PlainZIP

Palo, MI · standard

ZIP Code 48870

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

148
966/sq mi
$34,290
Median income
$93,500
Median home value
0.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Palo 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.

3th pct
household income, US ZIPs
8th pct
home value, US ZIPs
966
people per sq mi
100%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 48870 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 48870 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Palo, Ionia County, Michigan, home to just 148 residents across 0.2 square miles, a density of 966 people per square mile, in the Detroit time zone.

ZIP 48870 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $34,290 (53% below the Michigan average), while per-capita income is $18,960. The poverty rate stands at 18.6% and the unemployment rate at 0.0%. Housing costs here run $93,500 for a typical home value (57% below the state average), with rent averaging - a month; 100.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 0.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 28.5, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 8 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Ionia County, letting you compare 48870 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 →

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 48870, Palo, 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

148

Population

0.2

Area (sq mi)

966

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 48870?

28.5

Median Age

50.0%

Male

50.0%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 97.9%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.1%
Hispanic or Latino 0.0%

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?

$34,290

Median Household Income

-53% vs state

$18,960

Per Capita Income

18.6%

Poverty Rate

0.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 48870 ranks nationally

Palo, MI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$34,290 3rd percentile higher than 3% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 48.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 0.0%

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

What does housing look like?

75

Total Housing Units

75

Occupied Units

0

Vacant Units

2.59

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 100.0%
Renter 0.0%

$93,500

Median Home Value

-57% vs state

1938

Median Year Built

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

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 48870 vs 48834 →

ZIP 48870 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 48870 ranks #9 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 48870 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 48870 ranks #9 of 9 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
48834 Fenwick, MI 2,090 2.7 mi
48860 Muir, MI 1,334 5.5 mi
48845 Hubbardston, MI 1,003 6.9 mi
48865 Orleans, MI 1,903 6.3 mi
48884 Sheridan, MI 4,427 7.4 mi
48846 Ionia, MI 20,269 9.3 mi
48811 Carson City, MI 5,641 8.2 mi
48873 Pewamo, MI 1,615 10.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Ionia County

48846 standard
Ionia, MI
Pop: 20,269
48809 standard
Belding, MI
Pop: 11,015
48875 standard
Portland, MI
Pop: 10,186
48849 standard
Lake Odessa, MI
Pop: 5,717
48881 standard
Saranac, MI
Pop: 5,501
48851 standard
Lyons, MI
Pop: 2,365

Related Areas

Ionia County Palo, MI Michigan

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 48870 in? ▼
ZIP code 48870 (Palo) is located in Ionia County, Michigan. Ionia County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/ionia-mi.
What is the population of ZIP code 48870? ▼
ZIP code 48870 in Palo, MI has a population of 148 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 48870? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 48870 is $34,290, which is 55% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 48870? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 48870 is $93,500, which is 66% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 48870? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 48870 is White at 97.9%.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48870? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 48870 is 18.6% 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.