PlainZIP

Saginaw, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48609

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

12,461
108/sq mi
$78,218
Median income
$170,800
Median home value
26.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 41%
household income, US ZIPs
35th pct
home value, US ZIPs
108
people per sq mi
86%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48609 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48609 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan, home to 12,461 residents across 115.5 square miles, a density of 108 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48609 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $78,218 (7% above the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $40,902. 11.3% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 7.1%. Median home value sits at $170,800 (22% below the state average), median rent at $929 a month, and owner-occupancy at 86.3%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 26.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 49, and the average commute is 24 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 7 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 48609, 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 48609

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Saginaw, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48609.

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 48609, 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

12,461

Population

115.5

Area (sq mi)

108

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 48609?

49.0

Median Age

49.1%

Male

50.9%

Female

5.2%

Foreign-Born

White 91.7%
African American 1.0%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 4.6%

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?

$78,218

Median Household Income

+7% vs state

$40,902

Per Capita Income

11.3%

Poverty Rate

7.1%

Unemployment Rate

23.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48609 ranks nationally

Saginaw, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$78,218 Top 41% higher than 59% 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 60.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 26.5%

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

What does housing look like?

5,527

Total Housing Units

5,262

Occupied Units

265

Vacant Units

2.25

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 86.3%
Renter 13.7%

$170,800

Median Home Value

-22% vs state

$929

Median Rent

1976

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

+4.9%

YoY Change (2024)

168

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+68%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48609 have increased 4.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +68% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.7% 117
2021 +14.4% 133
2022 +10.8% 148
2023 +8.3% 160
2024 +4.9% 168

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 214 business establishments in ZIP 48609, employing approximately 2,365 people with a combined annual payroll of $96,774,000.

214

Businesses

2,365

Employees

$96.8M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 36 16.8%
Retail trade 35 16.4%
Construction 32 14.9%
Accommodation and food services 26 12.2%
Health care and social assistance 20 9.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 13 6.1%
Finance and insurance 12 5.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 11 5.1%
Wholesale trade 8 3.7%
Transportation and warehousing 5 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 2.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 4 1.9%
Manufacturing 3 1.4%

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 48609 vs 48638 →

ZIP 48609 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 48609 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 48609 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 48609 ranks #3 of 8 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 4.0 mi
48603 Saginaw, MI 26,913 6.0 mi
48602 Saginaw, MI 30,119 6.1 mi
48655 Saint Charles, MI 6,460 7.5 mi
48626 Hemlock, MI 6,078 7.3 mi
48623 Freeland, MI 13,993 9.5 mi
48604 Saginaw, MI 13,074 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
48604 standard
Saginaw, MI
Pop: 13,074
48638 standard
Saginaw, MI
Pop: 12,922

Related Areas

Saginaw County Saginaw, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 48609 in? ▼
ZIP code 48609 (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 48609? ▼
ZIP code 48609 in Saginaw, MI has a population of 12,461 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48609? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48609 is $78,218, which is 3% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48609? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48609 is $170,800, which is 39% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48609? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48609 is White at 91.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48609? ▼
ZIP code 48609 has 214 business establishments employing approximately 2,365 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48609? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48609 are: Other services (except public administration) (36), Retail trade (35), Construction (32). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48609? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48609 increased by 4.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 68%. 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 48609? ▼
In ZIP code 48609, 60.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 26.5% 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 48609? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48609 is 23.9 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 48609? ▼
In ZIP code 48609, approximately 86.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48609? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48609 is 11.3% 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.