Stratford, IA · standard
ZIP Code 50249
Hamilton County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,332
- 7/sq mi Low-density area
- $60,761
- Median income Below-median income area
- $119,000
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 17.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Stratford pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 30th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 16th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 7
- people per sq mi
- 85%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50249 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 50249 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Stratford, Hamilton County, Iowa, home to just 1,332 residents across 201.8 square miles, a density of 7 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 50249 reports a modest median household income of $60,761 (21% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $37,097. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 7.4% and unemployment is 0.9%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $119,000 (32% below the average Iowa ZIP), and median rent is $625; owner occupancy is 84.9%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 58.6, and the average commute is 25 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Hamilton County, so 50249 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 50249
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Stratford, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50249.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
4 establishments
- Construction
Construction
3 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
3 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
3 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 50249, Stratford, 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
1,332
Population
201.8
Area (sq mi)
7
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 50249?
58.6
Median Age
48.7%
Male
51.3%
Female
1.1%
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?
$60,761
Median Household Income
-21% vs state ZIP avg
$37,097
Per Capita Income
7.4%
Poverty Rate
0.9%
Unemployment Rate
24.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 50249 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Stratford, 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)
$60,761 19th percentile higher than 19% 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
668housing units
668
Total Housing Units
610
Occupied Units
58
Vacant Units
2.07
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$119,000
Median Home Value
-32% vs state ZIP avg
$625
Median Rent
1962
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 24 business establishments in ZIP 50249, employing approximately 110 people with a combined annual payroll of $5,406,000.
24
Businesses
110
Employees
$5.4M
Annual Payroll
4
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 16.7% |
| Construction | 3 | 12.5% |
| Retail trade | 3 | 12.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 12.5% |
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 50249 vs 50246 →
ZIP 50249 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50249
Stratford (50249)
1,332 residents
- 50530
Dayton (50530)
1,205 residents
- 50557
Lehigh (50557)
750 residents
- 50246
Stanhope (50246)
735 residents
- 50223 480
Pilot Mound (50223)
480 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50249 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 50249 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50530
Dayton (50530)
$73,250 median income
- 50557
Lehigh (50557)
$62,750 median income
- 50246
Stanhope (50246)
$61,324 median income
- 50249
Stratford (50249)
$60,761 median income
- 50223
Pilot Mound (50223)
$47,222 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 50249 ranks #4 of 5 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 50249, 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 (1,332 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Hamilton County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 50249 in?
ZIP code 50249 (Stratford) is located in Hamilton County, Iowa. Hamilton County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/hamilton-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50249?
ZIP code 50249 in Stratford, IA has a population of 1,332 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50249?
The median household income in ZIP 50249 is $60,761, which is 20% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50249?
The median home value in ZIP 50249 is $119,000, which is 57% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50249?
The largest racial group in ZIP 50249 is White at 91.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50249?
ZIP code 50249 has 24 business establishments employing approximately 110 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50249?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50249 are: Other services (except public administration) (4), Construction (3), Retail trade (3). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 50249?
In ZIP code 50249, 59.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.4% 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 50249?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50249 is 24.5 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 50249?
In ZIP code 50249, approximately 84.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50249?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50249 is 7.4% 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 50249's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 50249 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Stratford, 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.