PlainZIP

Saginaw, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48638

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

12,922
755/sq mi
$69,459
Median income
$172,600
Median home value
34.4%
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.

46th pct
household income, US ZIPs
35th pct
home value, US ZIPs
755
people per sq mi
62%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48638 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48638 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan, home to 12,922 residents across 17.1 square miles, a density of 755 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48638 reports a modest median household income of $69,459 (5% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $42,122. Poverty here runs at 13.4%, with unemployment measured at 3.8%. On housing, the median home value is $172,600 (21% below the state average) with median rent at $949 per month, and 62.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 34.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.6, and the average commute is 24 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Saginaw County, letting you compare 48638 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 48638

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Saginaw, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48638.

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 48638, 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

12,922

Population

17.1

Area (sq mi)

755

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 48638?

43.6

Median Age

47.6%

Male

52.4%

Female

2.8%

Foreign-Born

White 74.4%
African American 18.5%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.7%
Hispanic or Latino 8.0%

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?

$69,459

Median Household Income

-5% vs state

$42,122

Per Capita Income

13.4%

Poverty Rate

3.8%

Unemployment Rate

23.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48638 ranks nationally

Saginaw, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$69,459 46th percentile higher than 46% 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 59.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 34.4%

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

What does housing look like?

6,435

Total Housing Units

5,910

Occupied Units

525

Vacant Units

2.17

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 62.1%
Renter 37.9%

$172,600

Median Home Value

-21% vs state

$949

Median Rent

1972

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

+3.7%

YoY Change (2024)

158

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+58%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48638 have increased 3.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +58% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.7% 109
2021 +10.2% 120
2022 +11.7% 134
2023 +13.8% 153
2024 +3.7% 158

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 48638, employing approximately 2,208 people with a combined annual payroll of $92,431,000.

214

Businesses

2,208

Employees

$92.4M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 57 26.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 33 15.4%
Other services (except public administration) 30 14.0%
Finance and insurance 15 7.0%
Retail trade 14 6.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 14 6.5%
Accommodation and food services 14 6.5%
Construction 13 6.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 12 5.6%
Educational services 4 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 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 48638 vs 48602 →

ZIP 48638 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 48638 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 48638 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 48638 ranks #3 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
48602 Saginaw, MI 30,119 2.3 mi
48603 Saginaw, MI 26,913 3.2 mi
48609 Saginaw, MI 12,461 4.0 mi
48607 Saginaw, MI 1,774 4.4 mi
48604 Saginaw, MI 13,074 6.1 mi
48601 Saginaw, MI 38,406 6.4 mi
48724 Carrollton, MI 359 5.7 mi
48710 University Center, MI 0 9.8 mi
48623 Freeland, MI 13,993 9.2 mi
48655 Saint Charles, MI 6,460 11.1 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
48609 standard
Saginaw, MI
Pop: 12,461

Related Areas

Saginaw County Saginaw, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 48638 in? ▼
ZIP code 48638 (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 48638? ▼
ZIP code 48638 in Saginaw, MI has a population of 12,922 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48638? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48638 is $69,459, which is 9% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48638? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48638 is $172,600, which is 38% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48638? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48638 is White at 74.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48638? ▼
ZIP code 48638 has 214 business establishments employing approximately 2,208 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48638? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48638 are: Health care and social assistance (57), Professional, scientific, and technical services (33), Other services (except public administration) (30). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48638? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48638 increased by 3.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 58%. 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 48638? ▼
In ZIP code 48638, 59.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 34.4% 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 48638? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48638 is 23.6 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 48638? ▼
In ZIP code 48638, approximately 62.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 37.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48638? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48638 is 13.4% 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.