Alta, IA · standard
ZIP Code 51002
Buena Vista County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,741
- 9/sq mi Low-density area
- $70,625
- Median income Near-median income area
- $167,100
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 27.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Alta pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 48th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 33rd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 9
- people per sq mi
- 78%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51002 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 51002 (Alta, IA) rose +14.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 196.9 in 2023 to 225.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 51002 covers 297.9 square miles in Alta, Buena Vista County, Iowa (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,741 residents on file, a density of 9 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 51002 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $70,625 (8% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $36,384. Unemployment is 14.3%, an important qualifier alongside the household-income figure. Median home value is $167,100 (5% below the average Iowa ZIP) and median rent is $953; 77.8% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 27.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.8, and the average commute is 16 minutes. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Buena Vista County, so 51002 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 51002
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Alta, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51002.
- Construction
Construction
12 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
6 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
5 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
5 establishments
- Finance and insurance 4
Finance and insurance
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 51002, Alta, 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
2,741
Population
297.9
Area (sq mi)
9
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 51002?
35.8
Median Age
53.5%
Male
46.5%
Female
19.9%
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?
$70,625
Median Household Income
-8% vs state ZIP avg
$36,384
Per Capita Income
8.7%
Poverty Rate
14.3%
Unemployment Rate
15.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 51002 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Alta, 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)
$70,625 41st percentile higher than 41% 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
1,174housing units
1,174
Total Housing Units
1,053
Occupied Units
121
Vacant Units
2.63
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$167,100
Median Home Value
-5% vs state ZIP avg
$953
Median Rent
1966
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
+14.7%
YoY Change (2024)
226
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+126%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 51002 have increased 14.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +126% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.0% | 161 |
| 2021 | +12.3% | 181 |
| 2022 | +6.4% | 193 |
| 2023 | +2.1% | 197 |
| 2024 | +14.7% | 226 |
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 53 business establishments in ZIP 51002, employing approximately 288 people with a combined annual payroll of $15,577,000.
53
Businesses
288
Employees
$15.6M
Annual Payroll
10
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 12 | 22.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 6 | 11.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 9.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 5 | 9.4% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 7.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 4 | 7.5% |
| Utilities | 3 | 5.7% |
| Retail trade | 3 | 5.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 5.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 5.7% |
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 51002 vs 51005 →
ZIP 51002 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51002
Alta (51002)
2,741 residents
- 51005
Aurelia (51005)
1,491 residents
- 50576 423
Rembrandt (50576)
423 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 51002 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 51002 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51005
Aurelia (51005)
$75,938 median income
- 51002
Alta (51002)
$70,625 median income
- 50576
Rembrandt (50576)
$67,500 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 51002 ranks #2 of 3 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 51002, 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 (2,741 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Buena Vista County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 51002 in?
ZIP code 51002 (Alta) is located in Buena Vista County, Iowa. Buena Vista County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/buena-vista-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 51002?
ZIP code 51002 in Alta, IA has a population of 2,741 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51002?
The median household income in ZIP 51002 is $70,625, which is 7% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51002?
The median home value in ZIP 51002 is $167,100, which is 40% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51002?
The largest racial group in ZIP 51002 is White at 67.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 13.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51002?
ZIP code 51002 has 53 business establishments employing approximately 288 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51002?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 51002 are: Construction (12), Health care and social assistance (6), Wholesale trade (5). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 51002?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 51002 increased by 14.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 126%. 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 51002?
In ZIP code 51002, 61.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 27.4% 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 51002?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 51002 is 15.5 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 51002?
In ZIP code 51002, approximately 77.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 22.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51002?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51002 is 8.7% 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 51002's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 51002 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Alta, 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.