PlainZIP

Swaledale, IA · standard

ZIP Code 50477

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

347
6/sq mi
$52,321
Median income
$83,000
Median home value
10.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Swaledale pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

17th pct
household income, US ZIPs
5th pct
home value, US ZIPs
6
people per sq mi
74%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50477 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 50477 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Swaledale, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, home to just 347 residents across 58.8 square miles, a density of 6 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 50477 reports a modest median household income of $52,321 (32% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $27,332. Poverty here runs at 26.4%, with unemployment measured at 7.2%. The typical home here is valued at $83,000 (53% below the state average); renters pay a median of $752 monthly, and 74.1% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 49.5, and the average commute is -. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Cerro Gordo County, so you can benchmark 50477 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 →

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 50477, Swaledale, 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

347

Population

58.8

Area (sq mi)

6

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 50477?

49.5

Median Age

67.2%

Male

32.8%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 89.2%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.8%
Hispanic or Latino 0.0%

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?

$52,321

Median Household Income

-32% vs state

$27,332

Per Capita Income

26.4%

Poverty Rate

7.2%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 50477 ranks nationally

Swaledale, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$52,321 17th percentile higher than 17% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 48.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.6%

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

What does housing look like?

121

Total Housing Units

112

Occupied Units

9

Vacant Units

2.23

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.1%
Renter 25.9%

$83,000

Median Home Value

-53% vs state

$752

Median Rent

1938

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 6 business establishments in ZIP 50477, employing approximately 47 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,934,000.

6

Businesses

47

Employees

$2.9M

Annual Payroll

0

Industry Sectors

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 50477 vs 50479 →

ZIP 50477 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 50477 ranks #5 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 50477 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 50477 ranks #5 of 5 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
50479 Thornton, IA 684 5.4 mi
50469 Rockwell, IA 1,574 6.7 mi
50428 Clear Lake, IA 9,384 10.7 mi
50475 Sheffield, IA 1,757 9.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Cerro Gordo County

50401 standard
Mason City, IA
Pop: 29,837
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

Related Areas

Cerro Gordo County Swaledale, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 50477 in? ▼
ZIP code 50477 (Swaledale) 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 50477? ▼
ZIP code 50477 in Swaledale, IA has a population of 347 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50477? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 50477 is $52,321, which is 31% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50477? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 50477 is $83,000, which is 70% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50477? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 50477 is White at 89.2%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50477? ▼
ZIP code 50477 has 6 business establishments employing approximately 47 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 50477? ▼
In ZIP code 50477, 48.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.6% 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 50477? ▼
In ZIP code 50477, approximately 74.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50477? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50477 is 26.4% 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.