Chariton, IA · standard
ZIP Code 50049
Lucas County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 6,493
- 13/sq mi Low-density area
- $61,190
- Median income Below-median income area
- $124,900
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 17.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Chariton pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 31st pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 19th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 13
- people per sq mi
- 75%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50049 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 50049 (Chariton, IA) rose +3.5% from 2023 to 2024.
ZIP code 50049 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Chariton, Lucas County, Iowa, home to 6,493 residents across 519.4 square miles, a density of 13 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 50049 reports a modest median household income of $61,190 (20% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $31,580. The poverty rate is 14.5%, with unemployment at 6.5%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $124,900 (29% below the average Iowa ZIP), and median rent is $704; owner occupancy is 74.5%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.2, and the average commute is 19 minutes. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 more in Lucas County, so 50049 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 50049
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chariton, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50049.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
28 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
19 establishments
- Construction
Construction
18 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
18 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
14 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 50049, Chariton, IA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
6,493
Population
519.4
Area (sq mi)
13
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 50049?
40.2
Median Age
51.4%
Male
48.6%
Female
4.9%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$61,190
Median Household Income
-20% vs state ZIP avg
$31,580
Per Capita Income
14.5%
Poverty Rate
6.5%
Unemployment Rate
19.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 50049 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Chariton, IA household income vs. every Iowa ZIP code
Median household income among 911 reporting Iowa ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$61,190 20th percentile higher than 20% of 911 Iowa ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Iowa ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
2,827housing units
2,827
Total Housing Units
2,667
Occupied Units
160
Vacant Units
2.37
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$124,900
Median Home Value
-29% vs state ZIP avg
$704
Median Rent
1962
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 157 business establishments in ZIP 50049, employing approximately 4,566 people with a combined annual payroll of $211,594,000.
157
Businesses
4,566
Employees
$211.6M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 28 | 17.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 19 | 12.1% |
| Construction | 18 | 11.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 18 | 11.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 14 | 8.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 13 | 8.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 13 | 8.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 9 | 5.7% |
| Manufacturing | 8 | 5.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 6 | 3.8% |
| Information | 3 | 1.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 50049 vs 50272 →
ZIP 50049 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50049
Chariton (50049)
6,493 residents
- 50238 1,182
Russell (50238)
1,182 residents
- 50272 152
Williamson (50272)
152 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50049 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 50049 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50049
Chariton (50049)
$61,190 median income
- 50238
Russell (50238)
$59,625 median income
- 50272
Williamson (50272)
$45,000 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 50049 ranks the highest of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 50049, both outside IA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (6,493 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Lucas County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 50049 in?
ZIP code 50049 (Chariton) is located in Lucas County, Iowa. Lucas County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lucas-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50049?
ZIP code 50049 in Chariton, IA has a population of 6,493 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50049?
The median household income in ZIP 50049 is $61,190, which is 20% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50049?
The median home value in ZIP 50049 is $124,900, which is 55% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50049?
The largest racial group in ZIP 50049 is White at 93.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50049?
ZIP code 50049 has 157 business establishments employing approximately 4,566 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50049?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50049 are: Retail trade (28), Other services (except public administration) (19), Construction (18). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 50049?
In ZIP code 50049, 64.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 50049?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50049 is 19.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 50049?
In ZIP code 50049, approximately 74.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50049?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50049 is 14.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 50049's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 50049 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Chariton, IA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.