PlainZIP

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
$43,161
Median income
$89,000
Median home value
8.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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 Michigan average), while per-capita income is $19,005. The poverty rate stands at 28.5% and the unemployment rate at 11.5%. On housing, the median home value is $89,000 (59% below the state average) with median rent at $883 per month, and 61.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

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. To put 48209 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 48209

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Detroit, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48209.

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 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

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 48209?

31.9

Median Age

52.4%

Male

47.6%

Female

28.4%

Foreign-Born

White 21.5%
African American 5.0%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 2.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 17.3%
Hispanic or Latino 76.2%

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?

$43,161

Median Household Income

-41% vs state

$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

$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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 42.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 8.5%

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

What does housing look like?

10,847

Total Housing Units

9,211

Occupied Units

1,636

Vacant Units

2.94

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 61.2%
Renter 38.8%

$89,000

Median Home Value

-59% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 48209 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 48209 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 48209 ranks #5 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
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

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 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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.