PlainZIP

Applegate, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48401

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

1,439
17/sq mi
$70,536
Median income
$162,700
Median home value
13.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Applegate pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

47th pct
household income, US ZIPs
31th pct
home value, US ZIPs
17
people per sq mi
81%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48401 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48401 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Applegate, Sanilac County, Michigan, home to just 1,439 residents across 85.7 square miles, a density of 17 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48401 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $70,536 (4% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $37,096. Local economic indicators show a 13.4% poverty rate alongside 3.0% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $162,700 (26% below the state average); renters pay a median of $938 monthly, and 81.2% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 13.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 56.1, and the average commute is 37 minutes. To put 48401 in local context, 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Sanilac 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 →

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 48401, Applegate, 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

1,439

Population

85.7

Area (sq mi)

17

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 48401?

56.1

Median Age

50.9%

Male

49.1%

Female

0.5%

Foreign-Born

White 96.7%
African American 0.4%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.3%
Hispanic or Latino 1.4%

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?

$70,536

Median Household Income

-4% vs state

$37,096

Per Capita Income

13.4%

Poverty Rate

3.0%

Unemployment Rate

36.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48401 ranks nationally

Applegate, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$70,536 47th percentile higher than 47% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 61.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 13.9%

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

What does housing look like?

700

Total Housing Units

623

Occupied Units

77

Vacant Units

2.12

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 81.2%
Renter 18.8%

$162,700

Median Home Value

-26% vs state

$938

Median Rent

1975

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

+19.3%

YoY Change (2021)

141

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+41%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48401 have increased 19.3% over the past year (2021). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +41% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2017 +20.6% 106
2018 +12.6% 119
2019 +1.5% 121
2020 -1.8% 118
2021 +19.3% 141

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 2021. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 11 business establishments in ZIP 48401, employing approximately 39 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,261,000.

11

Businesses

39

Employees

$1.3M

Annual Payroll

1

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 3 27.3%

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 48401 vs 48419 →

ZIP 48401 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 48401 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 48401 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 48401 ranks the highest of 6 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
48419 Carsonville, MI 2,740 5.3 mi
48422 Croswell, MI 6,400 6.3 mi
48469 Port Sanilac, MI 1,245 8.1 mi
48450 Lexington, MI 4,780 9.0 mi
48466 Peck, MI 1,578 9.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Sanilac County

48422 standard
Croswell, MI
Pop: 6,400
48471 standard
Sandusky, MI
Pop: 5,745
48453 standard
Marlette, MI
Pop: 5,146
48416 standard
Brown City, MI
Pop: 5,002
48450 standard
Lexington, MI
Pop: 4,780
48427 standard
Deckerville, MI
Pop: 2,879

Related Areas

Sanilac County Applegate, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 48401 in? ▼
ZIP code 48401 (Applegate) is located in Sanilac County, Michigan. Sanilac County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/sanilac-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 48401? ▼
ZIP code 48401 in Applegate, MI has a population of 1,439 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48401? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48401 is $70,536, which is 8% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48401? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48401 is $162,700, which is 42% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48401? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48401 is White at 96.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48401? ▼
ZIP code 48401 has 11 business establishments employing approximately 39 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48401? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48401 increased by 19.3% in 2021. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 41%. 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 48401? ▼
In ZIP code 48401, 61.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 13.9% 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 48401? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48401 is 36.8 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 48401? ▼
In ZIP code 48401, approximately 81.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48401? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48401 is 13.4% 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.