PlainZIP

Bay City, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48706

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

40,596
234/sq mi
$62,747
Median income
$155,800
Median home value
24.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Bay City pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

34th pct
household income, US ZIPs
28th pct
home value, US ZIPs
234
people per sq mi
78%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48706 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48706 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Bay City, Bay County, Michigan, with 40,596 residents across 173.5 square miles, a density of 234 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48706 reports a modest median household income of $62,747 (14% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $36,643. Local economic indicators show a 12.3% poverty rate alongside 3.7% unemployment. Median home value sits at $155,800 (29% below the state average), median rent at $922 a month, and owner-occupancy at 78.2%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.7, and the average commute is 21 minutes. We also surface 7 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Bay County, so you can benchmark 48706 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 48706

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Bay City, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48706.

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 48706, Bay City, 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

40,596

Population

173.5

Area (sq mi)

234

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 48706?

44.7

Median Age

48.6%

Male

51.4%

Female

1.0%

Foreign-Born

White 92.0%
African American 0.8%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.8%
Hispanic or Latino 3.6%

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?

$62,747

Median Household Income

-14% vs state

$36,643

Per Capita Income

12.3%

Poverty Rate

3.7%

Unemployment Rate

20.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48706 ranks nationally

Bay City, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$62,747 34th percentile higher than 34% 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 55.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.7%

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

What does housing look like?

18,537

Total Housing Units

17,184

Occupied Units

1,353

Vacant Units

2.24

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.2%
Renter 21.8%

$155,800

Median Home Value

-29% vs state

$922

Median Rent

1965

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

+7.6%

YoY Change (2024)

166

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+66%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48706 have increased 7.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +66% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.6% 111
2021 +11.1% 123
2022 +16.5% 144
2023 +7.3% 154
2024 +7.6% 166

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 904 business establishments in ZIP 48706, employing approximately 12,822 people with a combined annual payroll of $622,935,000.

904

Businesses

12,822

Employees

$622.9M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 168 18.6%
Health care and social assistance 148 16.4%
Other services (except public administration) 96 10.6%
Accommodation and food services 91 10.1%
Construction 68 7.5%
Finance and insurance 54 6.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 50 5.5%
Manufacturing 46 5.1%
Wholesale trade 42 4.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 39 4.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 36 4.0%
Transportation and warehousing 23 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 22 2.4%
Information 7 0.8%
Educational services 7 0.8%
Management of companies and enterprises 4 0.4%

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 48706 vs 48710 →

ZIP 48706 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 48706 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 48706 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 48706 ranks #4 of 7 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
48710 University Center, MI 0 3.3 mi
48604 Saginaw, MI 13,074 7.1 mi
48631 Kawkawlin, MI 4,643 6.5 mi
48708 Bay City, MI 27,262 6.0 mi
48724 Carrollton, MI 359 9.6 mi
48611 Auburn, MI 6,554 7.3 mi
48603 Saginaw, MI 26,913 10.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Bay County

48708 standard
Bay City, MI
Pop: 27,262
48732 standard
Essexville, MI
Pop: 11,483
48650 standard
Pinconning, MI
Pop: 7,253
48611 standard
Auburn, MI
Pop: 6,554
48631 standard
Kawkawlin, MI
Pop: 4,643
48634 standard
Linwood, MI
Pop: 4,371

Related Areas

Bay County Bay City, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 48706 in? ▼
ZIP code 48706 (Bay City) is located in Bay County, Michigan. Bay County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/bay-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 48706? ▼
ZIP code 48706 in Bay City, MI has a population of 40,596 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48706? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48706 is $62,747, which is 18% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48706? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48706 is $155,800, which is 44% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48706? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48706 is White at 92.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48706? ▼
ZIP code 48706 has 904 business establishments employing approximately 12,822 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48706? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48706 are: Retail trade (168), Health care and social assistance (148), Other services (except public administration) (96). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48706? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48706 increased by 7.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 66%. 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 48706? ▼
In ZIP code 48706, 55.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.7% 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 48706? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48706 is 20.9 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 48706? ▼
In ZIP code 48706, approximately 78.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48706? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48706 is 12.3% 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.