PlainZIP

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
$100,864
Median income
$239,600
Median home value
46.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

ZIP code 50248 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 211.5 square miles in Story City, Story County, Iowa. The area is home to 4,420 residents, producing a population density of 21 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 50248 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 50248 sits at $100,864 (32% above the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $47,463. The poverty rate stands at 10.1% and the unemployment rate at 3.5%. On housing, the median home value is $239,600 (36% above the state average) with median rent at $1,021 per month, and 81.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 50248 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 46.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.8, and the average commute is —. We also surface 6 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Story County, so you can benchmark 50248 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 50248

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50248.

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 50248, Story 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

4,420

Population

211.5

Area (sq mi)

21

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 50248?

39.8

Median Age

49.3%

Male

50.7%

Female

2.9%

Foreign-Born

White 94.3%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6.6%

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

$47,463

Per Capita Income

10.1%

Poverty Rate

3.5%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 50248 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$100,864 Top 18% higher than 82% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 65.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 46.1%

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

What does housing look like?

1,778

Total Housing Units

1,721

Occupied Units

57

Vacant Units

2.39

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 81.2%
Renter 18.8%

$239,600

Median Home Value

+36% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50248 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 50248 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 50248 ranks #2 of 7 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
50231 Randall, IA 173 3.1 mi
50105 Gilbert, IA 1,158 5.9 mi
50236 Roland, IA 1,550 6.8 mi
50130 Jewell, IA 1,648 8.2 mi
50075 Ellsworth, IA 862 10.2 mi
50014 Ames, IA 28,094 10.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Story County

50010 standard
Ames, IA
Pop: 29,359
50014 standard
Ames, IA
Pop: 28,094
50201 standard
Nevada, IA
Pop: 8,199
50012 standard
Ames, IA
Pop: 4,062
50124 standard
Huxley, IA
Pop: 3,750
50161 standard
Maxwell, IA
Pop: 2,047

Related Areas

Story County Story City, IA Iowa

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.

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 Story 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.