PlainZIP

Creston, IA · standard

ZIP Code 50801

Union County, Iowa — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

9,590
18/sq mi
$58,015
Median income
$124,900
Median home value
25.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Creston pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

26th pct
household income, US ZIPs
19th pct
home value, US ZIPs
18
people per sq mi
69%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50801 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 50801 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 541.8 square miles in Creston, Union County, Iowa. The area is home to 9,590 residents, producing a population density of 18 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 50801 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 50801 sits at $58,015 (24% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $32,029. The poverty rate stands at 13.2% and the unemployment rate at 3.4%. On housing, the median home value is $124,900 (29% below the state average) with median rent at $716 per month, and 68.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 50801 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 25.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.7, and the average commute is —. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 5 additional ZIPs sharing Union County, so you can benchmark 50801 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 50801

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50801.

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 50801, Creston, 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

9,590

Population

541.8

Area (sq mi)

18

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 50801?

39.7

Median Age

49.3%

Male

50.7%

Female

1.5%

Foreign-Born

White 93.2%
African American 1.9%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.8%
Hispanic or Latino 3.1%

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?

$58,015

Median Household Income

-24% vs state

$32,029

Per Capita Income

13.2%

Poverty Rate

3.4%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 50801 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$58,015 26th percentile higher than 26% 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 59.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 25.8%

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

What does housing look like?

4,483

Total Housing Units

3,964

Occupied Units

519

Vacant Units

2.21

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 68.8%
Renter 31.2%

$124,900

Median Home Value

-29% vs state

$716

Median Rent

1961

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

+5.1%

YoY Change (2024)

214

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+114%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 50801 have increased 5.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +114% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.1% 167
2021 +5.0% 175
2022 +13.9% 200
2023 +2.0% 204
2024 +5.1% 214

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 259 business establishments in ZIP 50801, employing approximately 4,454 people with a combined annual payroll of $188,521,000.

259

Businesses

4,454

Employees

$188.5M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 46 17.8%
Other services (except public administration) 32 12.4%
Health care and social assistance 30 11.6%
Accommodation and food services 25 9.7%
Finance and insurance 21 8.1%
Construction 20 7.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 17 6.6%
Wholesale trade 14 5.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 12 4.6%
Transportation and warehousing 8 3.1%
Manufacturing 7 2.7%
Information 7 2.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 7 2.7%
Educational services 5 1.9%
Utilities 4 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 1.2%

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 50801 vs 50842 →

ZIP 50801 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50801 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 50801 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 50801 ranks #3 of 3 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
50842 Cromwell, IA 105 4.6 mi
50858 Orient, IA 796 9.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Union County

50830 standard
Afton, IA
Pop: 1,743
50149 standard
Lorimor, IA
Pop: 964
50254 standard
Thayer, IA
Pop: 282
50861 standard
Shannon City, IA
Pop: 274
50842 standard
Cromwell, IA
Pop: 105

Related Areas

Union County Creston, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 50801 in? ▼
ZIP code 50801 (Creston) is located in Union County, Iowa. Union County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/union-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 50801? ▼
ZIP code 50801 in Creston, IA has a population of 9,590 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50801? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 50801 is $58,015, which is 24% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50801? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 50801 is $124,900, which is 55% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50801? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 50801 is White at 93.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50801? ▼
ZIP code 50801 has 259 business establishments employing approximately 4,454 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50801? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 50801 are: Retail trade (46), Other services (except public administration) (32), Health care and social assistance (30). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 50801? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 50801 increased by 5.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 114%. 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 50801? ▼
In ZIP code 50801, 59.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 25.8% 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 50801? ▼
In ZIP code 50801, approximately 68.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 31.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50801? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50801 is 13.2% 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 Creston, 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.