PlainZIP

Russell, IA · standard

ZIP Code 50238

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

1,182
4/sq mi
$59,625
Median income
$83,300
Median home value
14.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

28th pct
household income, US ZIPs
5th pct
home value, US ZIPs
4
people per sq mi
89%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50238 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 50238 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Russell, Lucas County, Iowa, home to just 1,182 residents across 303.1 square miles, a density of 4 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 50238 reports a modest median household income of $59,625 (22% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $30,714. Local economic indicators show a 15.9% poverty rate alongside 3.5% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $83,300 (53% below the state average); renters pay a median of $700 monthly, and 88.6% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.3, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 4 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 4 more sharing Lucas County, letting you compare 50238 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 →

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 50238, Russell, 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

1,182

Population

303.1

Area (sq mi)

4

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 50238?

41.3

Median Age

53.6%

Male

46.4%

Female

0.4%

Foreign-Born

White 97.4%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.1%
Hispanic or Latino 0.1%

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?

$59,625

Median Household Income

-22% vs state

$30,714

Per Capita Income

15.9%

Poverty Rate

3.5%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 50238 ranks nationally

Russell, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$59,625 28th percentile higher than 28% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 39.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.5%

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

What does housing look like?

600

Total Housing Units

519

Occupied Units

81

Vacant Units

2.30

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 88.6%
Renter 11.4%

$83,300

Median Home Value

-53% vs state

$700

Median Rent

1948

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 13 business establishments in ZIP 50238, employing approximately 44 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,363,000.

13

Businesses

44

Employees

$1.4M

Annual Payroll

1

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 4 30.8%

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 50238 vs 52569 →

ZIP 50238 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 50238 ranks #2 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 50238 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 50238 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
52569 Melrose, IA 610 6.8 mi
50049 Chariton, IA 6,493 8.2 mi
50272 Williamson, IA 152 9.8 mi
50165 Millerton, IA 49 10.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lucas County

50049 standard
Chariton, IA
Pop: 6,493
50151 standard
Lucas, IA
Pop: 724
50068 standard
Derby, IA
Pop: 366
50272 standard
Williamson, IA
Pop: 152

Related Areas

Lucas County Russell, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 50238 in? ▼
ZIP code 50238 (Russell) 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 50238? ▼
ZIP code 50238 in Russell, IA has a population of 1,182 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50238? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 50238 is $59,625, which is 22% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50238? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 50238 is $83,300, which is 70% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50238? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 50238 is White at 97.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50238? ▼
ZIP code 50238 has 13 business establishments employing approximately 44 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 50238? ▼
In ZIP code 50238, 39.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 50238? ▼
In ZIP code 50238, approximately 88.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 11.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50238? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50238 is 15.9% 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.