Greenbush, MI · standard
ZIP Code 48738
Alcona County, Michigan - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,269
- 45/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $63,462
- Median income Near-median income area
- $193,900
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 24.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Greenbush pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 36th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 42nd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 45
- people per sq mi
- 86%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48738 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 48738 (Greenbush, MI) rose +2.3% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 204.9 in 2023 to 209.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 48738 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Greenbush, Alcona County, Michigan, home to just 1,269 residents across 28.1 square miles, a density of 45 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.
ZIP 48738 reports a modest median household income of $63,462 (13% below the average Michigan ZIP), while per-capita income is $41,597. The poverty rate is 11.1%, with unemployment at 6.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $193,900 (12% below the average Michigan ZIP) and median rent is $950; 86.2% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 60.1, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Alcona County, so 48738 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 →
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 48738, Greenbush, 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
1,269
Population
28.1
Area (sq mi)
45
People / sq mi
Detroit
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 48738?
60.1
Median Age
46.7%
Male
53.3%
Female
5.7%
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?
$63,462
Median Household Income
-13% vs state ZIP avg
$41,597
Per Capita Income
11.1%
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 48738 ranks among Michigan ZIPs
Greenbush, 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)
$63,462 38th percentile higher than 38% 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
1,338housing units
1,338
Total Housing Units
602
Occupied Units
736
Vacant Units
1.88
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$193,900
Median Home Value
-12% vs state ZIP avg
$950
Median Rent
1971
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
+2.3%
YoY Change (2024)
210
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+110%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 48738 have increased 2.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +110% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.2% | 123 |
| 2021 | +12.4% | 138 |
| 2022 | +18.6% | 164 |
| 2023 | +24.9% | 205 |
| 2024 | +2.3% | 210 |
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 14 business establishments in ZIP 48738, employing approximately 123 people with a combined annual payroll of $3,209,000.
14
Businesses
123
Employees
$3.2M
Annual Payroll
0
Industry Sectors
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 48738 vs 48740 →
ZIP 48738 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 48750
Oscoda (48750)
8,846 residents
- 48740 2,556
Harrisville (48740)
2,556 residents
- 48745 1,346
Mikado (48745)
1,346 residents
- 48738 1,269
Greenbush (48738)
1,269 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 48738 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 48738 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 48738
Greenbush (48738)
$63,462 median income
- 48740
Harrisville (48740)
$54,393 median income
- 48745
Mikado (48745)
$49,844 median income
- 48750
Oscoda (48750)
$45,561 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 48738 ranks the highest of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 48738, 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 (1,269 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Alcona County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 48738 in?
ZIP code 48738 (Greenbush) is located in Alcona County, Michigan. Alcona County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/alcona-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 48738?
ZIP code 48738 in Greenbush, MI has a population of 1,269 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48738?
The median household income in ZIP 48738 is $63,462, which is 17% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48738?
The median home value in ZIP 48738 is $193,900, which is 30% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48738?
The largest racial group in ZIP 48738 is White at 94.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48738?
ZIP code 48738 has 14 business establishments employing approximately 123 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48738?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48738 increased by 2.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 110%. 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 48738?
In ZIP code 48738, 58.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 48738?
In ZIP code 48738, approximately 86.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48738?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48738 is 11.1% 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 48738's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 48738 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Greenbush, 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.