Rockwell City, IA · standard
ZIP Code 50579
Calhoun County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,405
- 7/sq mi Low-density area
- $61,108
- Median income Below-median income area
- $126,000
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 19.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Rockwell City pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 31st pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 19th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 7
- people per sq mi
- 78%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50579 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 50579 covers 353.7 square miles in Rockwell City, Calhoun County, Iowa (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,405 residents on file, a density of 7 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 50579 reports a modest median household income of $61,108 (20% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $30,688. The poverty rate is 9.1%, with unemployment at 1.2%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $126,000 (28% below the average Iowa ZIP), and median rent is $777; owner occupancy is 78.2%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.2, and the average commute is 23 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Calhoun County, so 50579 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 50579
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Rockwell City, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50579.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
15 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
11 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
10 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
9 establishments
- Construction 5
Construction
5 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 50579, Rockwell City, 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
2,405
Population
353.7
Area (sq mi)
7
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 50579?
42.2
Median Age
57.5%
Male
42.5%
Female
1.8%
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?
$61,108
Median Household Income
-20% vs state ZIP avg
$30,688
Per Capita Income
9.1%
Poverty Rate
1.2%
Unemployment Rate
22.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 50579 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Rockwell City, 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)
$61,108 20th percentile higher than 20% 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
1,364housing units
1,364
Total Housing Units
1,085
Occupied Units
279
Vacant Units
2.29
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$126,000
Median Home Value
-28% vs state ZIP avg
$777
Median Rent
1957
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 77 business establishments in ZIP 50579, employing approximately 378 people with a combined annual payroll of $14,896,000.
77
Businesses
378
Employees
$14.9M
Annual Payroll
9
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 15 | 19.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 11 | 14.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 10 | 13.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 9 | 11.7% |
| Construction | 5 | 6.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 5 | 6.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 5 | 6.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 3 | 3.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 3 | 3.9% |
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 50579 vs 50551 →
ZIP 50579 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50563
Manson (50563)
2,500 residents
- 50579
Rockwell City (50579)
2,405 residents
- 51449
Lake City (51449)
2,128 residents
- 51453 695
Lohrville (51453)
695 residents
- 50551 158
Jolley (50551)
158 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50579 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 50579 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51453
Lohrville (51453)
$86,563 median income
- 51449
Lake City (51449)
$75,329 median income
- 50563
Manson (50563)
$71,094 median income
- 50579
Rockwell City (50579)
$61,108 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 50579 ranks #4 of 4 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 50579, 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 (2,405 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Calhoun County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 50579 in?
ZIP code 50579 (Rockwell City) is located in Calhoun County, Iowa. Calhoun County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/calhoun-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50579?
ZIP code 50579 in Rockwell City, IA has a population of 2,405 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50579?
The median household income in ZIP 50579 is $61,108, which is 20% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50579?
The median home value in ZIP 50579 is $126,000, which is 55% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50579?
The largest racial group in ZIP 50579 is White at 88.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50579?
ZIP code 50579 has 77 business establishments employing approximately 378 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50579?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50579 are: Retail trade (15), Other services (except public administration) (11), Health care and social assistance (10). There are 9 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 50579?
In ZIP code 50579, 56.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.1% 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 50579?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50579 is 22.7 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 50579?
In ZIP code 50579, approximately 78.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50579?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50579 is 9.1% 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 50579's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 50579 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Rockwell City, 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.