PlainZIP

Alma, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48801

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

12,923
70/sq mi
$58,750
Median income
$129,700
Median home value
28.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Alma pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

27th pct
household income, US ZIPs
20th pct
home value, US ZIPs
70
people per sq mi
75%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48801 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48801 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Alma, Gratiot County, Michigan, home to 12,923 residents across 185.1 square miles, a density of 70 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48801 reports a modest median household income of $58,750 (20% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $30,233. 17.9% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 5.6%. On housing, the median home value is $129,700 (41% below the state average) with median rent at $838 per month, and 75.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 28.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35, and the average commute is 20 minutes. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Gratiot County, so you can benchmark 48801 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 48801

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Alma, MI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 48801.

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 48801, Alma, 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

12,923

Population

185.1

Area (sq mi)

70

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 48801?

35.0

Median Age

47.5%

Male

52.5%

Female

1.6%

Foreign-Born

White 89.8%
African American 1.4%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 10.2%

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?

$58,750

Median Household Income

-20% vs state

$30,233

Per Capita Income

17.9%

Poverty Rate

5.6%

Unemployment Rate

20.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 48801 ranks nationally

Alma, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$58,750 27th percentile higher than 27% 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 63.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 28.5%

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

What does housing look like?

5,328

Total Housing Units

4,995

Occupied Units

333

Vacant Units

2.34

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 75.0%
Renter 25.0%

$129,700

Median Home Value

-41% vs state

$838

Median Rent

1968

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

+12.3%

YoY Change (2024)

206

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+106%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 48801 have increased 12.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +106% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +8.4% 133
2021 +15.1% 153
2022 +10.3% 169
2023 +8.8% 184
2024 +12.3% 206

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 319 business establishments in ZIP 48801, employing approximately 6,593 people with a combined annual payroll of $327,149,000.

319

Businesses

6,593

Employees

$327.1M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 56 17.6%
Retail trade 51 16.0%
Other services (except public administration) 39 12.2%
Accommodation and food services 34 10.7%
Finance and insurance 23 7.2%
Manufacturing 22 6.9%
Construction 17 5.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 16 5.0%
Wholesale trade 12 3.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 12 3.8%
Transportation and warehousing 11 3.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 10 3.1%
Information 8 2.5%
Educational services 3 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 0.9%

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 48801 vs 48832 →

ZIP 48801 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 48801 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 48801 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 48801 ranks #5 of 5 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
48832 Elwell, MI 1,393 5.7 mi
48880 Saint Louis, MI 10,669 7.9 mi
48889 Sumner, MI 1,322 8.4 mi
48847 Ithaca, MI 6,041 9.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Gratiot County

48847 standard
Ithaca, MI
Pop: 6,041
48615 standard
Breckenridge, MI
Pop: 3,058
48877 standard
Riverdale, MI
Pop: 2,392
48871 standard
Perrinton, MI
Pop: 1,952
48806 standard
Ashley, MI
Pop: 1,676
48662 standard
Wheeler, MI
Pop: 1,594

Related Areas

Gratiot County Alma, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 48801 in? ▼
ZIP code 48801 (Alma) is located in Gratiot County, Michigan. Gratiot County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/gratiot-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 48801? ▼
ZIP code 48801 in Alma, MI has a population of 12,923 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48801? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48801 is $58,750, which is 23% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48801? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48801 is $129,700, which is 53% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48801? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48801 is White at 89.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 48801? ▼
ZIP code 48801 has 319 business establishments employing approximately 6,593 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 48801? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 48801 are: Health care and social assistance (56), Retail trade (51), Other services (except public administration) (39). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 48801? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 48801 increased by 12.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 106%. 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 48801? ▼
In ZIP code 48801, 63.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 28.5% 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 48801? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 48801 is 20.2 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 48801? ▼
In ZIP code 48801, approximately 75.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48801? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48801 is 17.9% 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.