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 Moderate-density area
- $66,072
- Median income Near-median income area
- $146,500
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 21.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 50401 (Mason City, IA) rose +4.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 183.9 in 2023 to 192.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $37,886. The poverty rate is 11.4%, with unemployment at 2.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $146,500 (17% below the average Iowa ZIP), and median rent is $875; owner occupancy is 66.3%.
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. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Cerro Gordo County, so 50401 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 50401
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Mason City, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50401.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
149 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
104 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
93 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
88 establishments
- Construction
Construction
80 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 50401?
42.2
Median Age
48.7%
Male
51.3%
Female
3.2%
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?
$66,072
Median Household Income
-14% vs state ZIP avg
$37,886
Per Capita Income
11.4%
Poverty Rate
2.7%
Unemployment Rate
13.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 50401 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Mason City, 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)
$66,072 32nd percentile higher than 32% 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
14,875housing units
14,875
Total Housing Units
13,321
Occupied Units
1,554
Vacant Units
2.09
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$146,500
Median Home Value
-17% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 50401
Mason City (50401)
29,837 residents
- 50456 1,741
Manly (50456)
1,741 residents
- 50464 673
Plymouth (50464)
673 residents
- 50467 94
Rock Falls (50467)
94 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50401 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 50401 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50464
Plymouth (50464)
$91,750 median income
- 50456
Manly (50456)
$81,339 median income
- 50401
Mason City (50401)
$66,072 median income
- 50467
Rock Falls (50467)
$63,750 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 50401, 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 (29,837 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Cerro Gordo County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 50401's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 50401 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Mason City, 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.