PlainZIP

Highland Park, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48203

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

28,409
1,369/sq mi
$38,404
Median income
$76,200
Median home value
19.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Highland Park pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

5th pct
household income, US ZIPs
4th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,369
people per sq mi
51%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48203 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48203 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Highland Park, Wayne County, Michigan, with 28,409 residents across 20.8 square miles, a density of 1,369 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48203 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $38,404 (48% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $27,294. The poverty rate stands at 38.2% and the unemployment rate at 16.9%. Median home value sits at $76,200 (65% below the state average), median rent at $801 a month, and owner-occupancy at 51.3%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.4, and the average commute is 24 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 48203, plus 6 more within Wayne 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 48203

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Highland Park, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48203.

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 48203, Highland Park, 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

28,409

Population

20.8

Area (sq mi)

1,369

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 48203?

39.4

Median Age

50.4%

Male

49.6%

Female

2.3%

Foreign-Born

White 9.9%
African American 83.3%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.5%
Hispanic or Latino 2.2%

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?

$38,404

Median Household Income

-48% vs state

$27,294

Per Capita Income

38.2%

Poverty Rate

16.9%

Unemployment Rate

23.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48203 ranks nationally

Highland Park, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$38,404 5th percentile higher than 5% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 49.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.7%

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

What does housing look like?

13,468

Total Housing Units

8,534

Occupied Units

4,934

Vacant Units

2.29

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 51.3%
Renter 48.7%

$76,200

Median Home Value

-65% vs state

$801

Median Rent

1944

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

+0.5%

YoY Change (2024)

141

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+41%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48203 have increased 0.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +41% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.8% 128
2021 +6.7% 137
2022 +10.9% 152
2023 -7.5% 140
2024 +0.5% 141

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 375 business establishments in ZIP 48203, employing approximately 10,913 people with a combined annual payroll of $636,290,000.

375

Businesses

10,913

Employees

$636.3M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 121 32.3%
Health care and social assistance 46 12.3%
Other services (except public administration) 40 10.7%
Accommodation and food services 37 9.9%
Manufacturing 19 5.1%
Wholesale trade 15 4.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 15 4.0%
Construction 14 3.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 14 3.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 13 3.5%
Transportation and warehousing 12 3.2%
Finance and insurance 12 3.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 9 2.4%
Information 4 1.1%

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 48203 vs 48030 →

ZIP 48203 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 48203 ranks #6 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 48203 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 48203 ranks #7 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
48030 Hazel Park, MI 16,422 2.8 mi
48221 Detroit, MI 38,727 2.4 mi
48206 Detroit, MI 21,954 3.2 mi
48212 Hamtramck, MI 39,038 2.5 mi
48238 Detroit, MI 31,743 2.7 mi
48220 Ferndale, MI 22,319 3.0 mi
48202 Detroit, MI 16,603 3.5 mi
48234 Detroit, MI 36,140 3.3 mi
48208 Detroit, MI 10,234 5.1 mi
48071 Madison Heights, MI 29,694 5.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Wayne County

48180 standard
Taylor, MI
Pop: 63,131
48228 standard
Detroit, MI
Pop: 52,130
48187 standard
Canton, MI
Pop: 49,148
48185 standard
Westland, MI
Pop: 47,618
48126 standard
Dearborn, MI
Pop: 47,465
48219 standard
Detroit, MI
Pop: 46,931

Related Areas

Wayne County Highland Park, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 48203 in? ▼
ZIP code 48203 (Highland Park) is located in Wayne County, Michigan. Wayne County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/wayne-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 48203? ▼
ZIP code 48203 in Highland Park, MI has a population of 28,409 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48203? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48203 is $38,404, which is 50% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48203? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48203 is $76,200, which is 73% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48203? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48203 is African American at 83.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48203? ▼
ZIP code 48203 has 375 business establishments employing approximately 10,913 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48203? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48203 are: Retail trade (121), Health care and social assistance (46), Other services (except public administration) (40). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48203? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48203 increased by 0.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 41%. 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 48203? ▼
In ZIP code 48203, 49.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.7% 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 48203? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48203 is 23.7 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 48203? ▼
In ZIP code 48203, approximately 51.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 48.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48203? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48203 is 38.2% 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.