PlainZIP

Detroit, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48221

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

38,727
2,743/sq mi
$57,878
Median income
$154,600
Median home value
29.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Detroit pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a suburban-density, homeowner-dominated area.

26th pct
household income, US ZIPs
27th pct
home value, US ZIPs
2,743
people per sq mi
66%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48221 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48221 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, with 38,727 residents across 14.1 square miles, a density of 2,743 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48221 reports a modest median household income of $57,878 (21% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $31,080. The poverty rate stands at 22.3% and the unemployment rate at 12.5%. Housing costs here run $154,600 for a typical home value (30% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,206 a month; 66.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 29.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.9, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Wayne County, so you can benchmark 48221 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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 48221

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Detroit, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48221.

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 48221, 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

38,727

Population

14.1

Area (sq mi)

2,743

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 48221?

37.9

Median Age

44.2%

Male

55.8%

Female

1.3%

Foreign-Born

White 8.2%
African American 84.5%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.7%
Hispanic or Latino 0.6%

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?

$57,878

Median Household Income

-21% vs state

$31,080

Per Capita Income

22.3%

Poverty Rate

12.5%

Unemployment Rate

26.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48221 ranks nationally

Detroit, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$57,878 26th percentile higher than 26% 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 54.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 29.3%

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

What does housing look like?

17,716

Total Housing Units

15,520

Occupied Units

2,196

Vacant Units

2.63

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 66.0%
Renter 34.0%

$154,600

Median Home Value

-30% vs state

$1,206

Median Rent

1944

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

+4.5%

YoY Change (2024)

160

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+60%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48221 have increased 4.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +60% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.7% 115
2021 +12.9% 130
2022 +11.8% 145
2023 +5.4% 153
2024 +4.5% 160

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 332 business establishments in ZIP 48221, employing approximately 3,447 people with a combined annual payroll of $128,953,000.

332

Businesses

3,447

Employees

$129.0M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 70 21.1%
Health care and social assistance 65 19.6%
Other services (except public administration) 59 17.8%
Accommodation and food services 37 11.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 22 6.6%
Construction 12 3.6%
Educational services 12 3.6%
Finance and insurance 11 3.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 9 2.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 9 2.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 7 2.1%
Information 6 1.8%
Wholesale trade 5 1.5%
Transportation and warehousing 4 1.2%
Manufacturing 3 0.9%

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 48221 vs 48238 →

ZIP 48221 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 48221 ranks #3 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 48221 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 48221 ranks #6 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
48238 Detroit, MI 31,743 2.2 mi
48220 Ferndale, MI 22,319 2.3 mi
48235 Detroit, MI 45,063 2.4 mi
48069 Pleasant Ridge, MI 2,526 3.1 mi
48203 Highland Park, MI 28,409 2.4 mi
48204 Detroit, MI 27,997 4.2 mi
48237 Oak Park, MI 29,319 3.1 mi
48067 Royal Oak, MI 24,458 4.4 mi
48070 Huntington Woods, MI 6,238 3.9 mi
48227 Detroit, MI 45,380 3.5 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 48221 in? ▼
ZIP code 48221 (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 48221? ▼
ZIP code 48221 in Detroit, MI has a population of 38,727 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48221? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48221 is $57,878, which is 24% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48221? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48221 is $154,600, which is 44% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48221? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48221 is African American at 84.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48221? ▼
ZIP code 48221 has 332 business establishments employing approximately 3,447 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48221? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48221 are: Retail trade (70), Health care and social assistance (65), Other services (except public administration) (59). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48221? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48221 increased by 4.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 60%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 48221? ▼
In ZIP code 48221, 54.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 29.3% 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 48221? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48221 is 26.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 48221? ▼
In ZIP code 48221, approximately 66.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 34.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48221? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48221 is 22.3% 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.