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 High-density area
- $69,459
- Median income Near-median income area
- $172,600
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 34.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 48638 (Saginaw, MI) rose +3.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 152.6 in 2023 to 158.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $42,122. The poverty rate is 13.4%, with unemployment at 3.8%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $172,600 (21% below the average Michigan ZIP), and median rent is $949; owner occupancy is 62.1%.
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. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Saginaw County, so 48638 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 48638
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Saginaw, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48638.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
57 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
33 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
30 establishments
- Finance and insurance 15
Finance and insurance
15 establishments
- Retail trade 14
Retail trade
14 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 48638?
43.6
Median Age
47.6%
Male
52.4%
Female
2.8%
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?
$69,459
Median Household Income
-5% vs state ZIP avg
$42,122
Per Capita Income
13.4%
Poverty Rate
3.8%
Unemployment Rate
23.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 48638 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)
$69,459 Top 49% higher than 51% 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
6,435housing units
6,435
Total Housing Units
5,910
Occupied Units
525
Vacant Units
2.17
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$172,600
Median Home Value
-21% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 48601
Saginaw (48601)
38,406 residents
- 48602
Saginaw (48602)
30,119 residents
- 48603
Saginaw (48603)
26,913 residents
- 48623 13,993
Freeland (48623)
13,993 residents
- 48604 13,074
Saginaw (48604)
13,074 residents
- 48638 12,922
Saginaw (48638)
12,922 residents
- 48609 12,461
Saginaw (48609)
12,461 residents
- 48655 6,460
Saint Charles (48655)
6,460 residents
- 48607 1,774
Saginaw (48607)
1,774 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 48638 ranks #6 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 48638 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
- 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
- 48601 $38,900
Saginaw (48601)
$38,900 median income
- 48607 $37,973
Saginaw (48607)
$37,973 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 48638, 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 (12,922 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 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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 48638's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 48638 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.