PlainZIP

Bay City, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48708

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

27,262
378/sq mi
$50,518
Median income
$107,700
Median home value
17.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Bay City pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

15th pct
household income, US ZIPs
12th pct
home value, US ZIPs
378
people per sq mi
70%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48708 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48708 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Bay City, Bay County, Michigan, with 27,262 residents across 72.2 square miles, a density of 378 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48708 reports a modest median household income of $50,518 (31% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $30,952. Local economic indicators show a 18.3% poverty rate alongside 6.8% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $107,700 (51% below the state average); renters pay a median of $751 monthly, and 70.1% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.9, and the average commute is 24 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 8 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 48708, plus 6 more within Bay County, give a clearer read than the 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 48708

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Bay City, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48708.

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 48708, 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

27,262

Population

72.2

Area (sq mi)

378

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 48708?

41.9

Median Age

48.5%

Male

51.5%

Female

2.3%

Foreign-Born

White 84.9%
African American 2.4%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.2%
Hispanic or Latino 12.3%

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?

$50,518

Median Household Income

-31% vs state

$30,952

Per Capita Income

18.3%

Poverty Rate

6.8%

Unemployment Rate

23.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48708 ranks nationally

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

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

$50,518 15th percentile higher than 15% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 51.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.8%

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

What does housing look like?

12,437

Total Housing Units

11,364

Occupied Units

1,073

Vacant Units

2.22

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 70.1%
Renter 29.9%

$107,700

Median Home Value

-51% vs state

$751

Median Rent

1945

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

+14.4%

YoY Change (2024)

161

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+61%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48708 have increased 14.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +61% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +7.3% 102
2021 +13.1% 116
2022 +15.3% 133
2023 +5.6% 141
2024 +14.4% 161

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 548 business establishments in ZIP 48708, employing approximately 9,843 people with a combined annual payroll of $445,047,000.

548

Businesses

9,843

Employees

$445.0M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 107 19.5%
Retail trade 87 15.9%
Other services (except public administration) 70 12.8%
Accommodation and food services 67 12.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 51 9.3%
Construction 37 6.8%
Finance and insurance 29 5.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 23 4.2%
Manufacturing 22 4.0%
Wholesale trade 12 2.2%
Transportation and warehousing 8 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 8 1.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 7 1.3%
Information 6 1.1%
Management of companies and enterprises 6 1.1%
Educational services 6 1.1%

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 48708 vs 48732 →

ZIP 48708 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 48708 ranks #3 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 48708 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 48708 ranks #5 of 8 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
48732 Essexville, MI 11,483 4.4 mi
48747 Munger, MI 1,494 5.0 mi
48706 Bay City, MI 40,596 6.0 mi
48710 University Center, MI 0 7.2 mi
48724 Carrollton, MI 359 8.0 mi
48604 Saginaw, MI 13,074 7.5 mi
48607 Saginaw, MI 1,774 10.0 mi
48602 Saginaw, MI 30,119 11.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Bay County

48706 standard
Bay City, MI
Pop: 40,596
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 48708 in? ▼
ZIP code 48708 (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 48708? ▼
ZIP code 48708 in Bay City, MI has a population of 27,262 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48708? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48708 is $50,518, which is 34% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48708? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48708 is $107,700, which is 61% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48708? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48708 is White at 84.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 12.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48708? ▼
ZIP code 48708 has 548 business establishments employing approximately 9,843 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48708? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48708 are: Health care and social assistance (107), Retail trade (87), Other services (except public administration) (70). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48708? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48708 increased by 14.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 61%. 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 48708? ▼
In ZIP code 48708, 51.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.8% 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 48708? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48708 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 48708? ▼
In ZIP code 48708, approximately 70.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 29.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48708? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48708 is 18.3% 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.