PlainZIP

Pontiac, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48342

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

18,407
1,240/sq mi
$35,253
Median income
$101,300
Median home value
10.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Pontiac 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.

3th pct
household income, US ZIPs
10th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,240
people per sq mi
41%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48342 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48342 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan, home to 18,407 residents across 14.8 square miles, a density of 1,240 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48342 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $35,253 (52% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $21,373. 31.7% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 13.0%. Housing costs here run $101,300 for a typical home value (54% below the state average), with rent averaging $999 a month; 40.5% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37, and the average commute is 20 minutes. To put 48342 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Oakland 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 48342

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Pontiac, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48342.

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 48342, Pontiac, 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

18,407

Population

14.8

Area (sq mi)

1,240

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 48342?

37.0

Median Age

53.4%

Male

46.6%

Female

11.0%

Foreign-Born

White 19.0%
African American 51.1%
Asian 4.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 15.9%
Hispanic or Latino 21.8%

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?

$35,253

Median Household Income

-52% vs state

$21,373

Per Capita Income

31.7%

Poverty Rate

13.0%

Unemployment Rate

19.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48342 ranks nationally

Pontiac, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$35,253 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 49.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.2%

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

What does housing look like?

7,784

Total Housing Units

6,878

Occupied Units

906

Vacant Units

2.52

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 40.5%
Renter 59.5%

$101,300

Median Home Value

-54% vs state

$999

Median Rent

1962

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

+18.0%

YoY Change (2024)

172

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+72%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48342 have increased 18.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +72% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -0.1% 105
2021 +23.1% 129
2022 +16.0% 150
2023 -2.5% 146
2024 +18.0% 172

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 318 business establishments in ZIP 48342, employing approximately 6,412 people with a combined annual payroll of $383,603,000.

318

Businesses

6,412

Employees

$383.6M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 52 16.4%
Health care and social assistance 52 16.4%
Other services (except public administration) 34 10.7%
Construction 32 10.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 26 8.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 21 6.6%
Wholesale trade 18 5.7%
Accommodation and food services 18 5.7%
Manufacturing 17 5.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 13 4.1%
Information 11 3.5%
Transportation and warehousing 9 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 2.2%
Finance and insurance 6 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 48342 vs 48341 →

ZIP 48342 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 48342 ranks #5 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 48342 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 48342 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
48341 Pontiac, MI 17,139 1.6 mi
48340 Pontiac, MI 24,307 2.1 mi
48326 Auburn Hills, MI 20,298 2.5 mi
48302 Bloomfield Hills, MI 15,360 4.1 mi
48328 Waterford, MI 24,960 4.2 mi
48359 Lake Orion, MI 8,044 5.4 mi
48320 Keego Harbor, MI 4,589 3.9 mi
48304 Bloomfield Hills, MI 16,009 4.3 mi
48309 Rochester, MI 29,135 4.7 mi
48301 Bloomfield Hills, MI 14,127 6.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Oakland County

48307 standard
Rochester, MI
Pop: 41,369
48073 standard
Royal Oak, MI
Pop: 32,798
48322 standard
West Bloomfield, MI
Pop: 31,265
48071 standard
Madison Heights, MI
Pop: 29,694
48237 standard
Oak Park, MI
Pop: 29,319
48309 standard
Rochester, MI
Pop: 29,135

Related Areas

Oakland County Pontiac, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 48342 in? ▼
ZIP code 48342 (Pontiac) is located in Oakland County, Michigan. Oakland County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/oakland-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 48342? ▼
ZIP code 48342 in Pontiac, MI has a population of 18,407 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48342? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48342 is $35,253, which is 54% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48342? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48342 is $101,300, which is 64% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48342? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48342 is African American at 51.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 21.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48342? ▼
ZIP code 48342 has 318 business establishments employing approximately 6,412 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48342? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48342 are: Retail trade (52), Health care and social assistance (52), Other services (except public administration) (34). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48342? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48342 increased by 18.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 72%. 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 48342? ▼
In ZIP code 48342, 49.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.2% 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 48342? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48342 is 19.9 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 48342? ▼
In ZIP code 48342, approximately 40.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 59.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48342? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48342 is 31.7% 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.