PlainZIP

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
$59,261
Median income
$122,000
Median home value
16.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

ZIP code 50536 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 366.2 square miles in Emmetsburg, Palo Alto County, Iowa. The area is home to 4,541 residents, producing a population density of 12 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 50536 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 50536 sits at $59,261 (23% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $35,611. The poverty rate stands at 15.2% and the unemployment rate at 2.2%. On housing, the median home value is $122,000 (31% below the state average) with median rent at $632 per month, and 70.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 50536 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 16.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.9, and the average commute is —. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Palo Alto County, so you can benchmark 50536 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 50536

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50536.

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 50536, Emmetsburg, 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

4,541

Population

366.2

Area (sq mi)

12

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 50536?

43.9

Median Age

53.0%

Male

47.0%

Female

1.7%

Foreign-Born

White 96.4%
African American 0.1%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.4%
Hispanic or Latino 1.9%

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

$35,611

Per Capita Income

15.2%

Poverty Rate

2.2%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 50536 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$59,261 28th percentile higher than 28% 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 48.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.3%

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

What does housing look like?

2,092

Total Housing Units

1,859

Occupied Units

233

Vacant Units

2.13

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 70.3%
Renter 29.7%

$122,000

Median Home Value

-31% vs state

$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

More ZIP Codes in Palo Alto County

51358 standard
Ruthven, IA
Pop: 1,310
50597 standard
West Bend, IA
Pop: 1,293
51342 standard
Graettinger, IA
Pop: 1,249
50562 standard
Mallard, IA
Pop: 527
50528 standard
Cylinder, IA
Pop: 383
50515 standard
Ayrshire, IA
Pop: 279

Related Areas

Palo Alto County Emmetsburg, IA Iowa

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.

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 Emmetsburg, 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.