East Lansing, MI: Population, ZIP Codes & Nearby Cities

East Lansing, MI is a small incorporated city located in Ingham County in the state of Michigan. Our data estimates 48,145 residents, places it at 42.748°N, 84.484°W, and lists it in Eastern time. This page explains its population rank, ZIP codes, nearby cities and distance to big metros.

What are the key facts about East Lansing, MI?

What is the population of East Lansing, MI?

East Lansing has an estimated population of 48,145. That makes it the 37th largest of the 689 places we list in Michigan, and the 2nd largest of 12 places in Ingham County. The typical place in Michigan has about 1,613 residents, so East Lansing is roughly 29.8 times the size of a typical neighbor in the state.

Estimates for places of this size carry wider margins of error than those for big cities, so treat the figure as a guide to scale. Our guide to understanding city population numbers explains why sources disagree.

Places in Michigan with a similar population include Kentwood (51,898), Traverse City (50,522), Portage (49,445), Monroe (48,317), Roseville (47,018). Comparing these pages is a quick way to see how East Lansing differs from communities of the same scale.

How dense is East Lansing?

East Lansing has about 3,585 people per square mile (1,384 per square kilometer), which we classify as suburban. Within Michigan, it is denser than about 93% of the listed places. Land at this level is usually a mix of single-family neighborhoods, shopping corridors and parks, where driving is common but destinations are close. Read how to interpret population density to see how we draw these lines.

What ZIP codes does East Lansing use?

East Lansing uses 3 ZIP codes: 48825, 48823, 48826. Several codes in one place usually reflect separate delivery areas, post offices or large buildings with their own code. Codes beginning with 4 are assigned to the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley (Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio). Learn more in our guide to how ZIP codes work or check any code with the ZIP code lookup.

What time zone is East Lansing in?

East Lansing is in the Eastern time zone, which is UTC−5 from Coordinated Universal Time in standard time (IANA zone America/Detroit). The area observes daylight saving time, so clocks move forward in March and back in November. The nearest listed place in a different time zone is La Porte, IN, about 139 miles away, which gives a sense of how far the nearest zone boundary may be. Current local time: see the Eastern time hub. For the rules behind these zones, read US time zones explained.

Where is East Lansing located in Michigan?

East Lansing lies in the southeastern part of Michigan, at 42.748° north latitude and 84.484° west longitude. The state capital, Lansing, is about 5 miles to the southwest. The closest listed place in another state is Angola, IN, roughly 81 miles to the south, which shows how near East Lansing is to a state line. For big-city services, the nearest place with more than 100,000 people is Lansing, MI, 5 miles to the southwest.

Which cities are near East Lansing, MI?

The closest listed place to East Lansing is Haslett, MI, 4.1 miles to the east. Of the eight nearest places below, 6 are in the same county. Distances are straight-line (great-circle) miles measured between place centers; see how distance is calculated.

Which county is East Lansing in?

East Lansing is in Ingham County, which has the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) code 26065. The county contains 12 places in our data, 7 of which have their own page here and 5 smaller communities that appear only in county and state lists. Other places in the county include Lansing (324,286), Holt (26,065), Okemos (24,141), Haslett (19,565), Mason (8,458). Codes like this one help separate places that share a name; see the guide to counties and FIPS codes.

How far is East Lansing from major US cities?

Among six major hubs, East Lansing is closest to Chicago, IL at about 175 miles and farthest from Los Angeles, CA at about 1,916 miles in a straight line. Road distances are usually 10 to 30 percent longer. Try the distance calculator for any other pair.

Are there other places called East Lansing?

No. In our data, East Lansing in Ingham County, Michigan is the only place with this name, so the name alone is enough to identify it, though adding the state is still good practice in addresses and forms.

Planning a move to East Lansing?

If you are weighing East Lansing, start with the practical numbers: how far it is from where you live, whether it changes your time zone, and how its size and density compare with your current city. Use the distance calculator to measure the trip from where you live. The radius search tool lists every place within any distance of it. Our checklist for comparing cities explains what to check next.

Where to go next

Population and density come from a compiled dataset and are estimates. They may differ from official Census Bureau counts. Verify important figures at census.gov.