Northwood, IA · standard
ZIP Code 50459
Worth County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,018
- 8/sq mi Low-density area
- $71,618
- Median income Near-median income area
- $149,600
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 20.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Northwood pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 49th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 25th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 8
- people per sq mi
- 86%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50459 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 50459 (Northwood, IA) rose +10.0% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 187.0 in 2023 to 205.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 50459 covers 372.6 square miles in Northwood, Worth County, Iowa (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,018 residents on file, a density of 8 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 50459 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $71,618 (6% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $39,585. The poverty rate is 11.4%, with unemployment at 5.3%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $149,600 (15% below the average Iowa ZIP) and median rent is $738; 86.1% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.2, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Worth County, so 50459 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 50459
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Northwood, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50459.
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
10 establishments
- Construction
Construction
9 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
9 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
8 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
7 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 50459, Northwood, 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
3,018
Population
372.6
Area (sq mi)
8
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 50459?
43.2
Median Age
50.5%
Male
49.5%
Female
1.9%
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?
$71,618
Median Household Income
-6% vs state ZIP avg
$39,585
Per Capita Income
11.4%
Poverty Rate
5.3%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 50459 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Northwood, 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)
$71,618 43rd percentile higher than 43% 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
1,351housing units
1,351
Total Housing Units
1,276
Occupied Units
75
Vacant Units
2.35
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$149,600
Median Home Value
-15% vs state ZIP avg
$738
Median Rent
1946
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
+10.0%
YoY Change (2024)
206
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+106%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 50459 have increased 10.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +106% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -4.7% | 132 |
| 2021 | +12.3% | 148 |
| 2022 | +16.1% | 172 |
| 2023 | +8.9% | 187 |
| 2024 | +10.0% | 206 |
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 79 business establishments in ZIP 50459, employing approximately 1,219 people with a combined annual payroll of $54,585,000.
79
Businesses
1,219
Employees
$54.6M
Annual Payroll
12
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 10 | 12.7% |
| Construction | 9 | 11.4% |
| Retail trade | 9 | 11.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 8 | 10.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 7 | 8.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 6 | 7.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 6 | 7.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 6.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 5 | 6.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 4 | 5.1% |
| Information | 3 | 3.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 3.8% |
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 50459 vs 50448 →
ZIP 50459 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50459
Northwood (50459)
3,018 residents
- 56036
Glenville (56036)
1,959 residents
- 50448 695
Kensett (50448)
695 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50459 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 50459 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 56036
Glenville (56036)
$73,287 median income
- 50459
Northwood (50459)
$71,618 median income
- 50448
Kensett (50448)
$62,059 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 50459 ranks #2 of 3 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 50459, 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 (3,018 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Worth County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 50459 in?
ZIP code 50459 (Northwood) is located in Worth County, Iowa. Worth County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/worth-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50459?
ZIP code 50459 in Northwood, IA has a population of 3,018 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50459?
The median household income in ZIP 50459 is $71,618, which is 6% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50459?
The median home value in ZIP 50459 is $149,600, which is 46% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50459?
The largest racial group in ZIP 50459 is White at 96.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50459?
ZIP code 50459 has 79 business establishments employing approximately 1,219 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50459?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50459 are: Manufacturing (10), Construction (9), Retail trade (9). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 50459?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 50459 increased by 10.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 106%. 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 50459?
In ZIP code 50459, 55.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 50459?
In ZIP code 50459, approximately 86.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 13.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50459?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50459 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 50459's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 50459 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Northwood, 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.