PlainZIP

Des Moines, IA · standard

ZIP Code 50316

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

16,440
1,785/sq mi
$56,090
Median income
$154,300
Median home value
14.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Des Moines pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

23th pct
household income, US ZIPs
27th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,785
people per sq mi
67%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50316 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 50316 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa, home to 16,440 residents across 9.2 square miles, a density of 1,785 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 50316 reports a modest median household income of $56,090 (27% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $27,382. 17.9% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 6.0%. Housing costs here run $154,300 for a typical home value (12% below the state average), with rent averaging $952 a month; 66.6% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.9, and the average commute is 19 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Polk County, so you can benchmark 50316 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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 50316

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Des Moines, IA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50316.

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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 50316, Des Moines, 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

16,440

Population

9.2

Area (sq mi)

1,785

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 50316?

31.9

Median Age

51.1%

Male

48.9%

Female

17.8%

Foreign-Born

White 52.1%
African American 13.5%
Asian 7.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 13.7%
Hispanic or Latino 27.7%

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?

$56,090

Median Household Income

-27% vs state

$27,382

Per Capita Income

17.9%

Poverty Rate

6.0%

Unemployment Rate

18.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 50316 ranks nationally

Des Moines, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$56,090 23rd percentile higher than 23% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $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 49.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.5%

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

What does housing look like?

6,221

Total Housing Units

5,636

Occupied Units

585

Vacant Units

2.78

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 66.6%
Renter 33.4%

$154,300

Median Home Value

-12% vs state

$952

Median Rent

1952

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

+7.2%

YoY Change (2024)

224

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+124%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 50316 have increased 7.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +124% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +8.4% 157
2021 +8.6% 171
2022 +11.2% 190
2023 +10.1% 209
2024 +7.2% 224

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 280 business establishments in ZIP 50316, employing approximately 7,741 people with a combined annual payroll of $381,998,000.

280

Businesses

7,741

Employees

$382.0M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 42 15.0%
Wholesale trade 37 13.2%
Retail trade 34 12.1%
Other services (except public administration) 34 12.1%
Construction 26 9.3%
Health care and social assistance 25 8.9%
Transportation and warehousing 16 5.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 12 4.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 12 4.3%
Manufacturing 11 3.9%
Finance and insurance 9 3.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 7 2.5%
Information 6 2.1%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 1.1%
Educational services 3 1.1%

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 50316 vs 50319 →

ZIP 50316 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 50316 ranks #6 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 50316 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 50316 ranks #9 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
50319 Des Moines, IA 0 1.3 mi
50314 Des Moines, IA 12,465 1.7 mi
50309 Des Moines, IA 5,431 2.0 mi
50317 Des Moines, IA 36,207 2.7 mi
50313 Des Moines, IA 17,376 3.4 mi
50311 Des Moines, IA 15,113 3.9 mi
50315 Des Moines, IA 35,853 4.5 mi
50310 Des Moines, IA 30,221 4.1 mi
50312 Des Moines, IA 15,339 4.5 mi
50320 Des Moines, IA 20,027 5.7 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 50316 in? ▼
ZIP code 50316 (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 50316? ▼
ZIP code 50316 in Des Moines, IA has a population of 16,440 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50316? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 50316 is $56,090, which is 26% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50316? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 50316 is $154,300, which is 45% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50316? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 50316 is White at 52.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 27.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50316? ▼
ZIP code 50316 has 280 business establishments employing approximately 7,741 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50316? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50316 are: Accommodation and food services (42), Wholesale trade (37), Retail trade (34). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 50316? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 50316 increased by 7.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 124%. 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 50316? ▼
In ZIP code 50316, 49.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.5% 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 50316? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50316 is 18.7 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 50316? ▼
In ZIP code 50316, approximately 66.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 33.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50316? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50316 is 17.9% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.