Independence, IA · standard
ZIP Code 50644
Buchanan County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 8,648
- 23/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $80,026
- Median income Near-median income area
- $186,600
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 23.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Independence pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 38%
- household income, US ZIPs
- 40th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 23
- people per sq mi
- 79%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50644 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 50644 (Independence, IA) rose +3.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 211.7 in 2023 to 219.6 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 50644 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa, home to 8,648 residents across 369.6 square miles, a density of 23 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 50644 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $80,026 (4% above the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $38,892. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 6.7% and unemployment is 1.9%. Median home value is $186,600 (6% above the average Iowa ZIP) and median rent is $829; 78.5% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.6, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Buchanan County, so 50644 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 50644
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Independence, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50644.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
40 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
34 establishments
- Construction
Construction
27 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
26 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
25 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 50644, Independence, 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
8,648
Population
369.6
Area (sq mi)
23
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 50644?
43.6
Median Age
48.5%
Male
51.5%
Female
1.6%
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?
$80,026
Median Household Income
+4% vs state ZIP avg
$38,892
Per Capita Income
6.7%
Poverty Rate
1.9%
Unemployment Rate
22.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 50644 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Independence, 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)
$80,026 Top 37% higher than 63% 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
3,945housing units
3,945
Total Housing Units
3,640
Occupied Units
305
Vacant Units
2.27
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$186,600
Median Home Value
+6% vs state ZIP avg
$829
Median Rent
1975
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
+3.7%
YoY Change (2024)
220
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+120%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 50644 have increased 3.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +120% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.9% | 170 |
| 2021 | +5.8% | 179 |
| 2022 | +9.0% | 196 |
| 2023 | +8.2% | 212 |
| 2024 | +3.7% | 220 |
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 271 business establishments in ZIP 50644, employing approximately 4,040 people with a combined annual payroll of $185,991,000.
271
Businesses
4,040
Employees
$186.0M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 40 | 14.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 34 | 12.6% |
| Construction | 27 | 10.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 26 | 9.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 25 | 9.2% |
| Manufacturing | 20 | 7.4% |
| Finance and insurance | 17 | 6.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 17 | 6.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 16 | 5.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 14 | 5.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 10 | 3.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 8 | 3.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 5 | 1.9% |
| Information | 4 | 1.5% |
| Educational services | 3 | 1.1% |
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 50644 vs 50641 →
ZIP 50644 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50644
Independence (50644)
8,648 residents
- 50641 2,017
Hazleton (50641)
2,017 residents
- 52329 803
Rowley (52329)
803 residents
- 52210 697
Brandon (52210)
697 residents
- 52326 547
Quasqueton (52326)
547 residents
- 50607 481
Aurora (50607)
481 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50644 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 50644 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50644
Independence (50644)
$80,026 median income
- 52326
Quasqueton (52326)
$76,250 median income
- 52210
Brandon (52210)
$70,714 median income
- 50641
Hazleton (50641)
$67,115 median income
- 52329
Rowley (52329)
$57,500 median income
- 50607
Aurora (50607)
$54,583 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 50644 ranks the highest 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 50644, 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 (8,648 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Buchanan County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 50644 in?
ZIP code 50644 (Independence) is located in Buchanan County, Iowa. Buchanan County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/buchanan-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50644?
ZIP code 50644 in Independence, IA has a population of 8,648 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50644?
The median household income in ZIP 50644 is $80,026, which is 5% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50644?
The median home value in ZIP 50644 is $186,600, which is 33% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50644?
The largest racial group in ZIP 50644 is White at 96.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50644?
ZIP code 50644 has 271 business establishments employing approximately 4,040 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50644?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50644 are: Retail trade (40), Health care and social assistance (34), Construction (27). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 50644?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 50644 increased by 3.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 120%. 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 50644?
In ZIP code 50644, 61.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.5% 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 50644?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 50644 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 50644?
In ZIP code 50644, approximately 78.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50644?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50644 is 6.7% 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 50644's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 50644 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Independence, 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.