Iowa Falls, IA · standard

ZIP Code 50126

Hardin County, Iowa — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

Reviewed by PlainZIP Editorial Team, ZIP Code Data Editors · June 11, 2026

6,853
20/sq mi: $55,185
Median income: $133,300
Median home value: 22.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Iowa Falls pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

21th pct
household income, US ZIPs: 21th pct
home value, US ZIPs: 20
people per sq mi: 64%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50126 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 50126 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 351.4 square miles in Iowa Falls, Hardin County, Iowa. The area is home to 6,853 residents, producing a population density of 20 people per square mile, and falls within the Chicago time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 50126 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 50126 sits at $55,185 (28% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $35,830. The poverty rate stands at 8.8% and the unemployment rate at 7.4%. On housing, the median home value is $133,300 (24% below the state average) with median rent at $870 per month, and 63.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 50126 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 22.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.8, and the average commute is 19 minutes. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Hardin County, so you can benchmark 50126 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 50126

Retail trade

35
Other services (except public administration)

33
Health care and social assistance

29
Construction

22
Accommodation and food services

19

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 50126, Iowa Falls, IA · 2023 Accessed 2026-06-11 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

6,853

Population

351.4

Area (sq mi)

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard

Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.

View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 50126?

44.8

Median Age

51.2%

Male

48.8%

Female

2.7%

Foreign-Born

White 89.7%

African American 1.9%

Asian 0.6%

American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%

Two or More Ethnicities 2.6%

Hispanic or Latino 7.5%

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?

$55,185

Median Household Income

-28% vs state

$35,830

Per Capita Income

8.8%

Poverty Rate

7.4%

Unemployment Rate

18.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 50126 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$55,185 21st percentile higher than 21% of 30,318 US ZIPs

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 60.2%

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

3,073

Total Housing Units

2,772

Occupied Units

301

Vacant Units

2.17

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 63.6%

Renter 36.4%

$133,300

Median Home Value

-24% vs state

$870

Median Rent

1959

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

-3.6%

YoY Change (2024)

215

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+115%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 50126 have decreased 3.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +115% cumulative appreciation.

Year	Annual Change	HPI Index
2020	+5.7%	158
2021	+8.2%	171
2022	+8.8%	186
2023	+20.4%	224
2024	-3.6%	215

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 232 business establishments in ZIP 50126, employing approximately 2,995 people with a combined annual payroll of $145,048,000.

232

Businesses

2,995

Employees

$145.0M

Annual Payroll

Industry Sectors

Industry	Establishments	% of Total
Retail trade	35	15.1%
Other services (except public administration)	33	14.2%
Health care and social assistance	29	12.5%
Construction	22	9.5%
Accommodation and food services	19	8.2%
Finance and insurance	15	6.5%
Wholesale trade	13	5.6%
Manufacturing	12	5.2%
Transportation and warehousing	12	5.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services	10	4.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing	9	3.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services	9	3.9%
Information	5	2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting	3	1.3%

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 50126 vs 50041 →

ZIP Code	City	Population	Distance
50041	Bradford, IA	92	9.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Hardin County

Hardin County Iowa Falls, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 50126 in? ▼

ZIP code 50126 (Iowa Falls) is located in Hardin County, Iowa. Hardin County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/hardin-ia.

What is the population of ZIP code 50126? ▼

ZIP code 50126 in Iowa Falls, IA has a population of 6,853 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in ZIP 50126? ▼

The median household income in ZIP 50126 is $55,185, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.

What is the average home value in ZIP 50126? ▼

The median home value in ZIP 50126 is $133,300, which is 52% below the national average of $278,155.

What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50126? ▼

The largest racial group in ZIP 50126 is White at 89.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.5% of the population.

How many businesses are in ZIP code 50126? ▼

ZIP code 50126 has 232 business establishments employing approximately 2,995 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.

What are the main industries in ZIP code 50126? ▼

The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50126 are: Retail trade (35), Other services (except public administration) (33), Health care and social assistance (29). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.

How have home values changed in ZIP code 50126? ▼

According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 50126 decreased by 3.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 115%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

What is the education level in ZIP code 50126? ▼

In ZIP code 50126, 60.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.2% 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 50126? ▼

The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50126 is 18.7 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 50126? ▼

In ZIP code 50126, approximately 63.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 36.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50126? ▼

The poverty rate in ZIP code 50126 is 8.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.