PlainZIP

Van Meter, IA · standard

ZIP Code 50261

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

2,211
13/sq mi
$155,278
Median income
$374,100
Median home value
42.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Van Meter pairs a top-decile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 3%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 23%
home value, US ZIPs
13
people per sq mi
86%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50261 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 50261 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 171.4 square miles in Van Meter, Dallas County, Iowa. The area is home to 2,211 residents, producing a population density of 13 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 50261 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 50261 sits at $155,278 (103% above the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $57,159. The poverty rate stands at 1.8% and the unemployment rate at 0.9%. On housing, the median home value is $374,100 (113% above the state average) with median rent at $1,069 per month, and 85.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 50261 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 42.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.3, and the average commute is 23 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Dallas County, so you can benchmark 50261 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 50261

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50261.

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 50261, Van Meter, 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

2,211

Population

171.4

Area (sq mi)

13

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 50261?

40.3

Median Age

47.4%

Male

52.6%

Female

1.2%

Foreign-Born

White 97.7%
African American 0.3%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.6%
Hispanic or Latino 0.2%

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?

$155,278

Median Household Income

+103% vs state

$57,159

Per Capita Income

1.8%

Poverty Rate

0.9%

Unemployment Rate

22.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 50261 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$155,278 Top 3% higher than 97% 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%). Below this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Below this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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 62.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 42.5%

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

What does housing look like?

1,140

Total Housing Units

1,122

Occupied Units

18

Vacant Units

3.03

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 85.9%
Renter 14.1%

$374,100

Median Home Value

+113% vs state

$1,069

Median Rent

1985

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

-8.9%

YoY Change (2024)

205

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+105%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 50261 have decreased 8.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +105% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -0.2% 160
2021 +8.1% 173
2022 +24.1% 215
2023 +4.5% 225
2024 -8.9% 205

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 53 business establishments in ZIP 50261, employing approximately 312 people with a combined annual payroll of $16,090,000.

53

Businesses

312

Employees

$16.1M

Annual Payroll

6

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 16 30.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 11 20.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6 11.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 4 7.5%
Wholesale trade 3 5.7%
Other services (except public administration) 3 5.7%

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 50261 vs 50038 →

ZIP 50261 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 50261 ranks #5 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 50261 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 50261 ranks the highest of 9 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
50038 Booneville, IA 205 3.8 mi
50061 Cumming, IA 1,701 6.9 mi
50069 De Soto, IA 1,118 6.7 mi
50218 Patterson, IA 139 8.7 mi
50263 Waukee, IA 16,069 9.0 mi
50266 West Des Moines, IA 23,625 9.3 mi
50033 Bevington, IA 44 9.9 mi
50229 Prole, IA 932 9.9 mi
50003 Adel, IA 6,594 11.6 mi
50325 Clive, IA 15,448 11.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Dallas County

50263 standard
Waukee, IA
Pop: 16,069
50323 standard
Urbandale, IA
Pop: 10,201
50220 standard
Perry, IA
Pop: 9,020
50003 standard
Adel, IA
Pop: 6,594
50109 standard
Granger, IA
Pop: 2,762
50063 standard
Dallas Center, IA
Pop: 2,604

Related Areas

Dallas County Van Meter, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 50261 in? ▼
ZIP code 50261 (Van Meter) is located in Dallas County, Iowa. Dallas County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/dallas-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50261? ▼
ZIP code 50261 in Van Meter, IA has a population of 2,211 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50261? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 50261 is $155,278, which is 104% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50261? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 50261 is $374,100, which is 34% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50261? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 50261 is White at 97.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50261? ▼
ZIP code 50261 has 53 business establishments employing approximately 312 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50261? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50261 are: Construction (16), Professional, scientific, and technical services (11), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (6). There are 6 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 50261? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 50261 decreased by 8.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 105%. 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 50261? ▼
In ZIP code 50261, 62.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 42.5% 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 50261? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50261 is 22.5 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 50261? ▼
In ZIP code 50261, approximately 85.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50261? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50261 is 1.8% 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 Van Meter, 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.