PlainZIP

Detroit, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48208

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

10,234
1,250/sq mi
$36,194
Median income
$176,400
Median home value
24.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Detroit pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, renter-heavy area.

4th pct
household income, US ZIPs
37th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,250
people per sq mi
34%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48208 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48208 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, home to 10,234 residents across 8.2 square miles, a density of 1,250 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48208 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $36,194 (51% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $33,700. Poverty here runs at 28.0%, with unemployment measured at 10.3%. On housing, the median home value is $176,400 (20% below the state average) with median rent at $896 per month, and 34.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.9, and the average commute is 23 minutes. To put 48208 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Wayne 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 48208

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Detroit, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48208.

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 48208, Detroit, 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

10,234

Population

8.2

Area (sq mi)

1,250

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 48208?

36.9

Median Age

47.5%

Male

52.5%

Female

1.9%

Foreign-Born

White 23.1%
African American 64.5%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.2%
Hispanic or Latino 6.5%

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?

$36,194

Median Household Income

-51% vs state

$33,700

Per Capita Income

28.0%

Poverty Rate

10.3%

Unemployment Rate

23.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48208 ranks nationally

Detroit, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$36,194 4th percentile higher than 4% 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 47.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.7%

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

What does housing look like?

5,171

Total Housing Units

3,978

Occupied Units

1,193

Vacant Units

1.89

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 34.3%
Renter 65.7%

$176,400

Median Home Value

-20% vs state

$896

Median Rent

1938

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 147 business establishments in ZIP 48208, employing approximately 2,794 people with a combined annual payroll of $205,899,000.

147

Businesses

2,794

Employees

$205.9M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 31 21.1%
Health care and social assistance 27 18.4%
Retail trade 19 12.9%
Construction 11 7.5%
Accommodation and food services 10 6.8%
Transportation and warehousing 9 6.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 8 5.4%
Educational services 7 4.8%
Manufacturing 5 3.4%
Wholesale trade 5 3.4%
Information 5 3.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 5 3.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 2.0%

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 48208 vs 48201 →

ZIP 48208 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 48208 ranks #7 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 48208 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 48208 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
48201 Detroit, MI 12,814 1.6 mi
48216 Detroit, MI 5,645 1.7 mi
48202 Detroit, MI 16,603 2.0 mi
48206 Detroit, MI 21,954 2.0 mi
48210 Detroit, MI 31,017 2.0 mi
48233 Detroit, MI 0 2.3 mi
48226 Detroit, MI 5,302 2.4 mi
48209 Detroit, MI 32,262 3.2 mi
48204 Detroit, MI 27,997 2.9 mi
48243 Detroit, MI 0 3.0 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 Detroit, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 48208 in? ▼
ZIP code 48208 (Detroit) 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 48208? ▼
ZIP code 48208 in Detroit, MI has a population of 10,234 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48208? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48208 is $36,194, which is 53% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48208? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48208 is $176,400, which is 37% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48208? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48208 is African American at 64.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48208? ▼
ZIP code 48208 has 147 business establishments employing approximately 2,794 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48208? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48208 are: Other services (except public administration) (31), Health care and social assistance (27), Retail trade (19). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 48208? ▼
In ZIP code 48208, 47.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.7% 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 48208? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48208 is 23.4 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 48208? ▼
In ZIP code 48208, approximately 34.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 65.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48208? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48208 is 28.0% 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.