PlainZIP

Cromwell, IA · standard

ZIP Code 50842

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

105
156/sq mi
$59,583
Median income
$104,700
Median home value
11.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

28th pct
household income, US ZIPs
11th pct
home value, US ZIPs
156
people per sq mi
96%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50842 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 50842 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Cromwell, Union County, Iowa, home to just 105 residents across 0.7 square miles, a density of 156 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 50842 reports a modest median household income of $59,583 (22% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $33,682. The poverty rate stands at 11.1% and the unemployment rate at 2.1%. On housing, the median home value is $104,700 (40% below the state average) with median rent at - per month, and 95.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 11.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 55.8, and the average commute is -. Beyond these figures, 3 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 5 more sharing Union County, letting you compare 50842 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 →

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 50842, Cromwell, 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

105

Population

0.7

Area (sq mi)

156

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 50842?

55.8

Median Age

53.5%

Male

46.5%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 98.0%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.0%
Hispanic or Latino 1.0%

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?

$59,583

Median Household Income

-22% vs state

$33,682

Per Capita Income

11.1%

Poverty Rate

2.1%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 50842 ranks nationally

Cromwell, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$59,583 28th percentile higher than 28% 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 57.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 11.0%

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

What does housing look like?

50

Total Housing Units

47

Occupied Units

3

Vacant Units

2.11

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 95.7%
Renter 4.3%

$104,700

Median Home Value

-40% vs state

1970

Median Year Built

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

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 50842 vs 50801 →

ZIP 50842 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 50842 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 50842 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 50842 ranks #3 of 4 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
50801 Creston, IA 9,590 4.6 mi
50859 Prescott, IA 584 7.5 mi
50851 Lenox, IA 2,087 10.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Union County

50801 standard
Creston, IA
Pop: 9,590
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

Related Areas

Union County Cromwell, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 50842 in? ▼
ZIP code 50842 (Cromwell) 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 50842? ▼
ZIP code 50842 in Cromwell, IA has a population of 105 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 50842? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 50842 is $59,583, which is 22% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 50842? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 50842 is $104,700, which is 62% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50842? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 50842 is White at 98.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.0% of the population.
What is the education level in ZIP code 50842? ▼
In ZIP code 50842, 57.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 11.0% 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 50842? ▼
In ZIP code 50842, approximately 95.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 4.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50842? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 50842 is 11.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.