Population 18,506 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 48838
Household size in ZIP 48838
| Period | ZIP 48838 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.60 | 2.69 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.58 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.41 | 2.69 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.66 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.03 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
The average household in ZIP 48838 has 2.53 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.60, as it has nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the west.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in ZIP 48838
| Period | ZIP 48838 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8 | 36.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.0 | 37.2 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.8 | 37.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.1 | 38.3 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.4 | +2.3 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in ZIP 48838 are younger than 40.1 and half are older, the same as the national median. The population here is older than in the wider Grand Rapids area, where the median age is 38.3. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.8, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in ZIP 48838
| Period | ZIP 48838 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.5% | 11.0% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.6% | 10.9% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.4% | 10.5% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 9.7% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −8.1 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in ten households in ZIP 48838 (9.4%), below the national share of 11.6%. The Grand Rapids area as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share has fallen 8.1 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in ZIP 48838
Renters in ZIP 48838
| Period | ZIP 48838 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.9% | 24.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.2% | 26.9% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.1% | 26.6% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.7% | 25.4% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | +0.7 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in ZIP 48838 own their homes; 25.7% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 37.4% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the northwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 2.2 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in ZIP 48838
| Period | ZIP 48838 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.0% | 9.6% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 8.8% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 7.1% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 6.6% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in ZIP 48838 as nationally: 8.8%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Grand Rapids area overall (6.6%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.2 points, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in ZIP 48838
| Period | ZIP 48838 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1974 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1974 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1976 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1978 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +5 | +3 | +6 |
The typical home in ZIP 48838 was built around 1979, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1971 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in ZIP 48838
| Period | ZIP 48838 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $632 | $800 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $758 | $848 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $773 | $950 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,086 | $1,285 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$453 | +$485 | +$395 | +$606 |
The median renter in ZIP 48838 pays $1,086 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $453 a month since 2006–10, up 72%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.8% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the southeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in ZIP 48838
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 48838
| Period | ZIP 48838 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.5% | 27.1% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.6% | 29.1% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.1% | 31.9% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.1% | 36.9% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +9.8 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in ZIP 48838: 21.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 4.6 points, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in ZIP 48838
| Period | ZIP 48838 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.8% | 88.5% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.2% | 89.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.3% | 91.0% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.6% | 92.2% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in ZIP 48838 is close to the national rate: 90.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the wider Grand Rapids area (92.2%). The share with a diploma has risen 4.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in ZIP 48838
| Period | ZIP 48838 | Grand Rapids area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 9.2% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 9.0% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 4.2% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 3.9% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −10.4 pts | −5.3 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in ZIP 48838 runs below the national rate: 4.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 10.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
ZIP 48838 compared with nearby ZIP codes
| ZIP code | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP 48838 | 2.53 | 40.1 | 9.4% | 25.7% | 8.8% | 1979 | $1,086 | 21.1% | 90.6% | 4.4% |
| ZIP 49326 | 2.70 | 43.1 | 4.2% | 8.1% | 21.2% | 1984 | $1,154 | 26.0% | 92.2% | 3.2% |
| ZIP 48809 | 2.63 | 42.2 | 13.2% | 23.1% | 10.7% | 1966 | $909 | 17.8% | 91.4% | 4.0% |
| ZIP 48885 | 2.68 | 43.9 | 13.1% | 11.0% | 12.0% | 1976 | $1,130 | 15.9% | 83.5% | 5.6% |
| ZIP 48865 | 2.65 | 41.6 | 12.9% | 21.6% | 12.5% | 1979 | $840 | 11.2% | 88.0% | 1.3% |
| ZIP 48884 | 2.78 | 40.3 | 10.7% | 9.9% | 10.0% | 1977 | $932 | 12.6% | 86.4% | 3.4% |
| ZIP 48834 | 2.87 | 38.7 | 8.6% | 17.9% | 6.7% | 1979 | $948 | 14.4% | 89.1% | 2.8% |
| ZIP 49341 | 2.73 | 40.3 | 7.5% | 8.9% | 4.5% | 1994 | $1,367 | 51.1% | 97.1% | 3.5% |
| ZIP 49319 | 2.62 | 42.7 | 9.9% | 11.0% | 4.6% | 1990 | $1,101 | 23.1% | 93.9% | 3.4% |
| ZIP 49343 | 2.49 | 44.2 | 7.5% | 9.6% | 11.5% | 1989 | $825 | 15.2% | 91.2% | 2.4% |
| ZIP 49306 | 2.78 | 44.1 | 6.3% | 3.1% | 3.3% | 1994 | $1,253 | 50.4% | 95.9% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 06105, CT · 07079, NJ · 07735, NJ · 11411, NY · 13205, NY · 18603, PA · 79045, TX · 85715, AZ · 77568, TX · 77401, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up ZIP 48838. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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