West Branch, MI · standard
ZIP Code 48661
Ogemaw County, Michigan - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 10,691
- 16/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $61,377
- Median income Below-median income area
- $177,000
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 21.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
West Branch pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 32nd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 37th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 16
- people per sq mi
- 79%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48661 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 48661 (West Branch, MI) rose +11.6% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 168.1 in 2023 to 187.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 48661 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in West Branch, Ogemaw County, Michigan, home to 10,691 residents across 689.7 square miles, a density of 16 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.
ZIP 48661 reports a modest median household income of $61,377 (16% below the average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,290. The poverty rate is 10.8%, with unemployment at 4.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $177,000 (19% below the average Michigan ZIP), and median rent is $840; owner occupancy is 79.1%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 50, and the average commute is 23 minutes. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 3 more in Ogemaw County, so 48661 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 48661
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in West Branch, MI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48661.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
80 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
63 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
41 establishments
- Construction
Construction
38 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
38 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 48661, West Branch, 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
10,691
Population
689.7
Area (sq mi)
16
People / sq mi
Detroit
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 48661?
50.0
Median Age
49.4%
Male
50.6%
Female
2.7%
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?
$61,377
Median Household Income
-16% vs state ZIP avg
$34,290
Per Capita Income
10.8%
Poverty Rate
4.6%
Unemployment Rate
22.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 48661 ranks among Michigan ZIPs
West Branch, 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)
$61,377 32nd percentile higher than 32% 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
6,466housing units
6,466
Total Housing Units
4,726
Occupied Units
1,740
Vacant Units
2.21
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$177,000
Median Home Value
-19% vs state ZIP avg
$840
Median Rent
1978
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
+11.6%
YoY Change (2024)
188
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+88%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 48661 have increased 11.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +88% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.6% | 117 |
| 2021 | +17.8% | 138 |
| 2022 | +19.9% | 165 |
| 2023 | +1.8% | 168 |
| 2024 | +11.6% | 188 |
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 401 business establishments in ZIP 48661, employing approximately 4,523 people with a combined annual payroll of $195,589,000.
401
Businesses
4,523
Employees
$195.6M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 80 | 19.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 63 | 15.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 41 | 10.2% |
| Construction | 38 | 9.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 38 | 9.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 25 | 6.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 24 | 6.0% |
| Manufacturing | 15 | 3.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 14 | 3.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 13 | 3.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 12 | 3.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 10 | 2.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 10 | 2.5% |
| Information | 7 | 1.8% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 6 | 1.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 0.8% |
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 48661 vs 48654 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48654 | Rose City, MI | 2,521 | 10.3 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 48661, 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 (10,691 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Ogemaw County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 48661 in?
ZIP code 48661 (West Branch) is located in Ogemaw County, Michigan. Ogemaw County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/ogemaw-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 48661?
ZIP code 48661 in West Branch, MI has a population of 10,691 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48661?
The median household income in ZIP 48661 is $61,377, which is 20% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48661?
The median home value in ZIP 48661 is $177,000, which is 36% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48661?
The largest racial group in ZIP 48661 is White at 92.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48661?
ZIP code 48661 has 401 business establishments employing approximately 4,523 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48661?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48661 are: Retail trade (80), Health care and social assistance (63), Accommodation and food services (41). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48661?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48661 increased by 11.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 88%. 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 48661?
In ZIP code 48661, 55.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.1% 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 48661?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48661 is 22.7 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 48661?
In ZIP code 48661, approximately 79.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 20.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48661?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48661 is 10.8% 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 48661's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 48661 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where West Branch, 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.