Saint Helen, MI · standard
ZIP Code 48656
Roscommon County, Michigan - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 4,058
- 12/sq mi
- $47,750
- Median income
- $112,900
- Median home value
- 10.9%
- Bachelor's or higher
National ZIP placement
Saint Helen pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 12th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 14th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 12
- people per sq mi
- 88%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48656 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 48656 (Saint Helen, MI) rose +6.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 222.9 in 2023 to 237.5 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 48656 covers 343.9 square miles in Saint Helen, Roscommon County, Michigan (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,058 residents on file, a density of 12 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.
ZIP 48656 reports a modest median household income of $47,750 (35% below the average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $30,270. The poverty rate is 27.8%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $112,900 (49% below the average Michigan ZIP), and median rent is $742; owner occupancy is 87.8%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 57.3, and the average commute is 29 minutes. No nearby ZIP peer set is available for this delivery area, so the Michigan and national benchmarks above are the appropriate context for 48656.
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 48656
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Saint Helen, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48656.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
9 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
9 establishments
- Construction
Construction
8 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
8 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 48656, Saint Helen, 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
4,058
Population
343.9
Area (sq mi)
12
People / sq mi
Detroit
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 48656?
57.3
Median Age
52.6%
Male
47.4%
Female
0.9%
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?
$47,750
Median Household Income
-35% vs state ZIP avg
$30,270
Per Capita Income
27.8%
Poverty Rate
9.9%
Unemployment Rate
28.7 min
Mean Commute Time
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
3,676housing units
3,676
Total Housing Units
1,801
Occupied Units
1,875
Vacant Units
2.13
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$112,900
Median Home Value
-49% vs state ZIP avg
$742
Median Rent
1974
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
+6.5%
YoY Change (2024)
238
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+138%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 48656 have increased 6.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +138% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.1% | 136 |
| 2021 | +21.9% | 166 |
| 2022 | +17.8% | 196 |
| 2023 | +13.8% | 223 |
| 2024 | +6.5% | 238 |
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 52 business establishments in ZIP 48656, employing approximately 274 people with a combined annual payroll of $10,035,000.
52
Businesses
274
Employees
$10.0M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 9 | 17.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 9 | 17.3% |
| Construction | 8 | 15.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 8 | 15.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 5 | 9.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 5.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 5.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 48656, 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 (4,058 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.