PlainZIP

Saginaw, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48603

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

26,913
568/sq mi
$66,352
Median income
$186,800
Median home value
37.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Saginaw pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

41th pct
household income, US ZIPs
40th pct
home value, US ZIPs
568
people per sq mi
67%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48603 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48603 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan, with 26,913 residents across 47.4 square miles, a density of 568 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48603 reports a modest median household income of $66,352 (10% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $41,492. Poverty here runs at 14.2%, with unemployment measured at 5.8%. On housing, the median home value is $186,800 (15% below the state average) with median rent at $1,050 per month, and 66.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 37.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41, and the average commute is 21 minutes. To put 48603 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Saginaw 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 48603

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Saginaw, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48603.

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 48603, 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

26,913

Population

47.4

Area (sq mi)

568

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 48603?

41.0

Median Age

48.2%

Male

51.8%

Female

5.8%

Foreign-Born

White 76.3%
African American 11.1%
Asian 5.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%

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?

$66,352

Median Household Income

-10% vs state

$41,492

Per Capita Income

14.2%

Poverty Rate

5.8%

Unemployment Rate

20.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48603 ranks nationally

Saginaw, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$66,352 41st percentile higher than 41% 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 62.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 37.2%

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

What does housing look like?

13,324

Total Housing Units

12,416

Occupied Units

908

Vacant Units

2.20

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 66.9%
Renter 33.1%

$186,800

Median Home Value

-15% vs state

$1,050

Median Rent

1978

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

+6.4%

YoY Change (2024)

159

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+59%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48603 have increased 6.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +59% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.2% 109
2021 +11.7% 122
2022 +10.7% 135
2023 +11.0% 150
2024 +6.4% 159

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 736 business establishments in ZIP 48603, employing approximately 14,247 people with a combined annual payroll of $622,092,000.

736

Businesses

14,247

Employees

$622.1M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 134 18.2%
Retail trade 115 15.6%
Other services (except public administration) 86 11.7%
Accommodation and food services 67 9.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 66 9.0%
Finance and insurance 64 8.7%
Construction 51 6.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 35 4.8%
Wholesale trade 32 4.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 27 3.7%
Information 14 1.9%
Manufacturing 13 1.8%
Transportation and warehousing 12 1.6%
Management of companies and enterprises 7 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 0.9%
Educational services 5 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 48603 vs 48638 →

ZIP 48603 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 48603 ranks #4 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 48603 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 48603 ranks #4 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 3.2 mi
48602 Saginaw, MI 30,119 4.1 mi
48604 Saginaw, MI 13,074 4.0 mi
48724 Carrollton, MI 359 5.4 mi
48607 Saginaw, MI 1,774 5.3 mi
48609 Saginaw, MI 12,461 6.0 mi
48710 University Center, MI 0 6.8 mi
48623 Freeland, MI 13,993 6.6 mi
48601 Saginaw, MI 38,406 7.9 mi
48706 Bay City, MI 40,596 10.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Saginaw County

48601 standard
Saginaw, MI
Pop: 38,406
48602 standard
Saginaw, MI
Pop: 30,119
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 48603 in? ▼
ZIP code 48603 (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 48603? ▼
ZIP code 48603 in Saginaw, MI has a population of 26,913 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48603? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48603 is $66,352, which is 13% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48603? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48603 is $186,800, which is 33% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48603? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48603 is White at 76.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48603? ▼
ZIP code 48603 has 736 business establishments employing approximately 14,247 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48603? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48603 are: Health care and social assistance (134), Retail trade (115), Other services (except public administration) (86). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48603? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48603 increased by 6.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 59%. 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 48603? ▼
In ZIP code 48603, 62.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 37.2% 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 48603? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48603 is 20.9 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 48603? ▼
In ZIP code 48603, approximately 66.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 33.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48603? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48603 is 14.2% 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.