Residential delivery area · Iowa
ZIP Code 50049: Chariton, IA
ZIP code 50049 uses the postal name Chariton, Iowa and lies mostly in Lucas County (97% of its land) with the rest in Wayne County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 6,400 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Median household income is $61,190 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). By Census place, 2% of its land lies in Chariton; 98% is outside any Census place.
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Chariton · its only residential ZIP
- County
- Lucas County (97%); Wayne County (2%)
- Census places
- Chariton
- House district
- IA-3 119th Congress
- State
- Iowa
- Time zone
- Central
- Land area
- 208.6 sq mi · 31 people per sq mi
Where is ZIP code 50049?
50049 centers on 41.034°, -93.295° and covers 208.6 square miles of land plus 0.9 of water. It borders 9 ZIP codes: 50272, 50238, 50151, 50068, 50139, 50057, 52569, 50150, 50060.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 50049, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0).
How does 50049 compare with the rest of Lucas County?
| Measure | 50049 | In Lucas County | In IA |
|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 6,414 | 1st of 9 | 119th of 970 |
| Median household income | $61k | 2nd of 2 | 351st of 396 |
| Median home value | $125k | not ranked | not ranked |
50049's median home value is not ranked: its 90% margin of error (±$41,321) is more than a quarter of the figure ($124,900). Rankings use ZIP codes of 1,000 or more people living in households, with margins at most 25% of the figure.
Its median household income is higher than in 31% of U.S. residential ZIP codes, and it is denser than 33% of all U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 50049?
The 2020 Census counted 6,433 people in 50049; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 6,414. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell 0.9% (its boundary stayed at least 90% the same).
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 6,414
- 2020 Census count
- 6,433−0.9% since 2010 (6,493)
- Households
- 2,667
- Median age
- 40.2
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 50049?
Of the 6,414 people the ACS estimates in 50049, 24.4% are under 18 and 20.8% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is White (not Hispanic) (93.9%).
- Under 1824.4%
- 18 to 6454.8%
- 65 and older20.8%
- White, not Hispanic93.9%
- Hispanic or Latino3.3%
- Other or two or more1.4%
- Asian, not Hispanic1.0%
- Black, not Hispanic0.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 50049 earn?
Median household income is $61,190 (ACS 2020-2024). It is not measurably different from 2015-2019 ($65,731 in 2024 dollars): the change is within the surveys' margins of error.
- Median household income
- $61,190
- Income per person
- $31,580
- Below the poverty line
- 14.5%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 6.5%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 17.1%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $63,5902,860 returns; wages 65% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 50049?
FHFA's house price index for 50049, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 110% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 64% from 2020 to 2025, and moved +7.0% in 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $124,900
- Median gross rent
- $704
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 74.5%
- Housing units
- 2,827
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 50049?
157 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, 2 fewer than in 2018; the most are in retail trade (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Retail trade28
- Other services (except public administration)19
- Construction18
- Health care and social assistance18
- Transportation and warehousing14
- Professional, scientific, and technical services13
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 50049?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50272 | Williamson | 190 | $45k | 4.2 mi |
| 50238 | Russell | 1,195 | $60k | 7.6 mi |
| 50151 | Lucas | 727 | $91k | 10.5 mi |
| 50068 | Derby | 215 | $37k | 10.7 mi |
| 50139 | Lacona | 1,025 | $72k | 11.5 mi |
| 50057 | Columbia | 327 | $119k | 13.1 mi |
| 52569 | Melrose | 550 | $52k | 13.3 mi |
| 50150 | Lovilia | 736 | $64k | 17.8 mi |
| 50060 | Corydon | 2,417 | $63k | 19.3 mi |
| 50165 | Millerton | 44 | $89k | 12.7 mi (near) |
| 50163 | Melcher Dallas | 689 | $74k | 13.3 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.