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 Low-density area
- $48,750
- Median income Below-median income area
- $93,200
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 35.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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 average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $39,890. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 6.1% and unemployment is 2.6%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $93,200 (47% below the average Iowa ZIP), and median rent is $752; owner occupancy is 80.7%.
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 -. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Winnebago County, so 50478 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 →
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
Who lives in ZIP 50478?
46.8
Median Age
61.6%
Male
38.4%
Female
0.7%
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?
$48,750
Median Household Income
-36% vs state ZIP avg
$39,890
Per Capita Income
6.1%
Poverty Rate
2.6%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 50478 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Thompson, 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)
$48,750 5th percentile higher than 5% 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
455housing units
455
Total Housing Units
389
Occupied Units
66
Vacant Units
1.89
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$93,200
Median Home Value
-47% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 50436
Forest City (50436)
5,848 residents
- 50424 1,482
Buffalo Center (50424)
1,482 residents
- 50478 775
Thompson (50478)
775 residents
- 56051 703
Kiester (56051)
703 residents
- 50453 588
Leland (50453)
588 residents
- 50473 268
Scarville (50473)
268 residents
- 50465 250
Rake (50465)
250 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50478 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 50478 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50453
Leland (50453)
$77,868 median income
- 50436
Forest City (50436)
$74,940 median income
- 50424
Buffalo Center (50424)
$59,091 median income
- 56051
Kiester (56051)
$54,286 median income
- 50473
Scarville (50473)
$50,227 median income
- 50478
Thompson (50478)
$48,750 median income
- 50465
Rake (50465)
$42,386 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 50478, both outside IA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Winnebago County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 50478's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 50478 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Thompson, 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.