Census tract · Wayne County
Census Tract 5242, Wayne County, Michigan
Census Tract 5242, GEOID 26163524200, in Wayne County, Michigan, entirely within Detroit. 4,434 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±988); the 2020 Census counted 4,366.
Residents, 2020-2024
4,434
±988 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 4,366
Median household income
$46,446
±$19,062 (90% margin)
Wayne County: $60,539
Median home value
$82,500
±$22,888 (90% margin)
Wayne County: $178,500
Median gross rent
$1,000
±$352 (90% margin)
Wayne County: $1,132
Where is Census Tract 5242?
Census Tract 5242 is one of 627 census tracts in Wayne County, Michigan. It covers 0.33 square miles of land, 13,072 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 26163524200, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Detroit | 100% |
3 census tracts border Census Tract 5242: Tract 5240.01 ($47,344), Tract 5241.01 ($39,035) and Tract 5243 ($44,885). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 5242?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 5242's population at 4,434 (±988) in 1,495 households; the 2020 Census counted 4,366 residents and 1,463 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 5242 | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,434 ±988 | 638,530 |
| Households | 1,495 ±266 | 257,998 |
| Average household size | 2.96 ±0.38 | 2.43 |
| Housing units | 1,667 ±257 | 329,393 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 5242?
The median resident of Census Tract 5242 is 34.6 years old; 32.7% are under 18 and 6.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 70.1%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 29.8%. 28.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 5242 | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.6 ±8.5 | 35.2 |
| Under 18 years | 32.7% ±10.3 pts | 24.8% |
| 65 years and over | 6.2% ±4.0 pts | 15.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 70.1% ±10.4 pts | 8.3% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 29.8% ±10.4 pts | 10.8% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 75.0% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 1.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.2% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 3.4% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.6% |
| Born outside the United States | 28.0% ±8.1 pts | 6.6% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 70.7% ±11.0 pts | 12.0% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 4.1% |
| With a disability | 14.3% ±5.9 pts | 19.9% |
| No health insurance coverage | 19.2% ±7.2 pts | 7.4% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 69.4% ±8.7 pts | 83.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 7.1% ±5.0 pts | 18.1% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 7.3% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.8% ±5.1 pts | 88.4% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 5242 earn?
Half of the 1,495 households in Census Tract 5242 earn less than $46,446 a year (±$19,062), against $60,539 across Wayne County: 334th highest of the county's 541 tracts with a reliable estimate. 21.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 5242 | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,446 ±$19,062 | $39,938 |
| Mean household income | $57,644 ±$14,997 | $57,223 |
| Per capita income | $19,700 ±$5,232 | $24,594 |
| People below the poverty line | 21.2% ±10.1 pts | 32.7% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 19.6% ±15.5 pts | 46.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 18.3% ±14.6 pts | 39.0% |
| Households with a computer | 93.3% ±5.5 pts | 92.4% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.6% ±9.1 pts | 85.7% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 5242?
Owners occupy 73.5% of Census Tract 5242's occupied homes and renters 26.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $82,500 by its owner (±$22,888). The median renter pays $1,000 a month including utilities, and 67.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 5242 | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $82,500 ±$22,888 | $83,900 |
| Median gross rent | $1,000 ±$352 | $1,074 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 67.3% ±39.0 pts | 51.2% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,050 ±$119 | $1,238 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 73.5% ±13.6 pts | 50.3% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 26.5% ±13.6 pts | 49.7% |
| Housing units | 1,667 ±257 | 329,393 |
| Single-family detached homes | 77.6% ±9.5 pts | 64.3% |
| Mobile homes | 1.2% ±2.0 pts | 0.4% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.2% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 1.7% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 59.5% ±12.9 pts | 36.3% |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.5% ±8.1 pts | 20.1% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 5242 get to work?
86.6% of Census Tract 5242's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 31.8 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 5242 | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 54.3% ±11.8 pts | 54.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.1% ±4.4 pts | 14.0% |
| Drove alone to work | 86.6% ±7.9 pts | 65.5% |
| Carpooled | 3.7% ±4.2 pts | 10.6% |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 4.9% |
| Walked | 0.8% ±1.3 pts | 2.8% |
| Worked from home | 8.3% ±7.9 pts | 12.0% |
| Mean travel time to work | 31.8 min ±7.1 | 24.8 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 5242 compare with the other tracts in Wayne County?
Among Wayne County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 5242 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Wayne County | In Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 91st of 583 | 10th of 265 |
| Residents per square mile | 14th of 625 | 5th of 274 |
| Median household income | 334th of 541 | 64th of 233 |
| Per capita income | 463rd of 581 | 165th of 263 |
| Median home value | 393rd of 540 | 98th of 234 |
| Median gross rent | 384th of 529 | 163rd of 250 |
| Poverty rate | 273rd of 454 | 208th of 239 |
| Median age | 396th of 581 | 141st of 263 |
| Owner-occupied share | 202nd of 565 | 23rd of 252 |
The tracts next to it on Wayne County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 5688 | 331st | $47,232±$7,103 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 5705 | 332nd | $46,991±$16,456 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 5362 | 333rd | $46,468±$15,938 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 5242 | 334th | $46,446±$19,062 |
| Tract 5520 | 335th | $46,094±$6,489 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 5737.02 | 336th | $46,027±$7,054 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 5203 | 337th | $46,000±$22,935 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 5242?
4 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 5242 on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections