West Bend, IA · standard
ZIP Code 50597
Palo Alto County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,293
- 6/sq mi Low-density area
- $92,000
- Median income Above-median income area
- $179,700
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 23.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
West Bend pairs an upper-quartile household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 25%
- household income, US ZIPs
- 38th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 6
- people per sq mi
- 88%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50597 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 50597 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in West Bend, Palo Alto County, Iowa, home to just 1,293 residents across 212.0 square miles, a density of 6 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 50597 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $92,000 (20% above the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $43,214. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 5.5% and unemployment is 1.8%. Median home value is $179,700 (2% above the average Iowa ZIP) and median rent is $613; 88.1% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.5, and the average commute is 16 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Palo Alto County, so 50597 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 50597
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in West Bend, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50597.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
10 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
10 establishments
- Construction
Construction
7 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
5 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
4 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 50597, West Bend, 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
1,293
Population
212.0
Area (sq mi)
6
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 50597?
37.5
Median Age
47.0%
Male
53.0%
Female
2.0%
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?
$92,000
Median Household Income
+20% vs state ZIP avg
$43,214
Per Capita Income
5.5%
Poverty Rate
1.8%
Unemployment Rate
16.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 50597 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
West Bend, 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)
$92,000 Top 18% higher than 82% 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
548housing units
548
Total Housing Units
494
Occupied Units
54
Vacant Units
2.63
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$179,700
Median Home Value
+2% vs state ZIP avg
$613
Median Rent
1962
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 54 business establishments in ZIP 50597, employing approximately 463 people with a combined annual payroll of $18,621,000.
54
Businesses
463
Employees
$18.6M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 10 | 18.5% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 10 | 18.5% |
| Construction | 7 | 13.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 5 | 9.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 7.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 4 | 7.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 4 | 7.4% |
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 50597 vs 50598 →
ZIP 50597 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50597
West Bend (50597)
1,293 residents
- 50581
Rolfe (50581)
996 residents
- 50598
Whittemore (50598)
912 residents
- 50570 248
Ottosen (50570)
248 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50597 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 50597 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50597
West Bend (50597)
$92,000 median income
- 50598
Whittemore (50598)
$78,558 median income
- 50570
Ottosen (50570)
$67,813 median income
- 50581
Rolfe (50581)
$57,500 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 50597 ranks the highest 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 50597, 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 (1,293 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 50597 in?
ZIP code 50597 (West Bend) 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 50597?
ZIP code 50597 in West Bend, IA has a population of 1,293 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50597?
The median household income in ZIP 50597 is $92,000, which is 21% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50597?
The median home value in ZIP 50597 is $179,700, which is 35% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50597?
The largest racial group in ZIP 50597 is White at 91.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50597?
ZIP code 50597 has 54 business establishments employing approximately 463 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50597?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50597 are: Retail trade (10), Transportation and warehousing (10), Construction (7). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 50597?
In ZIP code 50597, 53.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.2% 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 50597?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50597 is 16.1 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 50597?
In ZIP code 50597, approximately 88.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 11.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50597?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50597 is 5.5% 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 50597's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 50597 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where West Bend, 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.