As of January 2012, the U.S. was home to 41,861 ZIP codes. These ZIP codes boast a wild variance in median home values, with the top and bottom illustrating a disparity of epic proportions. The median home value in the most expensive ZIP code, in Alpine, NJ, is more than 712 times that of the median home value in Detroit, MI, the cheapest ZIP code in the U.S. We dug a little deeper into each area to compare the average household size, which homes are occupied by renters vs. owners, and the percentage of homes that are vacant vs. occupied.

Surprisingly, the percentage of vacant homes were highest in the most expensive ZIP codes –due primarily to the fact that many homes in these areas are strictly vacation or short-term rental homes.

Click on the arrow to enter our interactive app, then hover over each area’s ZIP code circles and click on each state for more details.