PlainZIP

Fort Dodge, IA · standard

ZIP Code 50501

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

29,078
72/sq mi
$66,888
Median income
$153,500
Median home value
22.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Fort Dodge pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

42th pct
household income, US ZIPs
27th pct
home value, US ZIPs
72
people per sq mi
68%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50501 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 50501 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 403.9 square miles in Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa. The area is home to 29,078 residents, producing a population density of 72 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 50501 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 50501 sits at $66,888 (13% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $34,794. The poverty rate stands at 14.0% and the unemployment rate at 5.5%. On housing, the median home value is $153,500 (13% below the state average) with median rent at $796 per month, and 67.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 50501 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 22.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.8, and the average commute is 19 minutes. We also surface 5 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Webster County, so you can benchmark 50501 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 50501

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50501.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 50501, Fort Dodge, 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

29,078

Population

403.9

Area (sq mi)

72

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 50501?

38.8

Median Age

52.4%

Male

47.6%

Female

3.7%

Foreign-Born

White 83.7%
African American 4.1%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.0%
Hispanic or Latino 8.0%

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?

$66,888

Median Household Income

-13% vs state

$34,794

Per Capita Income

14.0%

Poverty Rate

5.5%

Unemployment Rate

18.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 50501 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$66,888 42nd percentile higher than 42% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 54.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.1%

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

What does housing look like?

13,268

Total Housing Units

11,899

Occupied Units

1,369

Vacant Units

2.19

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 67.6%
Renter 32.4%

$153,500

Median Home Value

-13% vs state

$796

Median Rent

1958

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

+5.6%

YoY Change (2024)

177

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+77%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 50501 have increased 5.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +77% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.9% 140
2021 +7.9% 151
2022 +9.3% 165
2023 +2.1% 168
2024 +5.6% 177

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 828 business establishments in ZIP 50501, employing approximately 15,301 people with a combined annual payroll of $745,138,000.

828

Businesses

15,301

Employees

$745.1M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 114 13.8%
Retail trade 113 13.7%
Other services (except public administration) 91 11.0%
Accommodation and food services 79 9.5%
Construction 69 8.3%
Finance and insurance 57 6.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 52 6.3%
Wholesale trade 47 5.7%
Transportation and warehousing 44 5.3%
Manufacturing 39 4.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 37 4.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 36 4.3%
Information 18 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 13 1.6%
Educational services 7 0.8%
Management of companies and enterprises 6 0.7%

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 50501 vs 50569 →

ZIP 50501 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 50501 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 50501 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 50501 ranks #4 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
50569 Otho, IA 836 6.8 mi
50516 Badger, IA 719 9.5 mi
50566 Moorland, IA 433 7.9 mi
50523 Callender, IA 604 10.1 mi
50521 Burnside, IA 104 11.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Webster County

50543 standard
Gowrie, IA
Pop: 1,492
50530 standard
Dayton, IA
Pop: 1,205
50532 standard
Duncombe, IA
Pop: 873
50569 standard
Otho, IA
Pop: 836
50557 standard
Lehigh, IA
Pop: 750
50516 standard
Badger, IA
Pop: 719

Related Areas

Webster County Fort Dodge, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 50501 in? ▼
ZIP code 50501 (Fort Dodge) is located in Webster County, Iowa. Webster County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/webster-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50501? ▼
ZIP code 50501 in Fort Dodge, IA has a population of 29,078 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50501? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 50501 is $66,888, which is 12% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50501? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 50501 is $153,500, which is 45% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50501? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 50501 is White at 83.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50501? ▼
ZIP code 50501 has 828 business establishments employing approximately 15,301 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50501? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50501 are: Health care and social assistance (114), Retail trade (113), Other services (except public administration) (91). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 50501? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 50501 increased by 5.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 77%. 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 50501? ▼
In ZIP code 50501, 54.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 50501? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50501 is 18.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 50501? ▼
In ZIP code 50501, approximately 67.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 32.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50501? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50501 is 14.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Reading Census Demographics
How to interpret population, income, and education data from the Census Bureau.
Understanding ZIP Code Data
What ZIP codes are, how ZCTAs differ, and what the data reveals.
Best ZIP Codes for Families
Key factors to evaluate when choosing a family-friendly neighborhood.
ZIP Codes for Relocation
Data-driven tips for evaluating ZIP codes before a move.

Official Data Resources for Fort Dodge, IA

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

U.S. Census Bureau
Official demographic, economic, and housing data from the American Community Survey.
HUD Fair Market Rents
Department of Housing and Urban Development rental cost estimates by metropolitan area.
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Official crime statistics compiled from law enforcement agencies nationwide.
FHFA House Price Index
Federal Housing Finance Agency home value trends based on repeat sales and appraisals.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.