PlainZIP

Saginaw, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48604

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

13,074
203/sq mi
$53,042
Median income
$101,200
Median home value
24.4%
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.

18th pct
household income, US ZIPs
10th pct
home value, US ZIPs
203
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48604 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48604 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan, home to 13,074 residents across 64.6 square miles, a density of 203 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48604 reports a modest median household income of $53,042 (28% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $30,278. Poverty here runs at 30.1%, with unemployment measured at 6.4%. Housing costs here run $101,200 for a typical home value (54% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,114 a month; 71.5% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 25.6, and the average commute is 16 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 48604, plus 6 more within Saginaw County, give a clearer read than the 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 48604

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Saginaw, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48604.

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 48604, 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

13,074

Population

64.6

Area (sq mi)

203

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 48604?

25.6

Median Age

46.7%

Male

53.3%

Female

1.1%

Foreign-Born

White 76.9%
African American 10.8%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.6%
Hispanic or Latino 8.1%

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?

$53,042

Median Household Income

-28% vs state

$30,278

Per Capita Income

30.1%

Poverty Rate

6.4%

Unemployment Rate

16.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48604 ranks nationally

Saginaw, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$53,042 18th percentile higher than 18% 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 57.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.4%

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

What does housing look like?

4,496

Total Housing Units

4,013

Occupied Units

483

Vacant Units

2.19

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 71.5%
Renter 28.5%

$101,200

Median Home Value

-54% vs state

$1,114

Median Rent

1963

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)

171

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+71%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48604 have increased 6.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +71% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -0.7% 108
2021 +13.4% 122
2022 +21.1% 148
2023 +8.5% 160
2024 +6.4% 171

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 519 business establishments in ZIP 48604, employing approximately 10,043 people with a combined annual payroll of $482,164,000.

519

Businesses

10,043

Employees

$482.2M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 133 25.6%
Health care and social assistance 88 17.0%
Accommodation and food services 68 13.1%
Finance and insurance 35 6.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 29 5.6%
Construction 26 5.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 25 4.8%
Manufacturing 22 4.2%
Other services (except public administration) 22 4.2%
Wholesale trade 20 3.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 18 3.5%
Information 12 2.3%
Transportation and warehousing 9 1.7%
Educational services 4 0.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 4 0.8%

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 48604 vs 48724 →

ZIP 48604 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 48604 ranks #6 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 48604 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 48604 ranks #5 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
48724 Carrollton, MI 359 3.1 mi
48602 Saginaw, MI 30,119 5.2 mi
48710 University Center, MI 0 4.5 mi
48607 Saginaw, MI 1,774 4.6 mi
48603 Saginaw, MI 26,913 4.0 mi
48706 Bay City, MI 40,596 7.1 mi
48638 Saginaw, MI 12,922 6.1 mi
48601 Saginaw, MI 38,406 7.1 mi
48708 Bay City, MI 27,262 7.5 mi
48609 Saginaw, MI 12,461 9.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Saginaw County

48601 standard
Saginaw, MI
Pop: 38,406
48602 standard
Saginaw, MI
Pop: 30,119
48603 standard
Saginaw, MI
Pop: 26,913
48623 standard
Freeland, MI
Pop: 13,993
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 48604 in? ▼
ZIP code 48604 (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 48604? ▼
ZIP code 48604 in Saginaw, MI has a population of 13,074 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48604? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48604 is $53,042, which is 30% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48604? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48604 is $101,200, which is 64% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48604? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48604 is White at 76.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48604? ▼
ZIP code 48604 has 519 business establishments employing approximately 10,043 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48604? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48604 are: Retail trade (133), Health care and social assistance (88), Accommodation and food services (68). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48604? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48604 increased by 6.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 71%. 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 48604? ▼
In ZIP code 48604, 57.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.4% 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 48604? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48604 is 16.1 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 48604? ▼
In ZIP code 48604, approximately 71.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48604? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48604 is 30.1% 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.