Alger, MI · standard
ZIP Code 48610
Arenac County, Michigan - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,083
- 10/sq mi Low-density area
- $59,091
- Median income Below-median income area
- $150,200
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 14.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Alger pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 27th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 25th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 10
- people per sq mi
- 93%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48610 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 48610 (Alger, MI) fell -5.8% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 180.8 in 2023 to 170.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 48610 covers 305.2 square miles in Alger, Arenac County, Michigan (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,083 residents on file, a density of 10 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.
ZIP 48610 reports a modest median household income of $59,091 (19% below the average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $29,245. Economic pressure is pronounced: 21.6% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 12.7%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $150,200 (32% below the average Michigan ZIP), and median rent is $781; owner occupancy is 93.0%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 49.6, and the average commute is 29 minutes. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Arenac County, so 48610 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 48610
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Alger, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48610.
- Construction
Construction
7 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
7 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
5 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 48610, Alger, 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
3,083
Population
305.2
Area (sq mi)
10
People / sq mi
Detroit
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 48610?
49.6
Median Age
50.7%
Male
49.3%
Female
0.2%
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?
$59,091
Median Household Income
-19% vs state ZIP avg
$29,245
Per Capita Income
21.6%
Poverty Rate
12.7%
Unemployment Rate
29.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 48610 ranks among Michigan ZIPs
Alger, 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)
$59,091 27th percentile higher than 27% 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
2,662housing units
2,662
Total Housing Units
1,482
Occupied Units
1,180
Vacant Units
2.22
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$150,200
Median Home Value
-32% vs state ZIP avg
$781
Median Rent
1982
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
-5.8%
YoY Change (2024)
170
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+70%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 48610 have decreased 5.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +70% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +6.1% | 114 |
| 2021 | +11.5% | 127 |
| 2022 | +14.2% | 145 |
| 2023 | +24.6% | 181 |
| 2024 | -5.8% | 170 |
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 31 business establishments in ZIP 48610, employing approximately 163 people with a combined annual payroll of $6,748,000.
31
Businesses
163
Employees
$6.7M
Annual Payroll
3
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 7 | 22.6% |
| Retail trade | 7 | 22.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 5 | 16.1% |
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 48610 vs 48659 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48659 | Sterling, MI | 2,850 | 7.5 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 48610, 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 (3,083 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Arenac County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 48610 in?
ZIP code 48610 (Alger) is located in Arenac County, Michigan. Arenac County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/arenac-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 48610?
ZIP code 48610 in Alger, MI has a population of 3,083 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48610?
The median household income in ZIP 48610 is $59,091, which is 23% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48610?
The median home value in ZIP 48610 is $150,200, which is 46% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48610?
The largest racial group in ZIP 48610 is White at 93.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48610?
ZIP code 48610 has 31 business establishments employing approximately 163 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48610?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48610 are: Construction (7), Retail trade (7), Health care and social assistance (5). There are 3 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48610?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48610 decreased by 5.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 70%. 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 48610?
In ZIP code 48610, 57.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.3% 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 48610?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48610 is 29.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 48610?
In ZIP code 48610, approximately 93.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 7.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48610?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48610 is 21.6% 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 48610's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 48610 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Alger, 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.