Goldfield, IA · standard
ZIP Code 50542
Wright County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 933
- 5/sq mi Low-density area
- $55,000
- Median income Below-median income area
- $138,400
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 24.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Goldfield pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 21st pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 22nd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 5
- people per sq mi
- 85%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50542 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 50542 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Goldfield, Wright County, Iowa, home to just 933 residents across 172.8 square miles, a density of 5 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 50542 reports a modest median household income of $55,000 (28% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $39,161. The poverty rate is 9.8%, with unemployment at 0.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $138,400 (21% below the average Iowa ZIP), and median rent is $607; owner occupancy is 84.5%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.6, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Wright County, so 50542 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 50542
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Goldfield, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50542.
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
5 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
4 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
4 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
3 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
3 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 50542, Goldfield, 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
933
Population
172.8
Area (sq mi)
5
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 50542?
46.6
Median Age
50.4%
Male
49.6%
Female
0.5%
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?
$55,000
Median Household Income
-28% vs state ZIP avg
$39,161
Per Capita Income
9.8%
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Unemployment Rate
22.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 50542 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Goldfield, 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)
$55,000 10th percentile higher than 10% 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
440housing units
440
Total Housing Units
368
Occupied Units
72
Vacant Units
2.33
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$138,400
Median Home Value
-21% vs state ZIP avg
$607
Median Rent
1938
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 30 business establishments in ZIP 50542, employing approximately 173 people with a combined annual payroll of $6,789,000.
30
Businesses
173
Employees
$6.8M
Annual Payroll
6
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 16.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 13.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 13.3% |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 10.0% |
| Retail trade | 3 | 10.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3 | 10.0% |
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 50542 vs 50577 →
ZIP 50542 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50533
Eagle Grove (50533)
4,130 residents
- 50447 1,081
Kanawha (50447)
1,081 residents
- 50542 933
Goldfield (50542)
933 residents
- 50577 410
Renwick (50577)
410 residents
- 50591 320
Thor (50591)
320 residents
- 50545 205
Hardy (50545)
205 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50542 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 50542 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50447
Kanawha (50447)
$76,019 median income
- 50591
Thor (50591)
$75,000 median income
- 50533
Eagle Grove (50533)
$65,595 median income
- 50577
Renwick (50577)
$57,500 median income
- 50542
Goldfield (50542)
$55,000 median income
- 50545
Hardy (50545)
$31,429 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 50542 ranks #5 of 6 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 50542, 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 Wright County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 50542 in?
ZIP code 50542 (Goldfield) is located in Wright County, Iowa. Wright County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/wright-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50542?
ZIP code 50542 in Goldfield, IA has a population of 933 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50542?
The median household income in ZIP 50542 is $55,000, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50542?
The median home value in ZIP 50542 is $138,400, which is 50% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50542?
The largest racial group in ZIP 50542 is White at 91.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50542?
ZIP code 50542 has 30 business establishments employing approximately 173 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50542?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50542 are: Wholesale trade (5), Professional, scientific, and technical services (4), Other services (except public administration) (4). There are 6 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 50542?
In ZIP code 50542, 57.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.7% 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 50542?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50542 is 22.0 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 50542?
In ZIP code 50542, approximately 84.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50542?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50542 is 9.8% 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 50542's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 50542 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Goldfield, 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.