PlainZIP

Des Moines, IA · standard

ZIP Code 50312

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

15,339
1,044/sq mi
$92,242
Median income
$291,900
Median home value
61.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Des Moines pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 25%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 35%
home value, US ZIPs
1,044
people per sq mi
64%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50312 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 50312 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 14.7 square miles in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa. The area is home to 15,339 residents, producing a population density of 1,044 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 50312 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 50312 sits at $92,242 (20% above the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $67,131. The poverty rate stands at 6.8% and the unemployment rate at 2.8%. On housing, the median home value is $291,900 (66% above the state average) with median rent at $1,074 per month, and 63.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 50312 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 61.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.3, and the average commute is 16 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Polk County, so you can benchmark 50312 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 50312

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50312.

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 50312, Des Moines, 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

15,339

Population

14.7

Area (sq mi)

1,044

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 50312?

40.3

Median Age

51.1%

Male

48.9%

Female

7.2%

Foreign-Born

White 82.3%
African American 4.1%
Asian 4.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.4%

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?

$92,242

Median Household Income

+20% vs state

$67,131

Per Capita Income

6.8%

Poverty Rate

2.8%

Unemployment Rate

15.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 50312 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$92,242 Top 25% higher than 75% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $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 75.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 61.2%

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

What does housing look like?

8,203

Total Housing Units

7,584

Occupied Units

619

Vacant Units

2.04

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 63.7%
Renter 36.3%

$291,900

Median Home Value

+66% vs state

$1,074

Median Rent

1945

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

+6.9%

YoY Change (2024)

239

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+139%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 50312 have increased 6.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +139% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.6% 177
2021 +8.7% 192
2022 +12.8% 217
2023 +3.0% 223
2024 +6.9% 239

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 534 business establishments in ZIP 50312, employing approximately 5,190 people with a combined annual payroll of $234,757,000.

534

Businesses

5,190

Employees

$234.8M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Professional, scientific, and technical services 115 21.5%
Health care and social assistance 68 12.7%
Other services (except public administration) 60 11.2%
Accommodation and food services 54 10.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 44 8.2%
Retail trade 40 7.5%
Finance and insurance 39 7.3%
Construction 30 5.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 22 4.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 14 2.6%
Information 13 2.4%
Educational services 10 1.9%
Management of companies and enterprises 8 1.5%
Manufacturing 6 1.1%
Wholesale trade 4 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 3 0.6%

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 50312 vs 50311 →

ZIP 50312 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 50312 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 50312 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 50312 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
50311 Des Moines, IA 15,113 1.4 mi
50321 Des Moines, IA 7,846 2.9 mi
50310 Des Moines, IA 30,221 3.2 mi
50309 Des Moines, IA 5,431 2.9 mi
50324 Windsor Heights, IA 4,903 2.5 mi
50314 Des Moines, IA 12,465 2.9 mi
50319 Des Moines, IA 0 3.8 mi
50265 West Des Moines, IA 31,653 3.6 mi
50315 Des Moines, IA 35,853 3.7 mi
50316 Des Moines, IA 16,440 4.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Polk County

50317 standard
Des Moines, IA
Pop: 36,207
50315 standard
Des Moines, IA
Pop: 35,853
50265 standard
West Des Moines, IA
Pop: 31,653
50322 standard
Urbandale, IA
Pop: 31,530
50310 standard
Des Moines, IA
Pop: 30,221
50023 standard
Ankeny, IA
Pop: 27,986

Related Areas

Polk County Des Moines, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 50312 in? ▼
ZIP code 50312 (Des Moines) is located in Polk County, Iowa. Polk County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/polk-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50312? ▼
ZIP code 50312 in Des Moines, IA has a population of 15,339 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50312? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 50312 is $92,242, which is 21% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50312? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 50312 is $291,900, which is 5% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50312? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 50312 is White at 82.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50312? ▼
ZIP code 50312 has 534 business establishments employing approximately 5,190 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50312? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50312 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (115), Health care and social assistance (68), Other services (except public administration) (60). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 50312? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 50312 increased by 6.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 139%. 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 50312? ▼
In ZIP code 50312, 75.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 61.2% 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 50312? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50312 is 15.6 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 50312? ▼
In ZIP code 50312, approximately 63.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 36.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50312? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50312 is 6.8% 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 Des Moines, 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.