Winterset, IA · standard
ZIP Code 50273
Madison County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 8,251
- 16/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $82,633
- Median income Near-median income area
- $219,400
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 26.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Winterset pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 35%
- household income, US ZIPs
- 49th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 16
- people per sq mi
- 75%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50273 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 50273 (Winterset, IA) rose +11.0% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 193.5 in 2023 to 214.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 50273 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Winterset, Madison County, Iowa, home to 8,251 residents across 518.9 square miles, a density of 16 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 50273 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $82,633 (8% above the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $39,613. The poverty rate is 8.2%, with unemployment at 4.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $219,400 (25% above the average Iowa ZIP), while 74.9% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,142.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 26.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.6, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Madison County, so 50273 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 50273
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Winterset, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50273.
- Construction
Construction
39 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
34 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
33 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
27 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
25 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 50273, Winterset, 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
8,251
Population
518.9
Area (sq mi)
16
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 50273?
38.6
Median Age
50.2%
Male
49.8%
Female
0.8%
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?
$82,633
Median Household Income
+8% vs state ZIP avg
$39,613
Per Capita Income
8.2%
Poverty Rate
4.1%
Unemployment Rate
25.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 50273 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Winterset, 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)
$82,633 Top 32% higher than 68% 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
3,873housing units
3,873
Total Housing Units
3,659
Occupied Units
214
Vacant Units
2.40
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$219,400
Median Home Value
+25% vs state ZIP avg
$1,142
Median Rent
1978
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
+11.0%
YoY Change (2024)
215
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+115%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 50273 have increased 11.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +115% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +0.3% | 154 |
| 2021 | +5.9% | 163 |
| 2022 | +14.2% | 186 |
| 2023 | +4.1% | 194 |
| 2024 | +11.0% | 215 |
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 274 business establishments in ZIP 50273, employing approximately 2,079 people with a combined annual payroll of $86,290,000.
274
Businesses
2,079
Employees
$86.3M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 39 | 14.2% |
| Retail trade | 34 | 12.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 33 | 12.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 27 | 9.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 25 | 9.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 22 | 8.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 21 | 7.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 13 | 4.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 11 | 4.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 10 | 3.6% |
| Manufacturing | 7 | 2.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 7 | 2.5% |
| Information | 7 | 2.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 5 | 1.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 1.8% |
| Educational services | 4 | 1.5% |
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 50273 vs 50072 →
ZIP 50273 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50273
Winterset (50273)
8,251 residents
- 50072 2,671
Earlham (50072)
2,671 residents
- 50261 2,211
Van Meter (50261)
2,211 residents
- 50222 498
Peru (50222)
498 residents
- 50155 255
Macksburg (50155)
255 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50273 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 50273 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50261
Van Meter (50261)
$155,278 median income
- 50072
Earlham (50072)
$111,250 median income
- 50222
Peru (50222)
$100,568 median income
- 50273
Winterset (50273)
$82,633 median income
- 50155 $33,125
Macksburg (50155)
$33,125 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 50273 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 50273, 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 (8,251 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Madison County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 50273 in?
ZIP code 50273 (Winterset) is located in Madison County, Iowa. Madison County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/madison-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50273?
ZIP code 50273 in Winterset, IA has a population of 8,251 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50273?
The median household income in ZIP 50273 is $82,633, which is 8% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50273?
The median home value in ZIP 50273 is $219,400, which is 21% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50273?
The largest racial group in ZIP 50273 is White at 95.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50273?
ZIP code 50273 has 274 business establishments employing approximately 2,079 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50273?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50273 are: Construction (39), Retail trade (34), Other services (except public administration) (33). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 50273?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 50273 increased by 11.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 115%. 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 50273?
In ZIP code 50273, 59.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 26.0% 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 50273?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50273 is 25.6 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 50273?
In ZIP code 50273, approximately 74.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50273?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50273 is 8.2% 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 50273's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 50273 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Winterset, 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.