ZIP Code 51503: Population, Income, Housing

State: IA
Total population: 37,972 Household income: $79,010 Rent: $991

Overview

Total population
37,972
Rent
$991
Year built
1971
Household income
$79,010
Per capita income
$40,763
Poverty rate
10.8%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Household size
2.4 persons
Rent over 30% of income
43.8%

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
37,972
Adults over 25
25,442
Total households
15,442
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).

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.

Income & Poverty

Household income
$79,010
Per capita income
$40,763
Poverty rate
10.8%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Rent over 30% of income
43.8%

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.

Housing

Rent
$991
Year built
1971
Households that rent
31.4%
Households that own
68.6%
Rooms per home (all homes)
5.9

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.

Race

White
89.6%
Black
3.1%
Asian
0.4%
Two or more races
4.9%

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.

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino
5%
Not Hispanic or Latino
95%

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.

Commute

Commute rate
16,400 (90%)
Commute time to work
19 mins
Work from home
1,821 (10%)

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.

Education

Less than high school
27.2%
High school graduate or GED
30.5%
Some college or associate degree
11.8%
Bachelor’s degree or higher
30.5%

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).

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.

 

Comparison of ZIP Code 51503 with: Pottawattamie County, IA Omaha metro area, NE-IA Iowa United States

ZIP 51503

Total population37,972
Rent$991
Year built1971
Household income$79,010
Per capita income$40,763
Poverty rate10.8%
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%

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 ZIP51503 CountyPottawattamie, IAMetro AreaOmaha metro area, NE-IAStateIowaCountryUnited States
Total population37,97293,424982,0643,210,507334,922,499
Rent$991$1,018$1,192$972$1,413
Year built19711967197919721980
Household income$79,010$73,602$84,829$75,059$80,734
Per capita income$40,763$37,477$45,491$40,877$44,673
Poverty rate10.8%12.1%10%11.1%12.5%
Unemployment rateN/A3%3%3%4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

 

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Summary for 51503

Rent & Income

In 51503, the typical monthly rent is $991 and the typical household income is $79,010. Rent here is similar to Iowa, and household income is higher than Iowa. The estimated poverty rate is 10.8%.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 31.4% of households. About 43.8% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is moderate, with about 30.5% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

 

ZIP 51503 — Rent vs Household Income

 

 

ZIP 51503 — Poverty

 

 

How ZIP 51503 compares in Iowa (22 ZIP Codes)

Metric This ZIP Rank Starts from State range
Rent $991 8 / 22 from lower rent $850 – $1,393
Household income $79,010 8 / 22 from higher income $52,960 – $117,826
Poverty rate 10.8% 9 / 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 51503

Rent

Rent-wise, this area comes 8th out of 22 ZIP Codes in Iowa. At the state level, values extend from $850 in ZIP 50701 up to $1,393 in ZIP 50021.

Household income

Looking at income levels, ZIP Code 51503 holds the 8th out of 22 ZIP Codes. In Iowa as a whole, the range goes from $52,960 in ZIP 52240 up to $117,826 in ZIP 50023.

Poverty rate

Regarding poverty rate, ZIP Code 51503 ranks 9th out of 22 ZIP Codes. Statewide, values range from 3.9% in ZIP 50021 up to 29.2% in ZIP 50014.

 

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 51503 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $991 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 51503

Annual Household Income: $79,010

💡 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 51503

Estimated Rate: 10.8%

💡 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 51503

In ZIP Code 51503, households that rent: 4,853 (31.4%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?
Household Type Count Share
Renter-Occupied 4,853 31.4%
Owner-Occupied 10,589 68.6%

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 51503

In ZIP Code 51503, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 2,124 (43.8%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?
Household Group Households Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%) 2,124 43.8%
Other renter households 2,729 56.2%
Total renter households 4,853 100%

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 51503

Less than High School: 6,912 people (27.2%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 7,767 people (30.5%)

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

Some College or Associate Degree: 3,004 people (11.8%)

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

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 7,759 people (30.5%)

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

👥 Total Adults (25+): 25,442

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.