PlainZIP

Le Mars, IA · standard

ZIP Code 51031

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

12,336
20/sq mi
$76,525
Median income
$222,800
Median home value
21.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Le Mars pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 43%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 50%
home value, US ZIPs
20
people per sq mi
65%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51031 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 51031 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 604.7 square miles in Le Mars, Plymouth County, Iowa. The area is home to 12,336 residents, producing a population density of 20 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 51031 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 51031 sits at $76,525 (0% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $38,599. The poverty rate stands at 8.3% and the unemployment rate at 2.6%. On housing, the median home value is $222,800 (27% above the state average) with median rent at $928 per month, and 65.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 51031 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 21.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39, and the average commute is 17 minutes. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Plymouth County, so you can benchmark 51031 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 51031

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51031.

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 51031, Le Mars, 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

12,336

Population

604.7

Area (sq mi)

20

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 51031?

39.0

Median Age

49.7%

Male

50.3%

Female

5.6%

Foreign-Born

White 85.5%
African American 4.6%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.6%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.3%
Hispanic or Latino 9.5%

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?

$76,525

Median Household Income

-0% vs state

$38,599

Per Capita Income

8.3%

Poverty Rate

2.6%

Unemployment Rate

16.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 51031 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$76,525 Top 43% higher than 57% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 59.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.9%

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

What does housing look like?

5,461

Total Housing Units

5,217

Occupied Units

244

Vacant Units

2.41

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 65.1%
Renter 34.9%

$222,800

Median Home Value

+27% vs state

$928

Median Rent

1973

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

+0.7%

YoY Change (2024)

232

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+132%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 51031 have increased 0.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +132% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.0% 168
2021 +9.9% 185
2022 +12.7% 208
2023 +10.4% 230
2024 +0.7% 232

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 383 business establishments in ZIP 51031, employing approximately 8,591 people with a combined annual payroll of $629,571,000.

383

Businesses

8,591

Employees

$629.6M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 47 12.3%
Other services (except public administration) 46 12.0%
Construction 44 11.5%
Health care and social assistance 36 9.4%
Transportation and warehousing 33 8.6%
Accommodation and food services 33 8.6%
Manufacturing 21 5.5%
Finance and insurance 21 5.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 21 5.5%
Wholesale trade 20 5.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 16 4.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 16 4.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 11 2.9%
Information 5 1.3%
Educational services 5 1.3%
Utilities 3 0.8%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.8%

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 51031 vs 51008 →

ZIP 51031 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 51031 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 51031 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 51031 ranks #2 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
51008 Brunsville, IA 151 4.5 mi
51038 Merrill, IA 1,535 9.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Plymouth County

51050 standard
Remsen, IA
Pop: 2,631
51001 standard
Akron, IA
Pop: 2,432
51024 standard
Hinton, IA
Pop: 2,070
51028 standard
Kingsley, IA
Pop: 2,065
51038 standard
Merrill, IA
Pop: 1,535
51062 standard
Westfield, IA
Pop: 526

Related Areas

Plymouth County Le Mars, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 51031 in? ▼
ZIP code 51031 (Le Mars) is located in Plymouth County, Iowa. Plymouth County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/plymouth-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 51031? ▼
ZIP code 51031 in Le Mars, IA has a population of 12,336 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51031? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 51031 is $76,525, which is 0% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51031? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 51031 is $222,800, which is 20% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51031? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 51031 is White at 85.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51031? ▼
ZIP code 51031 has 383 business establishments employing approximately 8,591 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51031? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 51031 are: Retail trade (47), Other services (except public administration) (46), Construction (44). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 51031? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 51031 increased by 0.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 132%. 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 51031? ▼
In ZIP code 51031, 59.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.9% 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 51031? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 51031 is 16.8 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 51031? ▼
In ZIP code 51031, approximately 65.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 34.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51031? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51031 is 8.3% 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 Le Mars, 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.