PlainZIP

Sanford, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48657

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

7,981
50/sq mi
$72,500
Median income
$184,600
Median home value
27.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Sanford pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 49%
household income, US ZIPs
39th pct
home value, US ZIPs
50
people per sq mi
89%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48657 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48657 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Sanford, Midland County, Michigan, home to 7,981 residents across 159.9 square miles, a density of 50 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48657 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $72,500 (1% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $42,182. Poverty here runs at 12.5%, with unemployment measured at 2.5%. Median home value sits at $184,600 (16% below the state average), median rent at $995 a month, and owner-occupancy at 88.6%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 27.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.9, and the average commute is 29 minutes. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Midland County, so you can benchmark 48657 against its immediate geography rather than a national average 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 48657

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Sanford, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48657.

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 48657, Sanford, 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

7,981

Population

159.9

Area (sq mi)

50

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 48657?

45.9

Median Age

48.3%

Male

51.7%

Female

1.0%

Foreign-Born

White 93.3%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.0%
Hispanic or Latino 1.6%

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?

$72,500

Median Household Income

-1% vs state

$42,182

Per Capita Income

12.5%

Poverty Rate

2.5%

Unemployment Rate

29.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48657 ranks nationally

Sanford, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$72,500 Top 49% higher than 51% 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 55.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 27.2%

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

What does housing look like?

3,382

Total Housing Units

3,134

Occupied Units

248

Vacant Units

2.41

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 88.6%
Renter 11.4%

$184,600

Median Home Value

-16% vs state

$995

Median Rent

1983

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)

204

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+104%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48657 have increased 5.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +104% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -0.2% 133
2021 +7.9% 144
2022 +15.2% 166
2023 +16.4% 193
2024 +5.8% 204

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 98 business establishments in ZIP 48657, employing approximately 769 people with a combined annual payroll of $32,698,000.

98

Businesses

769

Employees

$32.7M

Annual Payroll

12

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 20 20.4%
Retail trade 14 14.3%
Other services (except public administration) 13 13.3%
Accommodation and food services 12 12.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 8 8.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 7 7.1%
Health care and social assistance 6 6.1%
Manufacturing 4 4.1%
Transportation and warehousing 3 3.1%
Finance and insurance 3 3.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3 3.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 3.1%

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 48657 vs 48628 →

ZIP 48657 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 48657 ranks #2 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 48657 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 48657 ranks #3 of 4 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
48628 Hope, MI 1,938 6.8 mi
48618 Coleman, MI 5,393 7.2 mi
48640 Midland, MI 32,690 9.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Midland County

48640 standard
Midland, MI
Pop: 32,690
48642 standard
Midland, MI
Pop: 32,277
48880 standard
Saint Louis, MI
Pop: 10,669
48618 standard
Coleman, MI
Pop: 5,393
48628 standard
Hope, MI
Pop: 1,938
48667 standard
Midland, MI
Pop: -

Related Areas

Midland County Sanford, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 48657 in? ▼
ZIP code 48657 (Sanford) is located in Midland County, Michigan. Midland County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/midland-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 48657? ▼
ZIP code 48657 in Sanford, MI has a population of 7,981 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48657? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48657 is $72,500, which is 5% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48657? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48657 is $184,600, which is 34% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48657? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48657 is White at 93.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48657? ▼
ZIP code 48657 has 98 business establishments employing approximately 769 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48657? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48657 are: Construction (20), Retail trade (14), Other services (except public administration) (13). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48657? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48657 increased by 5.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 104%. 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 48657? ▼
In ZIP code 48657, 55.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 27.2% 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 48657? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48657 is 29.0 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 48657? ▼
In ZIP code 48657, approximately 88.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 11.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48657? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48657 is 12.5% 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.