PlainZIP

Thompson, IA · standard

ZIP Code 50478

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

775
4/sq mi
$48,750
Median income
$93,200
Median home value
35.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

13th pct
household income, US ZIPs
8th pct
home value, US ZIPs
4
people per sq mi
81%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50478 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 50478 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Thompson, Winnebago County, Iowa, home to just 775 residents across 193.8 square miles, a density of 4 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 50478 reports a modest median household income of $48,750 (36% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $39,890. Poverty here runs at 6.1%, with unemployment measured at 2.6%. On housing, the median home value is $93,200 (47% below the state average) with median rent at $752 per month, and 80.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 35.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.8, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 6 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Winnebago County, letting you compare 50478 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 50478, Thompson, 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

775

Population

193.8

Area (sq mi)

4

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 50478?

46.8

Median Age

61.6%

Male

38.4%

Female

0.7%

Foreign-Born

White 80.6%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.9%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 17.0%
Hispanic or Latino 15.3%

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?

$48,750

Median Household Income

-36% vs state

$39,890

Per Capita Income

6.1%

Poverty Rate

2.6%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 50478 ranks nationally

Thompson, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$48,750 13th percentile higher than 13% 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 63.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 35.0%

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

What does housing look like?

455

Total Housing Units

389

Occupied Units

66

Vacant Units

1.89

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 80.7%
Renter 19.3%

$93,200

Median Home Value

-47% vs state

$752

Median Rent

1950

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 19 business establishments in ZIP 50478, employing approximately 97 people with a combined annual payroll of $5,887,000.

19

Businesses

97

Employees

$5.9M

Annual Payroll

2

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 3 15.8%
Other services (except public administration) 3 15.8%

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 50478 vs 50424 →

ZIP 50478 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 50478 ranks #3 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 50478 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 50478 ranks #6 of 7 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
50424 Buffalo Center, IA 1,482 7.5 mi
50453 Leland, IA 588 7.1 mi
50473 Scarville, IA 268 6.9 mi
56051 Kiester, MN 703 10.1 mi
50465 Rake, IA 250 8.7 mi
50436 Forest City, IA 5,848 11.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Winnebago County

50436 standard
Forest City, IA
Pop: 5,848
50450 standard
Lake Mills, IA
Pop: 2,897
50424 standard
Buffalo Center, IA
Pop: 1,482
50453 standard
Leland, IA
Pop: 588
50473 standard
Scarville, IA
Pop: 268
50465 standard
Rake, IA
Pop: 250

Related Areas

Winnebago County Thompson, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 50478 in? ▼
ZIP code 50478 (Thompson) is located in Winnebago County, Iowa. Winnebago County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/winnebago-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50478? ▼
ZIP code 50478 in Thompson, IA has a population of 775 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50478? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 50478 is $48,750, which is 36% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50478? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 50478 is $93,200, which is 66% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50478? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 50478 is White at 80.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 15.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50478? ▼
ZIP code 50478 has 19 business establishments employing approximately 97 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 50478? ▼
In ZIP code 50478, 63.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 35.0% 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 50478? ▼
In ZIP code 50478, approximately 80.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 19.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50478? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50478 is 6.1% 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.