZIPs
272
people per sq mi
61%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 44870 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 44870 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio, with 41,030 residents across 151.0 square miles, a density of 272 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 44870 reports a modest median household income of $62,082 (15% below the Ohio average), while per-capita income is $34,855. 18.2% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 6.6%. Housing costs here run $163,200 for a typical home value (17% below the state average), with rent averaging $922 a month; 60.9% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40, and the average commute is 18 minutes. To put 44870 in local context, 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Erie County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 44870

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Sandusky, OH

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 44870.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 44870, Sandusky, OH · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

41,030

Population

151.0

Area (sq mi)

272

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 44870?

40.0

Median Age

48.4%

Male

51.6%

Female

2.7%

Foreign-Born

White 71.5%
African American 15.2%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.4%
Hispanic or Latino 5.2%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$62,082

Median Household Income

-15% vs state

$34,855

Per Capita Income

18.2%

Poverty Rate

6.6%

Unemployment Rate

17.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 44870 ranks nationally

Sandusky, OH household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$62,082 33rd percentile higher than 33% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 62.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

20,068

Total Housing Units

17,171

Occupied Units

2,897

Vacant Units

2.20

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 60.9%
Renter 39.1%

$163,200

Median Home Value

-17% vs state

$922

Median Rent

1962

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+2.6%

YoY Change (2024)

169

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+69%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 44870 have increased 2.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +69% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.8% 115
2021 +11.7% 128
2022 +11.6% 143
2023 +15.2% 165
2024 +2.6% 169

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 1,124 business establishments in ZIP 44870, employing approximately 23,867 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,187,369,000.

1,124

Businesses

23,867

Employees

$1.2B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 217 19.3%
Health care and social assistance 167 14.9%
Accommodation and food services 165 14.7%
Other services (except public administration) 113 10.1%
Finance and insurance 68 6.0%
Construction 63 5.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 53 4.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 50 4.5%
Manufacturing 47 4.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 43 3.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 43 3.8%
Wholesale trade 33 2.9%
Transportation and warehousing 25 2.2%
Information 15 1.3%
Educational services 11 1.0%
Management of companies and enterprises 6 0.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 44870 vs 44824 →

ZIP 44870 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 44870 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 44870 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 44870 ranks #4 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
44824 Castalia, OH 4,060 4.5 mi
43440 Lakeside Marblehead, OH 4,875 8.8 mi
44846 Milan, OH 3,301 8.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Erie County

44089 standard
Vermilion, OH
Pop: 15,899
44839 standard
Huron, OH
Pop: 12,519
44824 standard
Castalia, OH
Pop: 4,060
44846 standard
Milan, OH
Pop: 3,301
44814 standard
Berlin Heights, OH
Pop: 2,929
43438 standard
Kelleys Island, OH
Pop: 312

Related Areas

Erie County Sandusky, OH Ohio

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 44870 in? ▼
ZIP code 44870 (Sandusky) is located in Erie County, Ohio. Erie County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/erie-oh.
What is the population of ZIP code 44870? ▼
ZIP code 44870 in Sandusky, OH has a population of 41,030 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 44870? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 44870 is $62,082, which is 19% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 44870? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 44870 is $163,200, which is 41% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 44870? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 44870 is White at 71.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 44870? ▼
ZIP code 44870 has 1,124 business establishments employing approximately 23,867 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 44870? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 44870 are: Retail trade (217), Health care and social assistance (167), Accommodation and food services (165). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 44870? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 44870 increased by 2.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 69%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 44870? ▼
In ZIP code 44870, 62.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 44870? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 44870 is 17.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 44870? ▼
In ZIP code 44870, approximately 60.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 39.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 44870? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 44870 is 18.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.