48738 ZIP Code — Greenbush, MI

Alcona County, Michigan

ZIP code 48738 is located in Greenbush, Michigan, within Alcona County. It covers approximately 12.57 square miles and serves a population of 1,036 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 989.

About ZIP code 48738

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $127,000. Owner-occupancy is high at 92%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $59,028. Poverty affects 18% of residents, above the national average. 56% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with manufacturing as the leading industry. The average commute of 20 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 19% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (18%), smoking (20%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 16% of civilians, above the national average of 7%; and disability rates above the national average at 23%.

Overall, ZIP code 48738 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, a strong veteran community, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

1,036

population

12.57

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

48738 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 48738

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 48738. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Greenbush	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

48745 Mikado (7.2 mi) 48740 Harrisville (9.3 mi) 48750 Oscoda (11.6 mi) 48742 Lincoln (12.4 mi) 48730 East Tawas (15.8 mi) 48737 Glennie (17.7 mi) 48705 Barton City (17.8 mi) 48762 Spruce (18.1 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	1,036
Population density	82 / sq mi
State FIPS	26
County FIPS	001

Geography
Land area	12.57 sq mi
Water area	2.78 sq mi
Latitude	44.5539
Longitude	-83.3415
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	989

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	51.5%	57.4%	42.6%
$50k – $100k	41.3%	32.2%	31.1%
$100k – $200k	6.3%	9.0%	20.6%
Over $200k	0.9%	1.4%	5.7%

Demographics & statistics

1,036

Population

People per sq mi

59.6

Median age

$59,028

Median household income

$33,991

Per capita income

$127,000

Median home value

$925

Median monthly rent

91.5%

Home ownership

18.3%

Poverty rate

18.2%

Unemployment

1,358

Housing units

18.8%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

121

65–74

108

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	90	8.7%
18 and over	946	91.3%
65 and over	373	36.0%
Median age	59.6 years

Race & ethnicity

White 94.7%

Two or more races 3.1%

Hispanic or Latino 2.2%

Group	Count	%
White	1,003	94.7%
Two or more races	33	3.1%
Hispanic or Latino	23	2.2%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	51.5%	57.4%	42.6%
$50k – $100k	41.3%	32.2%	31.1%
$100k – $200k	6.3%	9.0%	20.6%
Over $200k	0.9%	1.4%	5.7%

Under $10k 8.3%

$10k–$15k 4.9%

$15k–$25k 10.9%

$25k–$35k 5.1%

$35k–$50k 16.4%

$50k–$75k 15.1%

$75k–$100k 24.2%

$100k–$150k 8.5%

$150k–$200k 4.9%

$200k+ 1.7%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	8.3%
$10k–$15k	4.9%
$15k–$25k	10.9%
$25k–$35k	5.1%
$35k–$50k	16.4%
$50k–$75k	15.1%
$75k–$100k	24.2%
$100k–$150k	8.5%
$150k–$200k	4.9%
$200k+	1.7%
Median income	$59,028

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 5.6%

$50k–$100k 35.1%

$100k–$150k 17.7%

$150k–$200k 11.8%

$200k–$300k 18.1%

$300k–$500k 6.8%

$500k–$1M 3.1%

$1M+ 1.9%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$127,000
Median rent / month	$925
Owner occupied	91.5%
Renter occupied	8.5%
Vacant	62.2%
Single-family detached	93.2%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	3.8%
Median rooms	5.0
Avg household size (owned)	1.92

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	1.2%
2010–2019	6.1%
2000–2009	6.1%
1990–1999	4.5%
1980–1989	7.1%
1970–1979	21.9%
1960–1969	21.9%
1950–1959	18.7%
1940–1949	7.8%
1939 or earlier	4.9%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	7.8%
2 bedrooms	41.1%
3 bedrooms	42.7%
4 bedrooms	7.2%
5+ bedrooms	1.2%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	4.5%
1 vehicle	40.2%
2 vehicles	46.0%
3 or more	9.2%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	75.7%
Electricity	4.5%
Propane / LP gas	12.6%
Fuel oil	1.9%
Wood	5.3%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	278	52.5%
Cohabiting couple	27	5.1%
Male householder, no spouse	98	18.5%
Female householder, no spouse	127	24.0%
Households with children under 18	54	10.2%
Households with seniors (65+)	294	55.5%
Average household size	1.95

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	20.6%	8.3%
Married	58.2%	63.4%
Separated	0.4%	0.0%
Widowed	10.8%	15.8%
Divorced	10.0%	12.5%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.2%

Some HS, no diploma 1.7%

HS graduate 42.1%

Some college, no degree 26.5%

Associate's degree 10.6%

Bachelor's degree 14.1%

Graduate / professional 4.7%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	98.0%
Bachelor's or higher	18.8%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	5	4.8%
Elementary school	57	54.8%
High school	33	31.7%
College / grad school	9	8.7%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 21.8%

Professional & management 15.0%

Arts, food & hospitality 14.0%

Education & healthcare 11.6%

Transportation & utilities 11.3%

Finance & real estate 7.2%

Other services 4.8%

Construction 4.4%

Public administration 3.8%

Retail trade 2.7%

Agriculture & mining 1.7%

Information 1.7%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	37.9%
Service	12.3%
Sales & office	19.8%
Natural resources & construction	9.9%
Production & transportation	20.1%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	83.3%
Government	9.6%
Self-employed	7.2%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	81.1%
Carpool	5.5%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	3.8%
Work from home	9.6%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	19.8

Poverty

All people 18.3%

Under 18 years 14.4%

18 and over 18.7%

Married-couple families 5.0%

Female-led households 65.2%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	56.0%
Retirement income	55.8%
Supplemental Security	13.2%
Cash public assistance	2.3%
Food stamps / SNAP	15.1%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	38.6%
High blood pressure	48.0%
High cholesterol	45.8%
Diabetes	17.5%
Heart disease	12.5%
Stroke	5.5%
Asthma	11.0%
Arthritis	44.1%
Kidney disease	4.9%
Pulmonary disease	13.2%
Cancer	11.2%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	20.4%
Binge drinking	13.2%
No physical activity	26.1%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	31.4%
Depression	20.9%
Fair or poor health	20.8%
Poor mental health	14.2%
Poor physical health	15.1%
No health insurance	9.1%
Visited doctor (checkup)	80.5%
Visited dentist	66.0%
Cholesterol screening	94.7%
Teeth loss	15.3%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	147	15.5%

Disability	%
Any disability	23.3%
Under 18	5.6%
18–64 years	16.6%
65 and over	37.8%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	69.0%
Public insurance	59.9%
No insurance	2.0%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,023	98.7%
Spanish	0	0.0%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	988	95.4%
Born in same state	983	94.9%
Born in different state	835	80.6%
Foreign born	5	0.5%
Naturalized citizen	48	4.6%
Not a US citizen	40	83.3%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	188	18.1%
French	109	10.5%
English	61	5.9%
Arab	28	2.7%

Ancestry	Count	%
German	26	2.5%
Polish	17	1.6%
Irish	6	0.6%
Dutch	3	0.3%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	51.2%
Internet access	87.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 48738

What city is ZIP code 48738 in?

ZIP code 48738 is primarily assigned to Greenbush, Michigan.

What county is ZIP code 48738 in?

ZIP code 48738 falls within Alcona County, Michigan.

Does ZIP code 48738 have an older population?

36% of residents in ZIP code 48738 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Does ZIP code 48738 have a large retiree population?

56% of households in ZIP code 48738 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Is ZIP code 48738 mostly owner-occupied?

92% of occupied units in ZIP code 48738 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 48738?

18% of residents in ZIP code 48738 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What timezone is ZIP code 48738 in?

ZIP code 48738 observes the EST timezone.