ZIP Code 52501: Population, Income, Housing

State: IA
Total population: 30,371 Household income: $63,426 Rent: $926

Overview

Total population
30,371
Rent
$926
Year built
1958
Household income
$63,426
Per capita income
$32,047
Poverty rate
16.5%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Household size
2.5 persons
Rent over 30% of income
44.4%

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
Wapello County
City
Ottumwa
Total population
30,371
Adults over 25
20,505
Total households
11,976
Household size
2.5 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
$63,426
Per capita income
$32,047
Poverty rate
16.5%
Unemployment rate
N/A
Rent over 30% of income
44.4%

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
$926
Year built
1958
Households that rent
34.1%
Households that own
65.9%
Rooms per home (all homes)
5.3

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.

Race

White
76.5%
Black
3.5%
Asian
2.1%
Two or more races
9.7%

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
15.4%
Not Hispanic or Latino
84.6%

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
13,070 (95.1%)
Commute time to work
19 mins
Work from home
675 (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.

Education

Less than high school
28%
High school graduate or GED
37.5%
Some college or associate degree
13.9%
Bachelor’s degree or higher
20.6%

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 52501 with: Iowa United States

ZIP 52501

Total population30,371
Rent$926
Year built1958
Household income$63,426
Per capita income$32,047
Poverty rate16.5%
Unemployment rateN/A

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 ZIP52501 StateIowaCountryUnited States
Total population30,3713,210,507334,922,499
Rent$926$972$1,413
Year built195819721980
Household income$63,426$75,059$80,734
Per capita income$32,047$40,877$44,673
Poverty rate16.5%11.1%12.5%
Unemployment rateN/A3%4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

 

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Summary for 52501

Rent & Income

In 52501, the typical monthly rent is $926 and the typical household income is $63,426. Rent here is similar to Iowa, and household income is lower than Iowa. The estimated poverty rate is 16.5%.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 34.1% of households. About 44.4% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is moderate, with about 20.6% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

 

ZIP 52501 — Rent vs Household Income

 

 

ZIP 52501 — Poverty

 

 

How ZIP 52501 compares in Iowa (22 ZIP Codes)

Metric This ZIP Rank Starts from State range
Rent $926 5 / 22 from lower rent $850 – $1,393
Household income $63,426 15 / 22 from higher income $52,960 – $117,826
Poverty rate 16.5% 18 / 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 52501

Rent

In terms of rental prices, this ZIP stands 5th 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 52501 stands 15th 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 18th 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 52501 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $926 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 52501

Annual Household Income: $63,426

💡 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 52501

Estimated Rate: 16.5%

💡 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 52501

In ZIP Code 52501, households that rent: 4,081 (34.1%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?
Household Type Count Share
Renter-Occupied 4,081 34.1%
Owner-Occupied 7,895 65.9%

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 52501

In ZIP Code 52501, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 1,811 (44.4%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?
Household Group Households Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%) 1,811 44.4%
Other renter households 2,270 55.6%
Total renter households 4,081 100%

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 52501

Less than High School: 5,734 people (28%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 7,697 people (37.5%)

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

Some College or Associate Degree: 2,860 people (13.9%)

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

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 4,214 people (20.6%)

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

👥 Total Adults (25+): 20,505

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.