ZIP Code 48218

standard

Source:

River Rouge · Wayne County · Michigan

Population
7,903

1,150/sq mi

Median income
$41,033

▼ 46% vs US

higher than 6% of US ZIPs

Median home value
$65,200

▼ 77% vs US

higher than 2% of US ZIPs

Bachelor's or higher
6.6%

Median age 34.4

Land area
6.9 sq mi

Detroit

ZIP code 48218 in River Rouge, Michigan has a population of 7,903. The median household income is $41,033, which is 46% below the national average. Median home value is $65,200, 77% below the US average. 6.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

ZIP code 48218 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 6.9 square miles in River Rouge, Wayne County, Michigan. The area is home to 7,903 residents, producing a population density of 1,150 people per square mile, and falls within the Detroit time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 48218 against Michigan and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 48218 sits at $41,033 (44% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $22,582. The poverty rate stands at 39.8% and the unemployment rate at 11.4%. On housing, the median home value is $65,200 (70% below the state average) with median rent at $839 per month, and 57.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 48218 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 6.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.4, and the average commute is 26 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Wayne County, so you can benchmark 48218 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 48218

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48218.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 48218, River Rouge, MI · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

7,903

Population

6.9

Area (sq mi)

1,150

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 48218?

34.4

Median Age

49.6%

Male

50.4%

Female

8.2%

Foreign-Born

White 32.0%
African American 45.5%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 13.3%
Hispanic or Latino 17.0%

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?

$41,033

Median Household Income

-44% vs state

$22,582

Per Capita Income

39.8%

Poverty Rate

11.4%

Unemployment Rate

25.6 min

Mean Commute Time

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

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 50.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 6.6%

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

What does housing look like?

3,132

Total Housing Units

2,752

Occupied Units

380

Vacant Units

2.55

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 57.3%
Renter 42.7%

$65,200

Median Home Value

-70% vs state

$839

Median Rent

1941

Median Year Built

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

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

196

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+96%

Total Change Since 2000

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2022 144
2024 196

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 79 business establishments in ZIP 48218, employing approximately 857 people with a combined annual payroll of $63,841,000.

79

Businesses

857

Employees

$63.8M

Annual Payroll

10

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 22 27.9%
Health care and social assistance 8 10.1%
Other services (except public administration) 8 10.1%
Wholesale trade 7 8.9%
Construction 6 7.6%
Manufacturing 5 6.3%
Transportation and warehousing 5 6.3%
Accommodation and food services 5 6.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 4 5.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 3 3.8%

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 48218 vs 48217 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
48217 Detroit, MI 8,210 1.4 mi
48229 Ecorse, MI 9,556 1.7 mi
48209 Detroit, MI 32,262 2.3 mi
48122 Melvindale, MI 10,727 2.6 mi
48210 Detroit, MI 31,017 4.4 mi
48120 Dearborn, MI 8,274 3.3 mi
48146 Lincoln Park, MI 38,098 3.4 mi
48101 Allen Park, MI 28,200 4.4 mi
48192 Wyandotte, MI 25,883 4.8 mi
48216 Detroit, MI 5,645 4.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Wayne County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 48218 in?
ZIP code 48218 (River Rouge) 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 48218?
ZIP code 48218 in River Rouge, MI has a population of 7,903 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48218?
The median household income in ZIP 48218 is $41,033, which is 46% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48218?
The median home value in ZIP 48218 is $65,200, which is 77% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48218?
The largest racial group in ZIP 48218 is African American at 45.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 17.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48218?
ZIP code 48218 has 79 business establishments employing approximately 857 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48218?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48218 are: Retail trade (22), Health care and social assistance (8), Other services (except public administration) (8). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 48218?
In ZIP code 48218, 50.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 6.6% 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 48218?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48218 is 25.6 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 48218?
In ZIP code 48218, approximately 57.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48218?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48218 is 39.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for River Rouge, MI

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023). Business data: Source: Census ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023. Home value trends: Source: FHFA House Price Index (HPI), Five-Digit ZIP Codes.

PlainZIP is not affiliated with the U.S. Census Bureau or any government agency.