PlainZIP

Chelsea, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48118

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

12,552
55/sq mi
$88,278
Median income
$357,200
Median home value
51.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Chelsea pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 28%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 25%
home value, US ZIPs
55
people per sq mi
80%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48118 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48118 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Chelsea, Washtenaw County, Michigan, home to 12,552 residents across 227.4 square miles, a density of 55 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48118 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $88,278 (20% above the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $52,799. Poverty here runs at 3.0%, with unemployment measured at 3.0%. The typical home here is valued at $357,200 (63% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,636 monthly, and 80.2% of units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 51.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.3, and the average commute is 27 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 3 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 48118, plus 6 more within Washtenaw 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 48118

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chelsea, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48118.

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 48118, Chelsea, 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

12,552

Population

227.4

Area (sq mi)

55

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 48118?

48.3

Median Age

50.6%

Male

49.4%

Female

1.8%

Foreign-Born

White 93.9%
African American 1.3%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.9%
Hispanic or Latino 1.5%

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?

$88,278

Median Household Income

+20% vs state

$52,799

Per Capita Income

3.0%

Poverty Rate

3.0%

Unemployment Rate

27.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48118 ranks nationally

Chelsea, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$88,278 Top 28% higher than 72% 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 65.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 51.3%

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

What does housing look like?

5,964

Total Housing Units

5,733

Occupied Units

231

Vacant Units

2.24

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 80.2%
Renter 19.8%

$357,200

Median Home Value

+63% vs state

$1,636

Median Rent

1979

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

+10.5%

YoY Change (2024)

193

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+93%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48118 have increased 10.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +93% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.1% 136
2021 +7.4% 146
2022 +11.8% 163
2023 +6.8% 175
2024 +10.5% 193

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 362 business establishments in ZIP 48118, employing approximately 6,505 people with a combined annual payroll of $358,713,000.

362

Businesses

6,505

Employees

$358.7M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 59 16.3%
Retail trade 52 14.4%
Other services (except public administration) 38 10.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 35 9.7%
Accommodation and food services 34 9.4%
Construction 33 9.1%
Manufacturing 25 6.9%
Finance and insurance 22 6.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 14 3.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 11 3.0%
Educational services 10 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 10 2.8%
Wholesale trade 9 2.5%
Transportation and warehousing 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 48118 vs 49240 →

ZIP 48118 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 48118 ranks #2 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 48118 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 48118 ranks #3 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
49240 Grass Lake, MI 8,703 7.5 mi
48130 Dexter, MI 14,420 7.5 mi
48137 Gregory, MI 4,796 10.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Washtenaw County

48197 standard
Ypsilanti, MI
Pop: 61,132
48103 standard
Ann Arbor, MI
Pop: 53,057
48104 standard
Ann Arbor, MI
Pop: 38,315
48198 standard
Ypsilanti, MI
Pop: 38,186
48105 standard
Ann Arbor, MI
Pop: 33,905
48178 standard
South Lyon, MI
Pop: 29,320

Related Areas

Washtenaw County Chelsea, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 48118 in? ▼
ZIP code 48118 (Chelsea) is located in Washtenaw County, Michigan. Washtenaw County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/washtenaw-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 48118? ▼
ZIP code 48118 in Chelsea, MI has a population of 12,552 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48118? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48118 is $88,278, which is 16% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48118? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48118 is $357,200, which is 28% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48118? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48118 is White at 93.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48118? ▼
ZIP code 48118 has 362 business establishments employing approximately 6,505 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48118? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48118 are: Health care and social assistance (59), Retail trade (52), Other services (except public administration) (38). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48118? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48118 increased by 10.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 93%. 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 48118? ▼
In ZIP code 48118, 65.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 51.3% 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 48118? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48118 is 27.0 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 48118? ▼
In ZIP code 48118, approximately 80.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 19.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48118? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48118 is 3.0% 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.