Washta, IA · standard
ZIP Code 51061
Cherokee County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 510
- 4/sq mi Low-density area
- $49,375
- Median income Below-median income area
- $77,500
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 13.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Washta pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 13th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 4th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 4
- people per sq mi
- 89%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51061 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 51061 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Washta, Cherokee County, Iowa, home to just 510 residents across 121.4 square miles, a density of 4 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 51061 reports a modest median household income of $49,375 (36% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $36,378. Unemployment is 11.9%, an important qualifier alongside the household-income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $77,500 (56% below the average Iowa ZIP), and median rent is $431; owner occupancy is 88.7%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 13.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 70.8, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Cherokee County, so 51061 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 →
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 51061, Washta, 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
510
Population
121.4
Area (sq mi)
4
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 51061?
70.8
Median Age
54.2%
Male
45.8%
Female
3.3%
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?
$49,375
Median Household Income
-36% vs state ZIP avg
$36,378
Per Capita Income
19.3%
Poverty Rate
11.9%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 51061 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Washta, 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)
$49,375 5th percentile higher than 5% 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
219housing units
219
Total Housing Units
186
Occupied Units
33
Vacant Units
2.09
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$77,500
Median Home Value
-56% vs state ZIP avg
$431
Median Rent
1938
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 10 business establishments in ZIP 51061, employing approximately 25 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,016,000.
10
Businesses
25
Employees
$1.0M
Annual Payroll
0
Industry Sectors
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 51061 vs 51049 →
ZIP 51061 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51016
Correctionville (51016)
1,378 residents
- 51048
Pierson (51048)
554 residents
- 51061 510
Washta (51061)
510 residents
- 51049 506
Quimby (51049)
506 residents
- 51018 404
Cushing (51018)
404 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 51061 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 51061 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51048
Pierson (51048)
$83,158 median income
- 51018
Cushing (51018)
$60,833 median income
- 51049
Quimby (51049)
$57,120 median income
- 51016
Correctionville (51016)
$51,875 median income
- 51061
Washta (51061)
$49,375 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 51061 ranks #5 of 5 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 51061, both outside IA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
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 51061 in?
ZIP code 51061 (Washta) 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 51061?
ZIP code 51061 in Washta, IA has a population of 510 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51061?
The median household income in ZIP 51061 is $49,375, which is 35% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51061?
The median home value in ZIP 51061 is $77,500, which is 72% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51061?
The largest racial group in ZIP 51061 is White at 95.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51061?
ZIP code 51061 has 10 business establishments employing approximately 25 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 51061?
In ZIP code 51061, 62.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 13.2% 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 51061?
In ZIP code 51061, approximately 88.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 11.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51061?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51061 is 19.3% 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 51061's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 51061 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Washta, 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.