Emmetsburg, IA · standard
ZIP Code 50536
Palo Alto County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 4,541
- 12/sq mi Low-density area
- $59,261
- Median income Below-median income area
- $122,000
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 16.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Emmetsburg pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 28th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 17th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 12
- people per sq mi
- 70%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50536 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 50536 (Emmetsburg, IA) fell -2.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 237.6 in 2023 to 232.7 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 50536 covers 366.2 square miles in Emmetsburg, Palo Alto County, Iowa (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 4,541 residents on file, a density of 12 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 50536 reports a modest median household income of $59,261 (23% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $35,611. The poverty rate is 15.2%, with unemployment at 2.2%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $122,000 (31% below the average Iowa ZIP), and median rent is $632; owner occupancy is 70.3%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 16.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.9, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Palo Alto County, so 50536 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 →
Top industries in ZIP 50536
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Emmetsburg, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50536.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
23 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
20 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
16 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
15 establishments
- Construction
Construction
14 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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 50536, Emmetsburg, 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
4,541
Population
366.2
Area (sq mi)
12
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 50536?
43.9
Median Age
53.0%
Male
47.0%
Female
1.7%
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?
$59,261
Median Household Income
-23% vs state ZIP avg
$35,611
Per Capita Income
15.2%
Poverty Rate
2.2%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 50536 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Emmetsburg, 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)
$59,261 16th percentile higher than 16% 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
2,092housing units
2,092
Total Housing Units
1,859
Occupied Units
233
Vacant Units
2.13
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$122,000
Median Home Value
-31% vs state ZIP avg
$632
Median Rent
1960
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
-2.1%
YoY Change (2024)
233
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+133%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 50536 have decreased 2.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +133% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +7.6% | 188 |
| 2021 | +7.6% | 202 |
| 2022 | +7.7% | 218 |
| 2023 | +9.2% | 238 |
| 2024 | -2.1% | 233 |
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 159 business establishments in ZIP 50536, employing approximately 1,932 people with a combined annual payroll of $91,611,000.
159
Businesses
1,932
Employees
$91.6M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 23 | 14.5% |
| Retail trade | 20 | 12.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 16 | 10.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 15 | 9.4% |
| Construction | 14 | 8.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 13 | 8.2% |
| Manufacturing | 12 | 7.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 11 | 6.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 8 | 5.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 7 | 4.4% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 4 | 2.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 4 | 2.5% |
| Utilities | 3 | 1.9% |
| Information | 3 | 1.9% |
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 50536 vs 51342 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51342 | Graettinger, IA | 1,249 | 8.9 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 50536, both outside IA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (4,541 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Palo Alto County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 50536 in?
ZIP code 50536 (Emmetsburg) is located in Palo Alto County, Iowa. Palo Alto County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/palo-alto-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50536?
ZIP code 50536 in Emmetsburg, IA has a population of 4,541 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50536?
The median household income in ZIP 50536 is $59,261, which is 22% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50536?
The median home value in ZIP 50536 is $122,000, which is 56% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50536?
The largest racial group in ZIP 50536 is White at 96.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50536?
ZIP code 50536 has 159 business establishments employing approximately 1,932 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50536?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50536 are: Health care and social assistance (23), Retail trade (20), Accommodation and food services (16). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 50536?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 50536 decreased by 2.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 133%. 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 50536?
In ZIP code 50536, 48.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.3% 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 50536?
In ZIP code 50536, approximately 70.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 29.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50536?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50536 is 15.2% 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 50536's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 50536 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Emmetsburg, IA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.