Cherokee, IA · standard
ZIP Code 51012
Cherokee County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 6,642
- 17/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $69,531
- Median income Near-median income area
- $151,400
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 25.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Cherokee pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 46th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 26th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 17
- people per sq mi
- 69%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51012 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 51012 (Cherokee, IA) rose +15.8% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 209.0 in 2023 to 242.1 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 51012 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Cherokee, Cherokee County, Iowa, home to 6,642 residents across 386.2 square miles, a density of 17 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 51012 reports a modest median household income of $69,531 (9% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $40,373. The poverty rate is 16.1%, with unemployment at 2.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $151,400 (14% below the average Iowa ZIP) and median rent is $803; 68.9% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 25.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.9, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Cherokee County, so 51012 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 51012
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Cherokee, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51012.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
31 establishments
- Construction
Construction
27 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
24 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
21 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
20 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 51012, Cherokee, 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
6,642
Population
386.2
Area (sq mi)
17
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 51012?
41.9
Median Age
49.6%
Male
50.4%
Female
5.1%
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?
$69,531
Median Household Income
-9% vs state ZIP avg
$40,373
Per Capita Income
16.1%
Poverty Rate
2.6%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 51012 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Cherokee, 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)
$69,531 39th percentile higher than 39% 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
2,969housing units
2,969
Total Housing Units
2,752
Occupied Units
217
Vacant Units
2.17
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$151,400
Median Home Value
-14% vs state ZIP avg
$803
Median Rent
1963
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
+15.8%
YoY Change (2024)
242
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+142%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 51012 have increased 15.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +142% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -0.0% | 164 |
| 2021 | +6.4% | 174 |
| 2022 | +21.3% | 211 |
| 2023 | -1.1% | 209 |
| 2024 | +15.8% | 242 |
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 200 business establishments in ZIP 51012, employing approximately 3,503 people with a combined annual payroll of $152,213,000.
200
Businesses
3,503
Employees
$152.2M
Annual Payroll
12
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 31 | 15.5% |
| Construction | 27 | 13.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 24 | 12.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 21 | 10.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 20 | 10.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 17 | 8.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 12 | 6.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 10 | 5.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 10 | 5.0% |
| Manufacturing | 7 | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 6 | 3.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 6 | 3.0% |
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 51012 vs 51005 →
ZIP 51012 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51012
Cherokee (51012)
6,642 residents
- 51005 1,491
Aurelia (51005)
1,491 residents
- 51014 528
Cleghorn (51014)
528 residents
- 51049 506
Quimby (51049)
506 residents
- 51037 322
Meriden (51037)
322 residents
- 51029 251
Larrabee (51029)
251 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 51012 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 51012 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51029
Larrabee (51029)
$86,042 median income
- 51005
Aurelia (51005)
$75,938 median income
- 51014
Cleghorn (51014)
$69,688 median income
- 51012
Cherokee (51012)
$69,531 median income
- 51037
Meriden (51037)
$58,958 median income
- 51049
Quimby (51049)
$57,120 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 51012 ranks #4 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 51012, 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 (6,642 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Cherokee County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 51012 in?
ZIP code 51012 (Cherokee) is located in Cherokee County, Iowa. Cherokee County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/cherokee-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 51012?
ZIP code 51012 in Cherokee, IA has a population of 6,642 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51012?
The median household income in ZIP 51012 is $69,531, which is 9% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51012?
The median home value in ZIP 51012 is $151,400, which is 46% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51012?
The largest racial group in ZIP 51012 is White at 87.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51012?
ZIP code 51012 has 200 business establishments employing approximately 3,503 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51012?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 51012 are: Retail trade (31), Construction (27), Health care and social assistance (24). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 51012?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 51012 increased by 15.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 142%. 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 51012?
In ZIP code 51012, 61.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 25.1% 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 51012?
In ZIP code 51012, approximately 68.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 31.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51012?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51012 is 16.1% 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 51012's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 51012 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Cherokee, 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.