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 High-density area
- $78,218
- Median income Near-median income area
- $170,800
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 26.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 48609 (Saginaw, MI) rose +4.9% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 160.0 in 2023 to 167.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $40,902. The poverty rate is 11.3%, with unemployment at 7.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $170,800 (22% below the average Michigan ZIP), and median rent is $929; owner occupancy is 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. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Saginaw County, so 48609 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 48609
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Saginaw, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48609.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
36 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
35 establishments
- Construction
Construction
32 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
26 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
20 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 48609?
49.0
Median Age
49.1%
Male
50.9%
Female
5.2%
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?
$78,218
Median Household Income
+7% vs state ZIP avg
$40,902
Per Capita Income
11.3%
Poverty Rate
7.1%
Unemployment Rate
23.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 48609 ranks among Michigan ZIPs
Saginaw, 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)
$78,218 Top 33% higher than 67% 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
5,527housing units
5,527
Total Housing Units
5,262
Occupied Units
265
Vacant Units
2.25
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$170,800
Median Home Value
-22% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 48602
Saginaw (48602)
30,119 residents
- 48603
Saginaw (48603)
26,913 residents
- 48623
Freeland (48623)
13,993 residents
- 48604
Saginaw (48604)
13,074 residents
- 48638
Saginaw (48638)
12,922 residents
- 48609
Saginaw (48609)
12,461 residents
- 48655 6,460
Saint Charles (48655)
6,460 residents
- 48626 6,078
Hemlock (48626)
6,078 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 48609 ranks #6 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 48609 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 48623
Freeland (48623)
$101,250 median income
- 48626
Hemlock (48626)
$84,360 median income
- 48609
Saginaw (48609)
$78,218 median income
- 48638
Saginaw (48638)
$69,459 median income
- 48603
Saginaw (48603)
$66,352 median income
- 48655
Saint Charles (48655)
$66,115 median income
- 48604
Saginaw (48604)
$53,042 median income
- 48602
Saginaw (48602)
$46,984 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 48609, 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 (12,461 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Saginaw County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 48609's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 48609 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Saginaw, 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.