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 High-density area
- $36,194
- Median income Below-median income area
- $176,400
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 24.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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 average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $33,700. Economic pressure is pronounced: 28.0% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 10.3%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $176,400 (20% below the average Michigan ZIP), and median rent is $896; owner occupancy is 34.3%.
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. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Wayne County, so 48208 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 48208
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Detroit, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48208.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
31 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
27 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
19 establishments
- Construction 11
Construction
11 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 10
Accommodation and food services
10 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 48208?
36.9
Median Age
47.5%
Male
52.5%
Female
1.9%
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?
$36,194
Median Household Income
-51% vs state ZIP avg
$33,700
Per Capita Income
28.0%
Poverty Rate
10.3%
Unemployment Rate
23.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 48208 ranks among Michigan ZIPs
Detroit, 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)
$36,194 2nd percentile higher than 2% 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
5,171housing units
5,171
Total Housing Units
3,978
Occupied Units
1,193
Vacant Units
1.89
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$176,400
Median Home Value
-20% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 48209
Detroit (48209)
32,262 residents
- 48210
Detroit (48210)
31,017 residents
- 48204
Detroit (48204)
27,997 residents
- 48206
Detroit (48206)
21,954 residents
- 48202
Detroit (48202)
16,603 residents
- 48201 12,814
Detroit (48201)
12,814 residents
- 48208 10,234
Detroit (48208)
10,234 residents
- 48216 5,645
Detroit (48216)
5,645 residents
- 48226 5,302
Detroit (48226)
5,302 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 48208 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 48208 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 48226
Detroit (48226)
$64,860 median income
- 48206
Detroit (48206)
$45,046 median income
- 48216
Detroit (48216)
$44,335 median income
- 48202
Detroit (48202)
$43,627 median income
- 48209
Detroit (48209)
$43,161 median income
- 48210
Detroit (48210)
$37,838 median income
- 48208
Detroit (48208)
$36,194 median income
- 48204
Detroit (48204)
$34,468 median income
- 48201 $24,749
Detroit (48201)
$24,749 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 48208, 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 (10,234 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Wayne County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 48208's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 48208 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Detroit, 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.