Sheldahl, IA · standard
ZIP Code 50243
Story County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 244
- 171/sq mi High-density area
- $80,938
- Median income Near-median income area
- $184,700
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 31.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Sheldahl pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 37%
- household income, US ZIPs
- 39th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 171
- people per sq mi
- 93%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50243 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 50243 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Sheldahl, Story County, Iowa, home to just 244 residents across 1.4 square miles, a density of 171 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 50243 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $80,938 (6% above the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $30,280. Unemployment is 12.7%, an important qualifier alongside the household-income figure. Median home value is $184,700 (5% above the average Iowa ZIP); 93.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 31.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 9 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Story County, so 50243 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 →
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 50243, Sheldahl, 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
244
Population
1.4
Area (sq mi)
171
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 50243?
36.0
Median Age
54.8%
Male
45.2%
Female
0.0%
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?
$80,938
Median Household Income
+6% vs state ZIP avg
$30,280
Per Capita Income
5.1%
Poverty Rate
12.7%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 50243 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Sheldahl, 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)
$80,938 Top 36% higher than 64% 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
158housing units
158
Total Housing Units
129
Occupied Units
29
Vacant Units
2.80
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$184,700
Median Home Value
+5% vs state ZIP avg
1973
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 4 business establishments in ZIP 50243, employing approximately 19 people with a combined annual payroll of $368,000.
4
Businesses
19
Employees
$368K
Annual Payroll
0
Industry Sectors
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 50243 vs 50244 →
ZIP 50243 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50023
Ankeny (50023)
27,986 residents
- 50021
Ankeny (50021)
21,595 residents
- 50226 4,724
Polk City (50226)
4,724 residents
- 50156 4,412
Madrid (50156)
4,412 residents
- 50124 3,750
Huxley (50124)
3,750 residents
- 50109 2,762
Granger (50109)
2,762 residents
- 50244 1,813
Slater (50244)
1,813 residents
- 50134 660
Kelley (50134)
660 residents
- 50007 474
Alleman (50007)
474 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50243 ranks #0 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 50243 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50226
Polk City (50226)
$153,011 median income
- 50007
Alleman (50007)
$120,417 median income
- 50244
Slater (50244)
$120,313 median income
- 50109
Granger (50109)
$118,669 median income
- 50023
Ankeny (50023)
$117,826 median income
- 50124
Huxley (50124)
$114,904 median income
- 50134
Kelley (50134)
$111,250 median income
- 50021
Ankeny (50021)
$99,572 median income
- 50156
Madrid (50156)
$98,054 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 50243 ranks #null of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50244 | Slater, IA | 1,813 | 2.2 mi |
| 50226 | Polk City, IA | 4,724 | 5.1 mi |
| 50134 | Kelley, IA | 660 | 5.2 mi |
| 50124 | Huxley, IA | 3,750 | 4.8 mi |
| 50156 | Madrid, IA | 4,412 | 5.9 mi |
| 50007 | Alleman, IA | 474 | 6.3 mi |
| 50023 | Ankeny, IA | 27,986 | 9.9 mi |
| 50109 | Granger, IA | 2,762 | 8.9 mi |
| 50021 | Ankeny, IA | 21,595 | 11.9 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 50243, both outside IA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
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 50243 in?
ZIP code 50243 (Sheldahl) 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 50243?
ZIP code 50243 in Sheldahl, IA has a population of 244 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50243?
The median household income in ZIP 50243 is $80,938, which is 6% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50243?
The median home value in ZIP 50243 is $184,700, which is 34% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50243?
The largest racial group in ZIP 50243 is White at 98.9%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50243?
ZIP code 50243 has 4 business establishments employing approximately 19 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 50243?
In ZIP code 50243, 54.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 31.1% 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 50243?
In ZIP code 50243, approximately 93.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 7.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50243?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50243 is 5.1% 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 50243's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 50243 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Sheldahl, 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.