ZIP Code 48601: Population, Income, Housing

State: MI

Total population: 31,601 Household income: $38,900 Rent: $856

Overview

Total population

31,601

Rent

$856

Year built

1958

Household income

$38,900

Per capita income

$21,720

Poverty rate

31.6%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.4 persons

Rent over 30% of income

55.5%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Demographics

State

Michigan

County

Saginaw County

City

Buena Vista

Total population

31,601

Adults over 25

20,951

Total households

13,323

Household size

2.4 persons

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Income & Poverty

Household income

$38,900

Per capita income

$21,720

Poverty rate

31.6%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

55.5%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Housing

Rent

$856

Year built

1958

Households that rent

32.8%

Households that own

67.2%

Rooms per home (all homes)

5.7

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Race

White

30.6%

Black

58.8%

Asian

0.1%

Two or more races

7.2%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

11.8%

Not Hispanic or Latino

88.2%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Commute

Commute rate

10,521 (93.4%)

Commute time to work

21 mins

Work from home

748 (6.6%)

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Education

Less than high school

38.6%

High school graduate or GED

38.3%

Some college or associate degree

13.2%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

9.9%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Comparison of ZIP Code 48601 with: Saginaw County, MI Michigan United States

ZIP 48601

Total population31,601

Rent$856

Year built1958

Household income$38,900

Per capita income$21,720

Poverty rate31.6%

Unemployment rateN/A

Saginaw County, MI

Total population188,665

Rent$947

Year built1968

Household income$60,622

Per capita income$34,578

Poverty rate18.2%

Unemployment rate6.3%

Michigan State

Total population10,077,761

Rent$1,129

Year built1972

Household income$72,875

Per capita income$40,735

Poverty rate13.2%

Unemployment rate4.7%

United States

Total population334,922,499

Rent$1,413

Year built1980

Household income$80,734

Per capita income$44,673

Poverty rate12.5%

Unemployment rate4%

Metric	ZIP48601	CountySaginaw, MI	StateMichigan	CountryUnited States
Total population	31,601	188,665	10,077,761	334,922,499
Rent	$856	$947	$1,129	$1,413
Year built	1958	1968	1972	1980
Household income	$38,900	$60,622	$72,875	$80,734
Per capita income	$21,720	$34,578	$40,735	$44,673
Poverty rate	31.6%	18.2%	13.2%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	6.3%	4.7%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 48601

Rent & Income

In 48601, the typical monthly rent is $856 and the typical household income is $38,900. Rent here is lower than Michigan, and household income is lower than Michigan. The estimated poverty rate is 31.6%.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 32.8% of households. About 55.5% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Only 9.9% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher, indicating very low levels of formal education.

ZIP 48601 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 48601 — Poverty

How ZIP 48601 compares in Michigan (88 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$856	1 / 88	from lower rent	$856 – $2,049
Household income	$38,900	84 / 88	from higher income	$30,680 – $131,558
Poverty rate	31.6%	78 / 88	from lower poverty	3.2% – 41.8%

Rankings are calculated among ZIP Codes in Michigan with total population > 30,000 (year 2024).

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 48601

Rent

In terms of rental prices, this ZIP stands 1st out of 88 ZIP Codes in Michigan. Across Michigan, figures vary from $856 in ZIP 48601 up to $2,049 in ZIP 48322.

Household income

When comparing household incomes, ZIP Code 48601 stands 84th out of 88 ZIP Codes. Throughout Michigan, numbers span from $30,680 in ZIP 48228 up to $131,558 in ZIP 48178.

Poverty rate

Looking at poverty indicators, this ZIP stands 78th out of 88 ZIP Codes. At the state level, values extend from 3.2% in ZIP 48042 up to 41.8% in ZIP 48228.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 48601 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $856 ℹ️ What’s Included:
✅ Base rent, electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuels
❌ Not included: internet, cable TV, renter's insurance, parking

💡 What does this rent estimate mean?

Explanation: This estimate shows what renters typically pay each month for housing — including the apartment or home and essential utilities like heat, water, and electricity.

Included in this number: Rent plus electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuel.

Not included: Internet, cable, parking, renter’s insurance, or furniture rental.

Note: This cost does not depend on the number of people living in the home.

👨‍👧‍👦 Household Income in ZIP Code 48601

Annual Household Income: $38,900

💡 What does Household Income mean?

Definition: This represents the middle value of all household incomes in the ZIP code — half of households earn less, and half earn more.

Includes: wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security, pensions, investments, unemployment, public assistance, and rental income.

Does NOT include: capital gains, non-cash benefits (like food stamps), or tax refunds.

Household = any group of people (or a single person) living in the same housing unit.

Example: A couple earning $40,000 and $30,000 together have a household income of $70,000. If that's in the middle of all local incomes, it's the value shown here.

📉 Poverty Rate in ZIP Code 48601

Estimated Rate: 31.6%

💡 What does the Poverty Rate represent?

Definition: The percentage of people in this area living below the federal poverty threshold.

How it works: The threshold is a dollar amount set by the U.S. Census Bureau that varies by family size and age. If a household's income is below that level, everyone in it is included in this rate.

Example: In a town of 10,000 people, if 1,500 have incomes below the poverty line, the poverty rate is 15%.

Note: This statistic only includes people living in households; it does not count those in student housing, military barracks, or nursing homes.

🏘️ Renter vs. Owner Households in ZIP Code 48601

In ZIP Code 48601, households that rent: 4,371 (32.8%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	4,371	32.8%
Owner-Occupied	8,952	67.2%

Definition: This is the percentage of households that rent their home rather than own it. It includes only occupied housing units.

Why it matters: Areas with a high share of renter households often have younger populations, higher mobility, and different housing needs compared to mostly owner-occupied areas.

Example: If 65% of homes in an area are renter-occupied, it means 65 out of every 100 households rent their home.

📉 Renters Spending Over 30% of Income on Rent in ZIP Code 48601

In ZIP Code 48601, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 2,424 (55.5%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	2,424	55.5%
Other renter households	1,947	44.5%
Total renter households	4,371	100%

Shares are calculated as a percentage of renter households.

This shows how many renters in the ZIP code are considered cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing (rent and basic utilities).

It’s a sign that housing might be unaffordable in the area or that lower-income residents may be struggling with rent.

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

📊 Education Levels in ZIP Code 48601

Less than High School: 8,091 people (38.6%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 8,025 people (38.3%)

Includes adults whose highest education is a high school diploma or GED.

Some College or Associate Degree: 2,769 people (13.2%)

Includes adults who attended college without completing a bachelor’s degree (some college or associate degree).

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 2,066 people (9.9%)

Includes adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree).

👥 Total Adults (25+): 20,951

ℹ️ Have questions about how these statistics are calculated? See our data methodology & FAQs

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau) — unemployment rate from BLS. Some values are derived metrics.