Portsmouth is a charter township in Bay County, Michigan, home to about 3,183 people across 20 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 48708 and 48747.
Homes sold for a median of $106 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 1 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Bay City; part is in Portsmouth
Mostly Merritt; part is in Portsmouth
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Portsmouth. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Portsmouth’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR)96 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | MBS International Airport (MBS)11 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Detroit, MI91 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL228 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Portsmouth; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Portsmouth had 3,224 residents in the 2020 census, down 11% since 2000.
It’s the 555th largest of 1,531 towns in Michigan by population.
Bay County grew from 62,378 residents in 1900 to 103,856 in 2020.
Bay County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 16°F. About 33.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Essexville, MI weather station (3 miles away).
29,377 jobs at 2,044 businesses in Bay County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
487 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Portsmouth’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 28 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 71 |
| Dentists | 19 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 67 |
| Mental health providers | 205 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 88 |
| Optometrists | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 5 |
| Pharmacies | 12 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (29 nearby)
Grocery stores (5 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (2 nearby)
Museums (3 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (2 nearby)
Counts are within about 3 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Bay City Academy, Bay City School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay City Academy Farragut CampusBay City | Pre-K–12 | 373 | Charter | 1.5 mi |
| Hampton Elementary SchoolBay City | Pre-K–5 | 399 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| MacGregor Elementary SchoolBay City | Pre-K–5 | 290 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Washington Elementary SchoolBay City | Pre-K–5 | 362 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Bay City Central High SchoolBay City | 9–12 | 921 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Bay City Eastern High SchoolBay City | 9–12 | 137 | Alternative Education | 2.1 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Saints ElementaryBay City | Pre-K–5 | 93 | Roman Catholic | 1.4 mi |
| Bethel Lutheran SchoolBay City | Pre-K–8 | 76 | Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod | 1.5 mi |
| Immanuel Lutheran SchoolBay City | Pre-K–8 | 87 | Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod | 1.3 mi |
| Trinity Evangelical Lutheran SchoolBay City | Pre-K–8 | 82 | Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod | 1.7 mi |
| All Saints Catholic Middle & High SchoolBay City | 6–12 | 140 | Roman Catholic | 1.4 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Bay City, Merritt, Hampton, Blumfield and Zilwaukee Township.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.