PlainZIP

Polk City, IA · standard

ZIP Code 50226

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

4,724
49/sq mi
$153,011
Median income
$417,500
Median home value
46.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Polk City pairs a top-decile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 4%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 19%
home value, US ZIPs
49
people per sq mi
90%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50226 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 50226 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 96.8 square miles in Polk City, Polk County, Iowa. The area is home to 4,724 residents, producing a population density of 49 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 50226 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 50226 sits at $153,011 (100% above the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $60,573. The poverty rate stands at 5.9% and the unemployment rate at 3.4%. On housing, the median home value is $417,500 (138% above the state average) with median rent at $867 per month, and 89.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 50226 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 46.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41, and the average commute is 24 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Polk County, so you can benchmark 50226 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 50226

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50226.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 50226, Polk City, IA · 2023 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

4,724

Population

96.8

Area (sq mi)

49

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 50226?

41.0

Median Age

51.9%

Male

48.1%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 96.1%
African American 0.1%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.5%
Hispanic or Latino 2.0%

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?

$153,011

Median Household Income

+100% vs state

$60,573

Per Capita Income

5.9%

Poverty Rate

3.4%

Unemployment Rate

24.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 50226 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$153,011 Top 4% higher than 96% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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 62.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 46.2%

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

What does housing look like?

2,788

Total Housing Units

2,741

Occupied Units

47

Vacant Units

2.81

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 89.5%
Renter 10.5%

$417,500

Median Home Value

+138% vs state

$867

Median Rent

2001

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

-0.1%

YoY Change (2024)

210

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+110%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 50226 have decreased 0.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +110% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.1% 159
2021 +7.9% 171
2022 +11.7% 191
2023 +9.7% 210
2024 -0.1% 210

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 159 business establishments in ZIP 50226, employing approximately 936 people with a combined annual payroll of $47,129,000.

159

Businesses

936

Employees

$47.1M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 33 20.8%
Construction 26 16.4%
Health care and social assistance 16 10.1%
Accommodation and food services 13 8.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 12 7.5%
Retail trade 10 6.3%
Finance and insurance 10 6.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 8 5.0%
Other services (except public administration) 8 5.0%
Transportation and warehousing 6 3.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 3.8%
Manufacturing 4 2.5%
Wholesale trade 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 50226 vs 50243 →

ZIP 50226 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 50226 ranks #5 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 50226 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 50226 ranks the highest of 9 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
50243 Sheldahl, IA 244 5.1 mi
50131 Johnston, IA 17,499 6.9 mi
50007 Alleman, IA 474 5.3 mi
50244 Slater, IA 1,813 5.2 mi
50109 Granger, IA 2,762 5.5 mi
50023 Ankeny, IA 27,986 5.6 mi
50134 Kelley, IA 660 10.3 mi
50124 Huxley, IA 3,750 8.2 mi
50111 Grimes, IA 9,407 8.7 mi
50021 Ankeny, IA 21,595 8.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Polk County

50317 standard
Des Moines, IA
Pop: 36,207
50315 standard
Des Moines, IA
Pop: 35,853
50265 standard
West Des Moines, IA
Pop: 31,653
50322 standard
Urbandale, IA
Pop: 31,530
50310 standard
Des Moines, IA
Pop: 30,221
50023 standard
Ankeny, IA
Pop: 27,986

Related Areas

Polk County Polk City, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 50226 in? ▼
ZIP code 50226 (Polk City) is located in Polk County, Iowa. Polk County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/polk-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50226? ▼
ZIP code 50226 in Polk City, IA has a population of 4,724 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50226? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 50226 is $153,011, which is 101% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50226? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 50226 is $417,500, which is 50% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50226? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 50226 is White at 96.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50226? ▼
ZIP code 50226 has 159 business establishments employing approximately 936 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50226? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50226 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (33), Construction (26), Health care and social assistance (16). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 50226? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 50226 decreased by 0.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 110%. 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 50226? ▼
In ZIP code 50226, 62.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 46.2% 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 50226? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50226 is 24.3 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 50226? ▼
In ZIP code 50226, approximately 89.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 10.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50226? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50226 is 5.9% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Reading Census Demographics
How to interpret population, income, and education data from the Census Bureau.
Understanding ZIP Code Data
What ZIP codes are, how ZCTAs differ, and what the data reveals.
Best ZIP Codes for Families
Key factors to evaluate when choosing a family-friendly neighborhood.
ZIP Codes for Relocation
Data-driven tips for evaluating ZIP codes before a move.

Official Data Resources for Polk City, IA

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

U.S. Census Bureau
Official demographic, economic, and housing data from the American Community Survey.
HUD Fair Market Rents
Department of Housing and Urban Development rental cost estimates by metropolitan area.
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Official crime statistics compiled from law enforcement agencies nationwide.
FHFA House Price Index
Federal Housing Finance Agency home value trends based on repeat sales and appraisals.

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