Colo, IA · standard
ZIP Code 50056
Story County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,372
- 9/sq mi Low-density area
- $73,333
- Median income Near-median income area
- $184,500
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 23.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Colo pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 48%
- household income, US ZIPs
- 39th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 9
- people per sq mi
- 86%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50056 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 50056 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Colo, Story County, Iowa, home to just 1,372 residents across 149.1 square miles, a density of 9 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 50056 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $73,333 (4% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $44,119. The poverty rate is 6.9%, with unemployment at 4.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $184,500 (5% above the average Iowa ZIP) and median rent is $1,042; 86.2% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 48.5, and the average commute is 29 minutes. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Story County, so 50056 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 50056
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Colo, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50056.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
5 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
4 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
3 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 50056, Colo, 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
1,372
Population
149.1
Area (sq mi)
9
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 50056?
48.5
Median Age
51.5%
Male
48.5%
Female
1.2%
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?
$73,333
Median Household Income
-4% vs state ZIP avg
$44,119
Per Capita Income
6.9%
Poverty Rate
4.0%
Unemployment Rate
28.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 50056 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Colo, 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)
$73,333 48th percentile higher than 48% 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
514housing units
514
Total Housing Units
464
Occupied Units
50
Vacant Units
2.16
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$184,500
Median Home Value
+5% vs state ZIP avg
$1,042
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 22 business establishments in ZIP 50056, employing approximately 68 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,574,000.
22
Businesses
68
Employees
$2.6M
Annual Payroll
3
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 5 | 22.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 4 | 18.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 3 | 13.6% |
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 50056 vs 50247 →
ZIP 50056 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50201
Nevada (50201)
8,199 residents
- 50247 2,515
State Center (50247)
2,515 residents
- 50056 1,372
Colo (50056)
1,372 residents
- 50055 913
Collins (50055)
913 residents
- 50278 842
Zearing (50278)
842 residents
- 50234 613
Rhodes (50234)
613 residents
- 50239 210
Saint Anthony (50239)
210 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50056 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 50056 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50239
Saint Anthony (50239)
$151,250 median income
- 50247
State Center (50247)
$91,875 median income
- 50055
Collins (50055)
$85,278 median income
- 50201
Nevada (50201)
$81,027 median income
- 50234
Rhodes (50234)
$78,750 median income
- 50278
Zearing (50278)
$74,306 median income
- 50056
Colo (50056)
$73,333 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 50056 ranks #7 of 7 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 50056, 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 (1,372 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Story County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 50056 in?
ZIP code 50056 (Colo) is located in Story County, Iowa. Story County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/story-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50056?
ZIP code 50056 in Colo, IA has a population of 1,372 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50056?
The median household income in ZIP 50056 is $73,333, which is 4% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50056?
The median home value in ZIP 50056 is $184,500, which is 34% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50056?
The largest racial group in ZIP 50056 is White at 94.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50056?
ZIP code 50056 has 22 business establishments employing approximately 68 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50056?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50056 are: Other services (except public administration) (5), Accommodation and food services (4), Wholesale trade (3). There are 3 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 50056?
In ZIP code 50056, 53.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.4% 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 50056?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50056 is 28.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 50056?
In ZIP code 50056, approximately 86.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50056?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50056 is 6.9% 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 50056's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 50056 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Colo, 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.