Lenox, IA · standard
ZIP Code 50851
Taylor County, Iowa — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,087
- 6/sq mi
- $70,926
- Median income
- $121,000
- Median home value
- 18.4%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Lenox pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 48th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 17th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 6
- people per sq mi
- 79%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 50851 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 50851 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 331.3 square miles in Lenox, Taylor County, Iowa. The area is home to 2,087 residents, producing a population density of 6 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 50851 against Iowa and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 50851 sits at $70,926 (7% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $33,567. The poverty rate stands at 11.3% and the unemployment rate at 0.9%. On housing, the median home value is $121,000 (31% below the state average) with median rent at $1,054 per month, and 78.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 50851 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 18.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.3, and the average commute is —. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Taylor County, so you can benchmark 50851 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 50851
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 50851.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
9 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
8 establishments
- Construction
Construction
6 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
5 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 50851, Lenox, 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
2,087
Population
331.3
Area (sq mi)
6
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 50851?
40.3
Median Age
51.7%
Male
48.3%
Female
5.4%
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?
$70,926
Median Household Income
-7% vs state
$33,567
Per Capita Income
11.3%
Poverty Rate
0.9%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 50851 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$70,926 48th percentile higher than 48% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
997
Total Housing Units
860
Occupied Units
137
Vacant Units
2.52
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$121,000
Median Home Value
-31% vs state
$1,054
Median Rent
1960
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 51 business establishments in ZIP 50851, employing approximately 932 people with a combined annual payroll of $48,281,000.
51
Businesses
932
Employees
$48.3M
Annual Payroll
9
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 9 | 17.6% |
| Retail trade | 8 | 15.7% |
| Construction | 6 | 11.8% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 9.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 7.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 3 | 5.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 5.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 3 | 5.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 3 | 5.9% |
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 50851 vs 50840 →
ZIP 50851 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50851
Lenox (50851)
2,087 residents
- 50840 560
Clearfield (50840)
560 residents
- 50862 148
Sharpsburg (50862)
148 residents
- 50842 105
Cromwell (50842)
105 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 50851 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 50851 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 50851
Lenox (50851)
$70,926 median income
- 50840
Clearfield (50840)
$63,125 median income
- 50862
Sharpsburg (50862)
$61,953 median income
- 50842
Cromwell (50842)
$59,583 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 50851 ranks the highest of 4 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Taylor County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 50851 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 50851? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 50851? ▼
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What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 50851? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 50851? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 50851? ▼
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What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 50851? ▼
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Lenox, IA
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.