PlainZIP

Detroit, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48238

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

31,743
2,271/sq mi
$33,315
Median income
$64,800
Median home value
13.5%
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 suburban-density, mixed-tenure area.

3th pct
household income, US ZIPs
2th pct
home value, US ZIPs
2,271
people per sq mi
47%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48238 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48238 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, with 31,743 residents across 14.0 square miles, a density of 2,271 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48238 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $33,315 (55% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $20,989. The poverty rate stands at 35.0% and the unemployment rate at 19.2%. Housing costs here run $64,800 for a typical home value (70% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,010 a month; 47.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 13.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36, and the average commute is 28 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Wayne County, so you can benchmark 48238 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 48238

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Detroit, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48238.

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 48238, 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

31,743

Population

14.0

Area (sq mi)

2,271

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 48238?

36.0

Median Age

49.4%

Male

50.6%

Female

0.8%

Foreign-Born

White 1.3%
African American 93.9%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.2%
Hispanic or Latino 0.7%

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?

$33,315

Median Household Income

-55% vs state

$20,989

Per Capita Income

35.0%

Poverty Rate

19.2%

Unemployment Rate

27.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48238 ranks nationally

Detroit, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$33,315 3rd percentile higher than 3% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 45.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 13.5%

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

What does housing look like?

16,014

Total Housing Units

10,251

Occupied Units

5,763

Vacant Units

2.40

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 47.0%
Renter 53.0%

$64,800

Median Home Value

-70% vs state

$1,010

Median Rent

1942

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

+12.6%

YoY Change (2024)

158

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+58%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48238 have increased 12.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +58% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.3% 108
2021 +12.5% 122
2022 +12.5% 137
2023 +2.5% 140
2024 +12.6% 158

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 264 business establishments in ZIP 48238, employing approximately 2,611 people with a combined annual payroll of $130,087,000.

264

Businesses

2,611

Employees

$130.1M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 83 31.4%
Other services (except public administration) 43 16.3%
Health care and social assistance 27 10.2%
Accommodation and food services 24 9.1%
Manufacturing 16 6.1%
Wholesale trade 16 6.1%
Finance and insurance 10 3.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 7 2.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 7 2.6%
Transportation and warehousing 6 2.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 6 2.3%
Construction 5 1.9%
Information 5 1.9%
Educational services 5 1.9%

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 48238 vs 48204 →

ZIP 48238 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 48238 ranks #4 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 48238 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 48238 ranks #null 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
48204 Detroit, MI 27,997 2.1 mi
48221 Detroit, MI 38,727 2.2 mi
48206 Detroit, MI 21,954 2.2 mi
48227 Detroit, MI 45,380 2.7 mi
48203 Highland Park, MI 28,409 2.7 mi
48220 Ferndale, MI 22,319 4.3 mi
48210 Detroit, MI 31,017 4.2 mi
48069 Pleasant Ridge, MI 2,526 5.2 mi
48235 Detroit, MI 45,063 3.5 mi
48202 Detroit, MI 16,603 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 48238 in? ▼
ZIP code 48238 (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 48238? ▼
ZIP code 48238 in Detroit, MI has a population of 31,743 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48238? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48238 is $33,315, which is 56% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48238? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48238 is $64,800, which is 77% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48238? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48238 is African American at 93.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48238? ▼
ZIP code 48238 has 264 business establishments employing approximately 2,611 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48238? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48238 are: Retail trade (83), Other services (except public administration) (43), Health care and social assistance (27). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48238? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48238 increased by 12.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 58%. 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 48238? ▼
In ZIP code 48238, 45.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 13.5% 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 48238? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48238 is 27.5 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 48238? ▼
In ZIP code 48238, approximately 47.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 53.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48238? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48238 is 35.0% 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.