PlainZIP

Mason City, IA · standard

ZIP Code 50401

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

29,837
77/sq mi
$66,072
Median income
$146,500
Median home value
21.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Mason City pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

40th pct
household income, US ZIPs
24th pct
home value, US ZIPs
77
people per sq mi
66%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50401 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 50401 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, with 29,837 residents across 386.5 square miles, a density of 77 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 50401 reports a modest median household income of $66,072 (14% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $37,886. The poverty rate stands at 11.4% and the unemployment rate at 2.7%. On housing, the median home value is $146,500 (17% below the state average) with median rent at $875 per month, and 66.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.2, and the average commute is 14 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 3 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 50401, plus 6 more within Cerro Gordo County, give a clearer read than the 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 50401

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Mason City, IA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50401.

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 50401, Mason City, 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

29,837

Population

386.5

Area (sq mi)

77

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 50401?

42.2

Median Age

48.7%

Male

51.3%

Female

3.2%

Foreign-Born

White 86.8%
African American 3.3%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.9%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.6%
Hispanic or Latino 6.7%

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?

$66,072

Median Household Income

-14% vs state

$37,886

Per Capita Income

11.4%

Poverty Rate

2.7%

Unemployment Rate

13.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 50401 ranks nationally

Mason City, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$66,072 40th percentile higher than 40% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 58.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.4%

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

What does housing look like?

14,875

Total Housing Units

13,321

Occupied Units

1,554

Vacant Units

2.09

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 66.3%
Renter 33.7%

$146,500

Median Home Value

-17% vs state

$875

Median Rent

1956

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

+4.5%

YoY Change (2024)

192

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+92%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 50401 have increased 4.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +92% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.7% 140
2021 +10.3% 154
2022 +9.9% 170
2023 +8.4% 184
2024 +4.5% 192

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 899 business establishments in ZIP 50401, employing approximately 15,100 people with a combined annual payroll of $749,922,000.

899

Businesses

15,100

Employees

$749.9M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 149 16.6%
Health care and social assistance 104 11.6%
Other services (except public administration) 93 10.3%
Accommodation and food services 88 9.8%
Construction 80 8.9%
Wholesale trade 60 6.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 60 6.7%
Finance and insurance 59 6.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 49 5.5%
Manufacturing 38 4.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 35 3.9%
Transportation and warehousing 32 3.6%
Information 20 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 13 1.4%
Educational services 7 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 6 0.7%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 3 0.3%

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 50401 vs 50456 →

ZIP 50401 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 50401 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 50401 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 50401 ranks #3 of 4 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
50456 Manly, IA 1,741 9.3 mi
50467 Rock Falls, IA 94 7.0 mi
50464 Plymouth, IA 673 9.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Cerro Gordo County

50428 standard
Clear Lake, IA
Pop: 9,384
50469 standard
Rockwell, IA
Pop: 1,574
50482 standard
Ventura, IA
Pop: 774
50479 standard
Thornton, IA
Pop: 684
50464 standard
Plymouth, IA
Pop: 673
50457 standard
Meservey, IA
Pop: 441

Related Areas

Cerro Gordo County Mason City, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 50401 in? ▼
ZIP code 50401 (Mason City) is located in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa. Cerro Gordo County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cerro-gordo-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50401? ▼
ZIP code 50401 in Mason City, IA has a population of 29,837 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50401? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 50401 is $66,072, which is 13% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50401? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 50401 is $146,500, which is 47% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50401? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 50401 is White at 86.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50401? ▼
ZIP code 50401 has 899 business establishments employing approximately 15,100 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50401? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50401 are: Retail trade (149), Health care and social assistance (104), Other services (except public administration) (93). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 50401? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 50401 increased by 4.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 92%. 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 50401? ▼
In ZIP code 50401, 58.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.4% 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 50401? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50401 is 13.7 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 50401? ▼
In ZIP code 50401, approximately 66.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 33.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50401? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50401 is 11.4% 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.