Detroit, MI · standard
ZIP Code 48209
Wayne County, Michigan - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 32,262
- 1,837/sq mi High-density area
- $43,161
- Median income Below-median income area
- $89,000
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 8.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Detroit pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- 8th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 7th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,837
- people per sq mi
- 61%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48209 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 48209 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, with 32,262 residents across 17.6 square miles, a density of 1,837 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.
ZIP 48209 reports a modest median household income of $43,161 (41% below the average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $19,005. Economic pressure is pronounced: 28.5% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 11.5%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $89,000 (59% below the average Michigan ZIP), and median rent is $883; owner occupancy is 61.2%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 8.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.9, and the average commute is 24 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Wayne County, so 48209 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 48209
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Detroit, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48209.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
77 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
49 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
43 establishments
- Construction
Construction
42 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
37 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 48209, 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
32,262
Population
17.6
Area (sq mi)
1,837
People / sq mi
Detroit
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 48209?
31.9
Median Age
52.4%
Male
47.6%
Female
28.4%
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?
$43,161
Median Household Income
-41% vs state ZIP avg
$19,005
Per Capita Income
28.5%
Poverty Rate
11.5%
Unemployment Rate
24.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 48209 ranks nationally
Detroit, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$43,161 8th percentile higher than 8% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
10,847housing units
10,847
Total Housing Units
9,211
Occupied Units
1,636
Vacant Units
2.94
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$89,000
Median Home Value
-59% vs state ZIP avg
$883
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 400 business establishments in ZIP 48209, employing approximately 5,178 people with a combined annual payroll of $311,057,000.
400
Businesses
5,178
Employees
$311.1M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 77 | 19.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 49 | 12.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 43 | 10.8% |
| Construction | 42 | 10.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 37 | 9.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 29 | 7.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 26 | 6.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 24 | 6.0% |
| Manufacturing | 21 | 5.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 17 | 4.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 12 | 3.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 8 | 2.0% |
| Educational services | 6 | 1.5% |
| Information | 5 | 1.3% |
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 48209 vs 48210 →
ZIP 48209 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
- 48206
Detroit (48206)
21,954 residents
- 48122 10,727
Melvindale (48122)
10,727 residents
- 48208 10,234
Detroit (48208)
10,234 residents
- 48229 9,556
Ecorse (48229)
9,556 residents
- 48120 8,274
Dearborn (48120)
8,274 residents
- 48217 8,210
Detroit (48217)
8,210 residents
- 48218 7,903
River Rouge (48218)
7,903 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 48209 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 48209 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 48120
Dearborn (48120)
$66,006 median income
- 48206
Detroit (48206)
$45,046 median income
- 48217
Detroit (48217)
$44,447 median income
- 48216
Detroit (48216)
$44,335 median income
- 48209
Detroit (48209)
$43,161 median income
- 48122
Melvindale (48122)
$42,185 median income
- 48218
River Rouge (48218)
$41,033 median income
- 48229
Ecorse (48229)
$40,264 median income
- 48210
Detroit (48210)
$37,838 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 48209 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48210 | Detroit, MI | 31,017 | 2.2 mi |
| 48218 | River Rouge, MI | 7,903 | 2.3 mi |
| 48216 | Detroit, MI | 5,645 | 2.4 mi |
| 48120 | Dearborn, MI | 8,274 | 2.9 mi |
| 48217 | Detroit, MI | 8,210 | 2.7 mi |
| 48208 | Detroit, MI | 10,234 | 3.2 mi |
| 48233 | Detroit, MI | 0 | 3.1 mi |
| 48206 | Detroit, MI | 21,954 | 4.8 mi |
| 48229 | Ecorse, MI | 9,556 | 4.0 mi |
| 48122 | Melvindale, MI | 10,727 | 3.6 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 48209, 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 (32,262 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 48209 in?
ZIP code 48209 (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 48209?
ZIP code 48209 in Detroit, MI has a population of 32,262 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48209?
The median household income in ZIP 48209 is $43,161, which is 43% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48209?
The median home value in ZIP 48209 is $89,000, which is 68% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48209?
The largest racial group in ZIP 48209 is White at 21.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 76.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48209?
ZIP code 48209 has 400 business establishments employing approximately 5,178 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48209?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48209 are: Retail trade (77), Accommodation and food services (49), Transportation and warehousing (43). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 48209?
In ZIP code 48209, 42.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 8.5% 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 48209?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48209 is 24.4 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 48209?
In ZIP code 48209, approximately 61.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 38.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48209?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48209 is 28.5% 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 48209's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 48209 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
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.