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
- $71,618
- Median income
- $149,600
- Median home value
- 20.8%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
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.
ZIP code 50459 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 372.6 square miles in Northwood, Worth County, Iowa. The area is home to 3,018 residents, producing a population density of 8 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 50459 against Iowa and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 50459 sits at $71,618 (6% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $39,585. The poverty rate stands at 11.4% and the unemployment rate at 5.3%. On housing, the median home value is $149,600 (15% below the state average) with median rent at $738 per month, and 86.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 50459 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 20.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.2, and the average commute is —. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Worth County, so you can benchmark 50459 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 50459
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, 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; HUD FMR + 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
$39,585
Per Capita Income
11.4%
Poverty Rate
5.3%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 50459 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$71,618 49th percentile higher than 49% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
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
$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.
More ZIP Codes in Worth County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 50459 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 50459? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 50459? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 50459? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50459? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50459? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50459? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 50459? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 50459? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 50459? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50459? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Northwood, IA
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.