PlainZIP

Des Moines, IA · standard

ZIP Code 50320

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

20,027
414/sq mi
$85,105
Median income
$216,900
Median home value
24.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 32%
household income, US ZIPs
48th pct
home value, US ZIPs
414
people per sq mi
74%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50320 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 50320 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 48.4 square miles in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa. The area is home to 20,027 residents, producing a population density of 414 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 50320 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 50320 sits at $85,105 (11% above the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $36,496. The poverty rate stands at 10.3% and the unemployment rate at 7.2%. On housing, the median home value is $216,900 (24% above the state average) with median rent at $1,166 per month, and 73.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 50320 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 24.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.3, and the average commute is 22 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Polk County, so you can benchmark 50320 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 50320

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50320.

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 50320, 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

20,027

Population

48.4

Area (sq mi)

414

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 50320?

34.3

Median Age

49.3%

Male

50.7%

Female

16.5%

Foreign-Born

White 61.3%
African American 8.0%
Asian 13.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.2%
Hispanic or Latino 20.7%

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?

$85,105

Median Household Income

+11% vs state

$36,496

Per Capita Income

10.3%

Poverty Rate

7.2%

Unemployment Rate

22.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 50320 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$85,105 Top 32% higher than 68% 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 53.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.8%

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

What does housing look like?

9,369

Total Housing Units

8,787

Occupied Units

582

Vacant Units

2.81

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 73.5%
Renter 26.5%

$216,900

Median Home Value

+24% vs state

$1,166

Median Rent

1995

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

+2.2%

YoY Change (2024)

203

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+103%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 50320 have increased 2.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +103% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.9% 146
2021 +10.8% 162
2022 +10.6% 179
2023 +10.9% 199
2024 +2.2% 203

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 299 business establishments in ZIP 50320, employing approximately 3,534 people with a combined annual payroll of $125,201,000.

299

Businesses

3,534

Employees

$125.2M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 56 18.7%
Construction 38 12.7%
Accommodation and food services 34 11.4%
Other services (except public administration) 32 10.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 26 8.7%
Health care and social assistance 23 7.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 19 6.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 17 5.7%
Finance and insurance 13 4.3%
Transportation and warehousing 11 3.7%
Information 7 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 2.3%
Manufacturing 5 1.7%
Wholesale trade 5 1.7%
Educational services 3 1.0%

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 50320 vs 50315 →

ZIP 50320 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 50320 ranks #3 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 50320 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 50320 ranks #4 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
50315 Des Moines, IA 35,853 2.9 mi
50319 Des Moines, IA 0 4.7 mi
50309 Des Moines, IA 5,431 4.7 mi
50316 Des Moines, IA 16,440 5.7 mi
50317 Des Moines, IA 36,207 6.2 mi
50321 Des Moines, IA 7,846 5.3 mi
50314 Des Moines, IA 12,465 6.2 mi
50327 Pleasant Hill, IA 10,467 5.7 mi
50047 Carlisle, IA 5,559 6.5 mi
50312 Des Moines, IA 15,339 6.5 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 50320 in? ▼
ZIP code 50320 (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 50320? ▼
ZIP code 50320 in Des Moines, IA has a population of 20,027 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50320? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 50320 is $85,105, which is 12% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50320? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 50320 is $216,900, which is 22% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50320? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 50320 is White at 61.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 20.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50320? ▼
ZIP code 50320 has 299 business establishments employing approximately 3,534 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50320? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50320 are: Retail trade (56), Construction (38), Accommodation and food services (34). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 50320? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 50320 increased by 2.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 103%. 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 50320? ▼
In ZIP code 50320, 53.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.8% 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 50320? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50320 is 22.0 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 50320? ▼
In ZIP code 50320, approximately 73.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 26.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50320? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50320 is 10.3% 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.