PlainZIP

Saginaw, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48602

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

30,119
1,485/sq mi
$46,984
Median income
$73,600
Median home value
16.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Saginaw pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

11th pct
household income, US ZIPs
3th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,485
people per sq mi
64%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48602 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48602 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan, with 30,119 residents across 20.3 square miles, a density of 1,485 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48602 reports a modest median household income of $46,984 (36% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $23,838. Poverty here runs at 28.8%, with unemployment measured at 9.6%. Housing costs here run $73,600 for a typical home value (66% below the state average), with rent averaging $933 a month; 64.2% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 16.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.1, and the average commute is 20 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Saginaw County, so you can benchmark 48602 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 48602

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Saginaw, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48602.

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 48602, Saginaw, 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

30,119

Population

20.3

Area (sq mi)

1,485

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 48602?

36.1

Median Age

49.5%

Male

50.5%

Female

1.7%

Foreign-Born

White 53.7%
African American 26.9%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 14.0%
Hispanic or Latino 17.9%

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?

$46,984

Median Household Income

-36% vs state

$23,838

Per Capita Income

28.8%

Poverty Rate

9.6%

Unemployment Rate

19.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48602 ranks nationally

Saginaw, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$46,984 11th percentile higher than 11% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 49.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.5%

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

What does housing look like?

12,301

Total Housing Units

10,827

Occupied Units

1,474

Vacant Units

2.43

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 64.2%
Renter 35.8%

$73,600

Median Home Value

-66% vs state

$933

Median Rent

1946

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

+13.4%

YoY Change (2024)

152

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+52%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48602 have increased 13.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +52% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +7.2% 90
2021 +18.6% 107
2022 +6.3% 113
2023 +18.2% 134
2024 +13.4% 152

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 419 business establishments in ZIP 48602, employing approximately 13,542 people with a combined annual payroll of $898,744,000.

419

Businesses

13,542

Employees

$898.7M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 94 22.4%
Retail trade 65 15.5%
Other services (except public administration) 59 14.1%
Accommodation and food services 52 12.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 40 9.6%
Manufacturing 18 4.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 18 4.3%
Construction 17 4.1%
Finance and insurance 17 4.1%
Wholesale trade 9 2.1%
Information 9 2.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 9 2.1%
Transportation and warehousing 3 0.7%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 0.7%

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 48602 vs 48638 →

ZIP 48602 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 48602 ranks #2 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 48602 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 48602 ranks #7 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
48638 Saginaw, MI 12,922 2.3 mi
48607 Saginaw, MI 1,774 2.2 mi
48604 Saginaw, MI 13,074 5.2 mi
48724 Carrollton, MI 359 3.8 mi
48601 Saginaw, MI 38,406 4.2 mi
48603 Saginaw, MI 26,913 4.1 mi
48609 Saginaw, MI 12,461 6.1 mi
48710 University Center, MI 0 9.5 mi
48722 Bridgeport, MI 3,123 8.3 mi
48708 Bay City, MI 27,262 11.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Saginaw County

48601 standard
Saginaw, MI
Pop: 38,406
48603 standard
Saginaw, MI
Pop: 26,913
48623 standard
Freeland, MI
Pop: 13,993
48604 standard
Saginaw, MI
Pop: 13,074
48638 standard
Saginaw, MI
Pop: 12,922
48609 standard
Saginaw, MI
Pop: 12,461

Related Areas

Saginaw County Saginaw, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 48602 in? ▼
ZIP code 48602 (Saginaw) is located in Saginaw County, Michigan. Saginaw County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/saginaw-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 48602? ▼
ZIP code 48602 in Saginaw, MI has a population of 30,119 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48602? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48602 is $46,984, which is 38% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48602? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48602 is $73,600, which is 74% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48602? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48602 is White at 53.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 17.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48602? ▼
ZIP code 48602 has 419 business establishments employing approximately 13,542 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48602? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48602 are: Health care and social assistance (94), Retail trade (65), Other services (except public administration) (59). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48602? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48602 increased by 13.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 52%. 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 48602? ▼
In ZIP code 48602, 49.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.5% 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 48602? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48602 is 19.8 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 48602? ▼
In ZIP code 48602, approximately 64.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 35.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48602? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48602 is 28.8% 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.