South Branch, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48761

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

Reviewed by PlainZIP Editorial Team, ZIP Code Data Editors · June 13, 2026

1,026
5/sq mi: $47,188
Median income: $111,200
Median home value: 14.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

South Branch pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

11th pct
household income, US ZIPs: 13th pct
home value, US ZIPs: 5
people per sq mi: 87%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48761 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48761 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 228.0 square miles in South Branch, Iosco County, Michigan. The area is home to 1,026 residents, producing a population density of 5 people per square mile, and falls within the Detroit time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 48761 against Michigan and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 48761 sits at $47,188 (36% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $29,270. The poverty rate stands at 18.4% and the unemployment rate at 5.8%. On housing, the median home value is $111,200 (49% below the state average) with median rent at — per month, and 87.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 48761 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 14.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 63.3, and the average commute is —. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Iosco County, so you can benchmark 48761 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 48761, South Branch, MI · 2023 Accessed 2026-06-13 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

1,026

Population

228.0

Area (sq mi)

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 48761?

63.3

Median Age

48.8%

Male

51.2%

Female

3.0%

Foreign-Born

White 94.1%

African American 0.0%

Asian 1.9%

American Indian or Alaska Native 0.8%

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%

Two or More Ethnicities 3.3%

Hispanic or Latino 0.8%

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?

$47,188

Median Household Income

-36% vs state

$29,270

Per Capita Income

18.4%

Poverty Rate

5.8%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 48761 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$47,188 11th percentile higher than 11% of 30,318 US ZIPs

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 50.6%

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.9%

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

What does housing look like?

1,331

Total Housing Units

448

Occupied Units

883

Vacant Units

1.78

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 87.1%

Renter 12.9%

$111,200

Median Home Value

-49% vs state

1972

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

-9.8%

YoY Change (2022)

140

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+40%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48761 have decreased 9.8% over the past year (2022). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +40% cumulative appreciation.

Year	Annual Change	HPI Index
2018	-8.0%	102
2019	+33.3%	136
2020	-9.2%	124
2021	+25.7%	155
2022	-9.8%	140

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 2022. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 4 business establishments in ZIP 48761, employing approximately 31 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,095,000.

Businesses

Employees

$1.1M

Annual Payroll

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 48761 vs 48743 →

48739

4,043
48635

1,573
48761

1,026
48743

63

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 48761 ranks #3 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

48635

$57,500
48739

$52,802
48761

$47,188

What this shows By household income, ZIP 48761 ranks #3 of 3 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

ZIP Code	City	Population	Distance
48743	Long Lake, MI	63	5.1 mi
48739	Hale, MI	4,043	9.9 mi
48635	Lupton, MI	1,573	9.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Iosco County

Iosco County South Branch, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 48761 in? ▼

ZIP code 48761 (South Branch) is located in Iosco County, Michigan. Iosco County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/iosco-mi.

What is the population of ZIP code 48761? ▼

ZIP code 48761 in South Branch, MI has a population of 1,026 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in ZIP 48761? ▼

The median household income in ZIP 48761 is $47,188, which is 38% below the national average of $76,288.

What is the average home value in ZIP 48761? ▼

The median home value in ZIP 48761 is $111,200, which is 60% below the national average of $278,155.

What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48761? ▼

The largest racial group in ZIP 48761 is White at 94.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.8% of the population.

How many businesses are in ZIP code 48761? ▼

ZIP code 48761 has 4 business establishments employing approximately 31 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.

How have home values changed in ZIP code 48761? ▼

According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48761 decreased by 9.8% in 2022. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 40%. 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 48761? ▼

In ZIP code 48761, 50.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.9% 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 48761? ▼

In ZIP code 48761, approximately 87.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48761? ▼

The poverty rate in ZIP code 48761 is 18.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.