PlainZIP

Saint Clair Shores, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48081

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

20,635
2,026/sq mi
$82,009
Median income
$217,900
Median home value
28.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Saint Clair Shores pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a suburban-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 36%
household income, US ZIPs
49th pct
home value, US ZIPs
2,026
people per sq mi
85%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48081 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48081 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Saint Clair Shores, Macomb County, Michigan, with 20,635 residents across 10.2 square miles, a density of 2,026 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48081 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $82,009 (12% above the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $43,370. Local economic indicators show a 5.8% poverty rate alongside 4.6% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $217,900 (1% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,334 monthly, and 85.3% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 28.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.8, and the average commute is 27 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 48081, plus 6 more within Macomb County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

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 48081

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Saint Clair Shores, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48081.

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 48081, Saint Clair Shores, 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

20,635

Population

10.2

Area (sq mi)

2,026

People / sq mi

Detroit

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 48081?

44.8

Median Age

50.4%

Male

49.6%

Female

3.4%

Foreign-Born

White 91.0%
African American 2.9%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.3%
Hispanic or Latino 1.9%

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?

$82,009

Median Household Income

+12% vs state

$43,370

Per Capita Income

5.8%

Poverty Rate

4.6%

Unemployment Rate

27.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48081 ranks nationally

Saint Clair Shores, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$82,009 Top 36% higher than 64% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 56.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 28.9%

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

What does housing look like?

9,573

Total Housing Units

9,139

Occupied Units

434

Vacant Units

2.23

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 85.3%
Renter 14.7%

$217,900

Median Home Value

-1% vs state

$1,334

Median Rent

1957

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

+8.0%

YoY Change (2024)

171

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+71%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48081 have increased 8.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +71% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.6% 122
2021 +10.3% 135
2022 +11.2% 150
2023 +5.6% 158
2024 +8.0% 171

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 400 business establishments in ZIP 48081, employing approximately 3,560 people with a combined annual payroll of $215,947,000.

400

Businesses

3,560

Employees

$215.9M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 99 24.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 59 14.8%
Retail trade 44 11.0%
Construction 36 9.0%
Other services (except public administration) 35 8.8%
Accommodation and food services 27 6.8%
Finance and insurance 26 6.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 20 5.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 19 4.8%
Wholesale trade 9 2.3%
Manufacturing 8 2.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 8 2.0%
Transportation and warehousing 4 1.0%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.8%

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 48081 vs 48080 →

ZIP 48081 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 48081 ranks #8 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 48081 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 48081 ranks #2 of 9 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
48080 Saint Clair Shores, MI 22,494 2.1 mi
48082 Saint Clair Shores, MI 16,549 2.3 mi
48066 Roseville, MI 47,388 2.1 mi
48035 Clinton Township, MI 34,788 4.3 mi
48236 Grosse Pointe, MI 30,607 4.8 mi
48021 Eastpointe, MI 32,353 3.2 mi
48225 Harper Woods, MI 14,554 4.2 mi
48026 Fraser, MI 14,480 4.0 mi
48036 Clinton Township, MI 20,980 6.7 mi
48088 Warren, MI 22,255 4.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Macomb County

48044 standard
Macomb, MI
Pop: 52,289
48066 standard
Roseville, MI
Pop: 47,388
48310 standard
Sterling Heights, MI
Pop: 42,766
48038 standard
Clinton Township, MI
Pop: 41,057
48047 standard
New Baltimore, MI
Pop: 39,415
48035 standard
Clinton Township, MI
Pop: 34,788

Related Areas

Macomb County Saint Clair Shores, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 48081 in? ▼
ZIP code 48081 (Saint Clair Shores) is located in Macomb County, Michigan. Macomb County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/macomb-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 48081? ▼
ZIP code 48081 in Saint Clair Shores, MI has a population of 20,635 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48081? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48081 is $82,009, which is 7% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48081? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48081 is $217,900, which is 22% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48081? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48081 is White at 91.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48081? ▼
ZIP code 48081 has 400 business establishments employing approximately 3,560 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48081? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48081 are: Health care and social assistance (99), Professional, scientific, and technical services (59), Retail trade (44). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48081? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48081 increased by 8.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 71%. 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 48081? ▼
In ZIP code 48081, 56.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 28.9% 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 48081? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48081 is 27.4 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 48081? ▼
In ZIP code 48081, approximately 85.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48081? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48081 is 5.8% 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.