PlainZIP

River Rouge, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48218

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

7,903
1,150/sq mi
$41,033
Median income
$65,200
Median home value
6.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

River Rouge pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

6th pct
household income, US ZIPs
2th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,150
people per sq mi
57%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48218 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48218 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in River Rouge, Wayne County, Michigan, home to 7,903 residents across 6.9 square miles, a density of 1,150 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48218 reports a modest median household income of $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%. The typical home here is valued at $65,200 (70% below the state average); renters pay a median of $839 monthly, and 57.3% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 6.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.4, and the average commute is 26 minutes. To put 48218 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 48218

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in River Rouge, MI

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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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

How ZIP 48218 ranks nationally

River Rouge, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$41,033 6th percentile higher than 6% 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 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)

How have home values changed over time?

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 48218 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 48218 ranks #0 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 48218 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 48218 ranks #9 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
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

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 River Rouge, MI Michigan

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.

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