PlainZIP

Leon, IA · standard

ZIP Code 50144

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

2,901
8/sq mi
$63,333
Median income
$130,800
Median home value
16.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Leon pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

35th pct
household income, US ZIPs
20th pct
home value, US ZIPs
8
people per sq mi
63%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50144 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 50144 covers 362.6 square miles in Leon, Decatur County, Iowa (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,901 residents on file, a density of 8 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 50144 reports a modest median household income of $63,333 (17% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $29,828. Local economic indicators show a 7.4% poverty rate alongside 0.5% unemployment. On housing, the median home value is $130,800 (26% below the state average) with median rent at $577 per month, and 63.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 16.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.5, and the average commute is 26 minutes. Beyond these figures, 4 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Decatur County, letting you compare 50144 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 50144

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Leon, IA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50144.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 50144, Leon, 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

2,901

Population

362.6

Area (sq mi)

8

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 50144?

38.5

Median Age

48.9%

Male

51.1%

Female

0.5%

Foreign-Born

White 94.5%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.7%

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?

$63,333

Median Household Income

-17% vs state

$29,828

Per Capita Income

7.4%

Poverty Rate

0.5%

Unemployment Rate

26.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 50144 ranks nationally

Leon, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$63,333 35th percentile higher than 35% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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 64.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.1%

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

What does housing look like?

1,323

Total Housing Units

1,092

Occupied Units

231

Vacant Units

2.41

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 63.4%
Renter 36.6%

$130,800

Median Home Value

-26% vs state

$577

Median Rent

1963

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 62 business establishments in ZIP 50144, employing approximately 602 people with a combined annual payroll of $24,420,000.

62

Businesses

602

Employees

$24.4M

Annual Payroll

6

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 13 21.0%
Construction 10 16.1%
Other services (except public administration) 9 14.5%
Health care and social assistance 8 12.9%
Wholesale trade 5 8.1%
Finance and insurance 4 6.5%

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 50144 vs 50067 →

ZIP 50144 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50144 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 50144 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 50144 ranks #3 of 5 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
50067 Decatur, IA 302 6.4 mi
50065 Davis City, IA 583 9.3 mi
50103 Garden Grove, IA 452 8.0 mi
50262 Van Wert, IA 453 8.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Decatur County

50140 standard
Lamoni, IA
Pop: 2,969
50065 standard
Davis City, IA
Pop: 583
50108 standard
Grand River, IA
Pop: 471
50264 standard
Weldon, IA
Pop: 466
50262 standard
Van Wert, IA
Pop: 453
50103 standard
Garden Grove, IA
Pop: 452

Related Areas

Decatur County Leon, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 50144 in? ▼
ZIP code 50144 (Leon) is located in Decatur County, Iowa. Decatur County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/decatur-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50144? ▼
ZIP code 50144 in Leon, IA has a population of 2,901 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50144? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 50144 is $63,333, which is 17% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50144? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 50144 is $130,800, which is 53% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50144? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 50144 is White at 94.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50144? ▼
ZIP code 50144 has 62 business establishments employing approximately 602 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50144? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50144 are: Retail trade (13), Construction (10), Other services (except public administration) (9). There are 6 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 50144? ▼
In ZIP code 50144, 64.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.1% 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 50144? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50144 is 26.3 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 50144? ▼
In ZIP code 50144, approximately 63.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 36.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50144? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50144 is 7.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.