Residential delivery area · Michigan
ZIP Code 48238: Detroit, MI
ZIP code 48238 is in Detroit, Michigan, entirely in Wayne County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 25,000 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024), the 11th most populous of Detroit's 28 residential ZIP codes. Median household income is $33,315 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024).
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Detroit · 28 residential ZIPs
- County
- Wayne County
- Census places
- Detroit
- Metro area
- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
- House districts
- MI-13 (81%), MI-12 (19%) 119th Congress, by share of land
- State
- Michigan
- Time zone
- Eastern
- Land area
- 5.4 sq mi · 4,580 people per sq mi
- PO Box ZIPs
- 18 more ZIP codes use the name Detroit for PO boxes or single organizations
Where is ZIP code 48238?
48238 centers on 42.396°, -83.141° and covers 5.4 square miles of land. It borders 5 ZIP codes: 48204, 48221, 48206, 48203, 48227.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 48238, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0).
How does 48238 compare with the rest of Detroit?
| Measure | 48238 | In Detroit | In Wayne County | In MI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 24,731 | 11th of 28 | 35th of 70 | 135th of 992 |
| Median household income | $33k | 23rd of 25 | 65th of 67 | 771st of 774 |
| Median home value | $65k | 18th of 22 | 60th of 64 | 772nd of 779 |
Its median household income is higher than in 3% of U.S. residential ZIP codes, and it is denser than 93% of all U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 48238?
The 2020 Census counted 25,747 people in 48238; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 24,731. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell 18.9% (its boundary stayed at least 90% the same).
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 24,731
- 2020 Census count
- 25,747−18.9% since 2010 (31,743)
- Households
- 10,251
- Median age
- 36.0
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 48238?
Of the 24,731 people the ACS estimates in 48238, 26.7% are under 18 and 15.3% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is Black (not Hispanic) (93.9%).
- Under 1826.7%
- 18 to 6458.0%
- 65 and older15.3%
- Black, not Hispanic93.9%
- Other or two or more4.1%
- White, not Hispanic1.2%
- Hispanic or Latino0.7%
- Asian, not Hispanic0.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 48238 earn?
Median household income is $33,315 (ACS 2020-2024), the 65th highest of the 67 ranked ZIP codes in Wayne County. It is not measurably different from 2015-2019 ($31,570 in 2024 dollars): the change is within the surveys' margins of error.
- Median household income
- $33,315±$6,159
- Income per person
- $20,989
- Below the poverty line
- 35.0%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 19.2%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 13.5%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $30,6719,510 returns; wages 75% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 48238?
FHFA's house price index for 48238, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 149% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 78% from 2020 to 2025, and moved +18.5% in 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $64,800
- Median gross rent
- $1,010
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 47.0%
- Housing units
- 16,014
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 48238?
264 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, 9 fewer than in 2018; the most are in retail trade (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Retail trade83
- Other services (except public administration)43
- Health care and social assistance27
- Accommodation and food services24
- Manufacturing16
- Wholesale trade16
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 48238?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48204 | Detroit | 20,696 | $35k | 2.1 mi |
| 48221 | Detroit | 41,392 | $58k | 2.2 mi |
| 48206 | Detroit | 15,227 | $45k | 2.2 mi |
| 48203 | Highland Park | 20,049 | $38k | 2.5 mi |
| 48227 | Detroit | 40,302 | $37k | 2.7 mi |
| 48235 | Detroit | 45,600 | $39k | 3.5 mi (near) |
| 48202 | Detroit | 15,780 | $44k | 3.6 mi (near) |
| 48208 | Detroit | 8,037 | $36k | 4.2 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.