ZIP Code 51501: Population, Income, Housing

State: IA

Total population: 34,618 Household income: $59,843 Rent: $1,059

Overview

Total population

34,618

Rent

$1,059

Year built

1963

Household income

$59,843

Per capita income

$30,735

Poverty rate

16.3%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.4 persons

Rent over 30% of income

39.3%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Demographics

State

Iowa

County

Pottawattamie County

City

Council Bluffs

Total population

34,618

Adults over 25

23,931

Total households

14,271

Household size

2.4 persons

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Income & Poverty

Household income

$59,843

Per capita income

$30,735

Poverty rate

16.3%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

39.3%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Housing

Rent

$1,059

Year built

1963

Households that rent

36.2%

Households that own

63.8%

Rooms per home (all homes)

5.2

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Race

White

82.8%

Black

1.7%

Asian

1.7%

Two or more races

9.5%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

16%

Not Hispanic or Latino

84%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Commute

Commute rate

15,013 (91.9%)

Commute time to work

18 mins

Work from home

1,315 (8.1%)

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Education

Less than high school

31.5%

High school graduate or GED

38.9%

Some college or associate degree

13.6%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

16%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Comparison of ZIP Code 51501 with: Pottawattamie County, IA Council Bluffs, IA Omaha metro area, NE-IA Iowa United States

ZIP 51501

Total population34,618

Rent$1,059

Year built1963

Household income$59,843

Per capita income$30,735

Poverty rate16.3%

Unemployment rateN/A

Pottawattamie County, IA

Total population93,424

Rent$1,018

Year built1967

Household income$73,602

Per capita income$37,477

Poverty rate12.1%

Unemployment rate3%

Council Bluffs, IA

Total population62,586

Rent$1,030

Year built1965

Household income$64,578

Per capita income$33,937

Poverty rate15.1%

Unemployment rate3.1%

Omaha Metro Area, NE-IA

Total population982,064

Rent$1,192

Year built1979

Household income$84,829

Per capita income$45,491

Poverty rate10%

Unemployment rate3%

Iowa State

Total population3,210,507

Rent$972

Year built1972

Household income$75,059

Per capita income$40,877

Poverty rate11.1%

Unemployment rate3%

United States

Total population334,922,499

Rent$1,413

Year built1980

Household income$80,734

Per capita income$44,673

Poverty rate12.5%

Unemployment rate4%

Metric	ZIP51501	CountyPottawattamie, IA	CityCouncil Bluffs, IA	Metro AreaOmaha metro area, NE-IA	StateIowa	CountryUnited States
Total population	34,618	93,424	62,586	982,064	3,210,507	334,922,499
Rent	$1,059	$1,018	$1,030	$1,192	$972	$1,413
Year built	1963	1967	1965	1979	1972	1980
Household income	$59,843	$73,602	$64,578	$84,829	$75,059	$80,734
Per capita income	$30,735	$37,477	$33,937	$45,491	$40,877	$44,673
Poverty rate	16.3%	12.1%	15.1%	10%	11.1%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	3%	3.1%	3%	3%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 51501

Rent & Income

In 51501, the typical monthly rent is $1,059 and the typical household income is $59,843. Rent here is similar to Council Bluffs and higher than Iowa, and household income is lower than both Council Bluffs and Iowa. The estimated poverty rate is 16.3%, which is higher than in both Council Bluffs and Iowa.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 36.2% of households. Around 39.3% of renters are cost-burdened, indicating a moderate level of rent pressure.

Education & Employment

Only about 16% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher, indicating lower levels of formal education.

ZIP 51501 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 51501 — Poverty

How ZIP 51501 compares in Iowa (22 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$1,059	12 / 22	from lower rent	$850 – $1,393
Household income	$59,843	21 / 22	from higher income	$52,960 – $117,826
Poverty rate	16.3%	17 / 22	from lower poverty	3.9% – 29.2%

Rankings are calculated among ZIP Codes in Iowa with total population > 30,000 (year 2024).

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 51501

Rent

In terms of rental prices, this ZIP stands 12th out of 22 ZIP Codes in Iowa. Across Iowa, figures vary from $850 in ZIP 50701 up to $1,393 in ZIP 50021.

Household income

When comparing household incomes, ZIP Code 51501 stands 21st out of 22 ZIP Codes. Throughout Iowa, numbers span from $52,960 in ZIP 52240 up to $117,826 in ZIP 50023.

Poverty rate

Looking at poverty indicators, this ZIP stands 17th out of 22 ZIP Codes. At the state level, values extend from 3.9% in ZIP 50021 up to 29.2% in ZIP 50014.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 51501 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,059 ℹ️ What’s Included:
✅ Base rent, electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuels
❌ Not included: internet, cable TV, renter's insurance, parking

💡 What does this rent estimate mean?

Explanation: This estimate shows what renters typically pay each month for housing — including the apartment or home and essential utilities like heat, water, and electricity.

Included in this number: Rent plus electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuel.

Not included: Internet, cable, parking, renter’s insurance, or furniture rental.

Note: This cost does not depend on the number of people living in the home.

👨‍👧‍👦 Household Income in ZIP Code 51501

Annual Household Income: $59,843

💡 What does Household Income mean?

Definition: This represents the middle value of all household incomes in the ZIP code — half of households earn less, and half earn more.

Includes: wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security, pensions, investments, unemployment, public assistance, and rental income.

Does NOT include: capital gains, non-cash benefits (like food stamps), or tax refunds.

Household = any group of people (or a single person) living in the same housing unit.

Example: A couple earning $40,000 and $30,000 together have a household income of $70,000. If that's in the middle of all local incomes, it's the value shown here.

📉 Poverty Rate in ZIP Code 51501

Estimated Rate: 16.3%

💡 What does the Poverty Rate represent?

Definition: The percentage of people in this area living below the federal poverty threshold.

How it works: The threshold is a dollar amount set by the U.S. Census Bureau that varies by family size and age. If a household's income is below that level, everyone in it is included in this rate.

Example: In a town of 10,000 people, if 1,500 have incomes below the poverty line, the poverty rate is 15%.

Note: This statistic only includes people living in households; it does not count those in student housing, military barracks, or nursing homes.

🏘️ Renter vs. Owner Households in ZIP Code 51501

In ZIP Code 51501, households that rent: 5,167 (36.2%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	5,167	36.2%
Owner-Occupied	9,104	63.8%

Definition: This is the percentage of households that rent their home rather than own it. It includes only occupied housing units.

Why it matters: Areas with a high share of renter households often have younger populations, higher mobility, and different housing needs compared to mostly owner-occupied areas.

Example: If 65% of homes in an area are renter-occupied, it means 65 out of every 100 households rent their home.

📉 Renters Spending Over 30% of Income on Rent in ZIP Code 51501

In ZIP Code 51501, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 2,031 (39.3%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	2,031	39.3%
Other renter households	3,136	60.7%
Total renter households	5,167	100%

Shares are calculated as a percentage of renter households.

This shows how many renters in the ZIP code are considered cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing (rent and basic utilities).

It’s a sign that housing might be unaffordable in the area or that lower-income residents may be struggling with rent.

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

📊 Education Levels in ZIP Code 51501

Less than High School: 7,536 people (31.5%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 9,303 people (38.9%)

Includes adults whose highest education is a high school diploma or GED.

Some College or Associate Degree: 3,263 people (13.6%)

Includes adults who attended college without completing a bachelor’s degree (some college or associate degree).

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 3,829 people (16%)

Includes adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree).

👥 Total Adults (25+): 23,931

ℹ️ Have questions about how these statistics are calculated? See our data methodology & FAQs

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau) — unemployment rate from BLS. Some values are derived metrics.