Saint Clair, MI · standard
ZIP Code 48079
St. Clair County, Michigan - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 12,304
- 114/sq mi High-density area
- $79,891
- Median income Near-median income area
- $293,000
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 26.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Saint Clair pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 38%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 35%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 114
- people per sq mi
- 82%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48079 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 48079 (Saint Clair, MI) rose +4.4% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 159.5 in 2023 to 166.5 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 48079 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Saint Clair, St. Clair County, Michigan, home to 12,304 residents across 108.0 square miles, a density of 114 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.
ZIP 48079 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $79,891 (9% above the average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $42,948. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 6.1% and unemployment is 2.8%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $293,000 (33% above the average Michigan ZIP), while 82.1% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,139.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 26.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.3, and the average commute is 25 minutes. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in St. Clair County, so 48079 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 48079
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Saint Clair, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48079.
- Construction
Construction
42 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
35 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
32 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
27 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
25 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 48079, Saint Clair, MI · 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
12,304
Population
108.0
Area (sq mi)
114
People / sq mi
Detroit
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 48079?
45.3
Median Age
47.5%
Male
52.5%
Female
3.5%
Foreign-Born
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?
$79,891
Median Household Income
+9% vs state ZIP avg
$42,948
Per Capita Income
6.1%
Poverty Rate
2.8%
Unemployment Rate
25.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 48079 ranks among Michigan ZIPs
Saint Clair, MI household income vs. every Michigan ZIP code
Median household income among 962 reporting Michigan ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$79,891 Top 31% higher than 69% of 962 Michigan ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Michigan 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
5,415housing units
5,415
Total Housing Units
5,348
Occupied Units
67
Vacant Units
2.37
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$293,000
Median Home Value
+33% vs state ZIP avg
$1,139
Median Rent
1978
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
+4.4%
YoY Change (2024)
166
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+66%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 48079 have increased 4.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +66% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.5% | 119 |
| 2021 | +10.4% | 132 |
| 2022 | +15.7% | 152 |
| 2023 | +4.7% | 160 |
| 2024 | +4.4% | 166 |
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 288 business establishments in ZIP 48079, employing approximately 4,103 people with a combined annual payroll of $244,627,000.
288
Businesses
4,103
Employees
$244.6M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 42 | 14.6% |
| Retail trade | 35 | 12.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 32 | 11.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 27 | 9.4% |
| Manufacturing | 25 | 8.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 24 | 8.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 20 | 6.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 19 | 6.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 18 | 6.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 14 | 4.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 8 | 2.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 6 | 2.1% |
| Information | 5 | 1.7% |
| Educational services | 5 | 1.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 1.0% |
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 48079 vs 48054 →
ZIP 48079 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 48060
Port Huron (48060)
40,831 residents
- 48079 12,304
Saint Clair (48079)
12,304 residents
- 48040 9,956
Marysville (48040)
9,956 residents
- 48074 9,356
Smiths Creek (48074)
9,356 residents
- 48054 7,339
East China (48054)
7,339 residents
- 48064 4,107
Casco (48064)
4,107 residents
- 48063 4,070
Columbus (48063)
4,070 residents
- 48027 3,249
Goodells (48027)
3,249 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 48079 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 48079 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 48063
Columbus (48063)
$93,844 median income
- 48027
Goodells (48027)
$90,417 median income
- 48064
Casco (48064)
$87,538 median income
- 48054
East China (48054)
$83,241 median income
- 48079
Saint Clair (48079)
$79,891 median income
- 48074
Smiths Creek (48074)
$71,047 median income
- 48040
Marysville (48040)
$66,901 median income
- 48060
Port Huron (48060)
$53,018 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 48079 ranks #5 of 8 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 48079, both outside MI so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (12,304 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in St. Clair County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 48079 in?
ZIP code 48079 (Saint Clair) is located in St. Clair County, Michigan. St. Clair County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/st-clair-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 48079?
ZIP code 48079 in Saint Clair, MI has a population of 12,304 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48079?
The median household income in ZIP 48079 is $79,891, which is 5% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48079?
The median home value in ZIP 48079 is $293,000, which is 5% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48079?
The largest racial group in ZIP 48079 is White at 93.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48079?
ZIP code 48079 has 288 business establishments employing approximately 4,103 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48079?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48079 are: Construction (42), Retail trade (35), Health care and social assistance (32). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48079?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48079 increased by 4.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 66%. 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 48079?
In ZIP code 48079, 55.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 26.5% 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 48079?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48079 is 25.0 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 48079?
In ZIP code 48079, approximately 82.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 17.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48079?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48079 is 6.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 48079's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 48079 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Saint Clair, MI ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.