Sandusky, MI · standard
ZIP Code 48471
Sanilac County, Michigan - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 5,745
- 22/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $62,844
- Median income Near-median income area
- $142,700
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 14.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Sandusky pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 34th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 23rd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 22
- people per sq mi
- 71%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48471 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 48471 (Sandusky, MI) rose +3.3% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 135.8 in 2023 to 140.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 48471 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Sandusky, Sanilac County, Michigan, home to 5,745 residents across 261.1 square miles, a density of 22 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.
ZIP 48471 reports a modest median household income of $62,844 (14% below the average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $33,600. The poverty rate is 13.2%, with unemployment at 4.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $142,700 (35% below the average Michigan ZIP), and median rent is $795; owner occupancy is 70.9%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.5, and the average commute is 24 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Sanilac County, so 48471 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 48471
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Sandusky, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48471.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
33 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
33 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
22 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
19 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
15 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 48471, Sandusky, 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
5,745
Population
261.1
Area (sq mi)
22
People / sq mi
Detroit
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 48471?
41.5
Median Age
52.5%
Male
47.5%
Female
0.8%
Foreign-Born
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?
$62,844
Median Household Income
-14% vs state ZIP avg
$33,600
Per Capita Income
13.2%
Poverty Rate
4.7%
Unemployment Rate
24.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 48471 ranks among Michigan ZIPs
Sandusky, MI household income vs. every Michigan ZIP code
Median household income among 962 reporting Michigan ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$62,844 36th percentile higher than 36% of 962 Michigan ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Michigan 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
2,489housing units
2,489
Total Housing Units
2,327
Occupied Units
162
Vacant Units
2.22
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$142,700
Median Home Value
-35% vs state ZIP avg
$795
Median Rent
1969
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
+3.3%
YoY Change (2024)
140
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+40%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 48471 have increased 3.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +40% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.7% | 103 |
| 2021 | +14.9% | 119 |
| 2022 | +9.9% | 131 |
| 2023 | +4.0% | 136 |
| 2024 | +3.3% | 140 |
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 192 business establishments in ZIP 48471, employing approximately 2,432 people with a combined annual payroll of $113,606,000.
192
Businesses
2,432
Employees
$113.6M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 33 | 17.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 33 | 17.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 22 | 11.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 19 | 9.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 15 | 7.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 15 | 7.8% |
| Construction | 12 | 6.3% |
| Manufacturing | 9 | 4.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 8 | 4.2% |
| Information | 6 | 3.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 3.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5 | 2.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 4 | 2.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 1.6% |
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 48471 vs 48466 →
ZIP 48471 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 48471
Sandusky (48471)
5,745 residents
- 48427
Deckerville (48427)
2,879 residents
- 48472 1,912
Snover (48472)
1,912 residents
- 48466 1,578
Peck (48466)
1,578 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 48471 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 48471 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 48471
Sandusky (48471)
$62,844 median income
- 48472
Snover (48472)
$61,000 median income
- 48466
Peck (48466)
$59,241 median income
- 48427
Deckerville (48427)
$56,842 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 48471 ranks the highest of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 48471, both outside MI so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (5,745 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Sanilac County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 48471 in?
ZIP code 48471 (Sandusky) 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 48471?
ZIP code 48471 in Sandusky, MI has a population of 5,745 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48471?
The median household income in ZIP 48471 is $62,844, which is 18% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48471?
The median home value in ZIP 48471 is $142,700, which is 49% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48471?
The largest racial group in ZIP 48471 is White at 91.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48471?
ZIP code 48471 has 192 business establishments employing approximately 2,432 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48471?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48471 are: Retail trade (33), Health care and social assistance (33), Other services (except public administration) (22). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48471?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48471 increased by 3.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 40%. 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 48471?
In ZIP code 48471, 61.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.8% 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 48471?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48471 is 24.1 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 48471?
In ZIP code 48471, approximately 70.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 29.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48471?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48471 is 13.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 48471's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 48471 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Sandusky, MI ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.