Story City, IA · standard
ZIP Code 50248
Story County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 4,420
- 21/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $100,864
- Median income Above-median income area
- $239,600
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 46.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Story City pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 18%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 45%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 21
- people per sq mi
- 81%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50248 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 50248 (Story City, IA) rose +2.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 195.3 in 2023 to 200.5 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 50248 covers 211.5 square miles in Story City, Story County, Iowa (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,420 residents on file, a density of 21 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 50248 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $100,864 (32% above the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $47,463. The poverty rate is 10.1%, with unemployment at 3.5%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $239,600 (36% above the average Iowa ZIP), while 81.2% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,021.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 46.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.8, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Story County, so 50248 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 →
Top industries in ZIP 50248
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Story City, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50248.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
18 establishments
- Construction
Construction
16 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
15 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
11 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
9 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 50248, Story City, 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
4,420
Population
211.5
Area (sq mi)
21
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 50248?
39.8
Median Age
49.3%
Male
50.7%
Female
2.9%
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?
$100,864
Median Household Income
+32% vs state ZIP avg
$47,463
Per Capita Income
10.1%
Poverty Rate
3.5%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 50248 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Story City, 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)
$100,864 Top 12% higher than 88% 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
1,778housing units
1,778
Total Housing Units
1,721
Occupied Units
57
Vacant Units
2.39
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$239,600
Median Home Value
+36% vs state ZIP avg
$1,021
Median Rent
1973
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
+2.7%
YoY Change (2024)
201
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+101%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 50248 have increased 2.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +101% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.2% | 147 |
| 2021 | +8.5% | 160 |
| 2022 | +7.0% | 171 |
| 2023 | +14.3% | 195 |
| 2024 | +2.7% | 201 |
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 124 business establishments in ZIP 50248, employing approximately 1,860 people with a combined annual payroll of $98,768,000.
124
Businesses
1,860
Employees
$98.8M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 18 | 14.5% |
| Construction | 16 | 12.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 15 | 12.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 11 | 8.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 9 | 7.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 9 | 7.3% |
| Utilities | 8 | 6.5% |
| Manufacturing | 8 | 6.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 8 | 6.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 4.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 4.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 4 | 3.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 2.4% |
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 50248 vs 50231 →
ZIP 50248 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50014
Ames (50014)
28,094 residents
- 50248 4,420
Story City (50248)
4,420 residents
- 50130 1,648
Jewell (50130)
1,648 residents
- 50236 1,550
Roland (50236)
1,550 residents
- 50105 1,158
Gilbert (50105)
1,158 residents
- 50075 862
Ellsworth (50075)
862 residents
- 50231 173
Randall (50231)
173 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50248 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 50248 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50105
Gilbert (50105)
$130,083 median income
- 50248
Story City (50248)
$100,864 median income
- 50236
Roland (50236)
$85,046 median income
- 50075
Ellsworth (50075)
$81,250 median income
- 50130
Jewell (50130)
$78,594 median income
- 50231
Randall (50231)
$72,321 median income
- 50014
Ames (50014)
$60,731 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 50248 ranks #2 of 7 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 50248, both outside IA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (4,420 here; floor ≥1,000).
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 50248 in?
ZIP code 50248 (Story City) 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 50248?
ZIP code 50248 in Story City, IA has a population of 4,420 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50248?
The median household income in ZIP 50248 is $100,864, which is 32% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50248?
The median home value in ZIP 50248 is $239,600, which is 14% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50248?
The largest racial group in ZIP 50248 is White at 94.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50248?
ZIP code 50248 has 124 business establishments employing approximately 1,860 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50248?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50248 are: Retail trade (18), Construction (16), Other services (except public administration) (15). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 50248?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 50248 increased by 2.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 101%. 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 50248?
In ZIP code 50248, 65.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 46.1% 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 50248?
In ZIP code 50248, approximately 81.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50248?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50248 is 10.1% 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 50248's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 50248 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Story City, 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.