PlainZIP

Meriden, IA · standard

ZIP Code 51037

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

322
5/sq mi
$58,958
Median income
$235,400
Median home value
20.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Meriden pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

27th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 46%
home value, US ZIPs
5
people per sq mi
75%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51037 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 51037 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Meriden, Cherokee County, Iowa, home to just 322 residents across 61.9 square miles, a density of 5 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 51037 reports a modest median household income of $58,958 (23% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $31,504. Local economic indicators show a 12.5% poverty rate alongside 0.0% unemployment. Housing costs here run $235,400 for a typical home value (34% above the state average), with rent averaging $773 a month; 74.7% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.8, and the average commute is -. A geography-based comparison follows: 5 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 51037, plus 6 more within Cherokee County, give a clearer read than the national average 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 51037, Meriden, 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

322

Population

61.9

Area (sq mi)

5

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 51037?

46.8

Median Age

54.4%

Male

45.6%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 98.2%
African American 0.6%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.2%
Hispanic or Latino 0.6%

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?

$58,958

Median Household Income

-23% vs state

$31,504

Per Capita Income

12.5%

Poverty Rate

0.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 51037 ranks nationally

Meriden, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$58,958 27th percentile higher than 27% 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 71.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.1%

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

What does housing look like?

207

Total Housing Units

154

Occupied Units

53

Vacant Units

2.12

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.7%
Renter 25.3%

$235,400

Median Home Value

+34% vs state

$773

Median Rent

1940

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 9 business establishments in ZIP 51037, employing approximately 53 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,252,000.

9

Businesses

53

Employees

$2.3M

Annual Payroll

2

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Transportation and warehousing 3 33.3%
Other services (except public administration) 3 33.3%

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 51037 vs 51014 →

ZIP 51037 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 51037 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 51037 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 51037 ranks #5 of 6 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
51014 Cleghorn, IA 528 4.5 mi
51029 Larrabee, IA 251 6.5 mi
51012 Cherokee, IA 6,642 7.0 mi
51046 Paullina, IA 1,660 9.7 mi
51009 Calumet, IA 164 9.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Cherokee County

51012 standard
Cherokee, IA
Pop: 6,642
51035 standard
Marcus, IA
Pop: 1,685
51005 standard
Aurelia, IA
Pop: 1,491
51014 standard
Cleghorn, IA
Pop: 528
51061 standard
Washta, IA
Pop: 510
51049 standard
Quimby, IA
Pop: 506

Related Areas

Cherokee County Meriden, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 51037 in? ▼
ZIP code 51037 (Meriden) 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 51037? ▼
ZIP code 51037 in Meriden, IA has a population of 322 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51037? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 51037 is $58,958, which is 23% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51037? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 51037 is $235,400, which is 15% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51037? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 51037 is White at 98.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51037? ▼
ZIP code 51037 has 9 business establishments employing approximately 53 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 51037? ▼
In ZIP code 51037, 71.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.1% 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 51037? ▼
In ZIP code 51037, approximately 74.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51037? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51037 is 12.5% 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.