PlainZIP

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
$49,375
Median income
$77,500
Median home value
13.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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 Iowa average), while per-capita income is $36,378. Local economic indicators show a 19.3% poverty rate alongside 11.9% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $77,500 (56% below the state average); renters pay a median of $431 monthly, and 88.7% of units are owner-occupied.

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 -. To put 51061 in local context, 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Cherokee County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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

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 51061?

70.8

Median Age

54.2%

Male

45.8%

Female

3.3%

Foreign-Born

White 95.9%
African American 0.0%
Asian 2.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.8%
Hispanic or Latino 1.0%

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

$36,378

Per Capita Income

19.3%

Poverty Rate

11.9%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 51061 ranks nationally

Washta, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$49,375 13th percentile higher than 13% 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 62.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 13.2%

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

What does housing look like?

219

Total Housing Units

186

Occupied Units

33

Vacant Units

2.09

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 88.7%
Renter 11.3%

$77,500

Median Home Value

-56% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 51061 ranks #3 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 51061 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 51061 ranks #5 of 5 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
51049 Quimby, IA 506 5.0 mi
51048 Pierson, IA 554 7.3 mi
51018 Cushing, IA 404 9.3 mi
51016 Correctionville, IA 1,378 8.7 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
51049 standard
Quimby, IA
Pop: 506
51037 standard
Meriden, IA
Pop: 322

Related Areas

Cherokee County Washta, IA Iowa

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.