PlainZIP

Sheldon, IA · standard

ZIP Code 51201

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

6,193
21/sq mi
$68,799
Median income
$197,800
Median home value
21.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

45th pct
household income, US ZIPs
43th pct
home value, US ZIPs
21
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51201 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 51201 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 296.3 square miles in Sheldon, O'Brien County, Iowa. The area is home to 6,193 residents, producing a population density of 21 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 51201 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 51201 sits at $68,799 (10% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $34,229. The poverty rate stands at 14.5% and the unemployment rate at 0.5%. On housing, the median home value is $197,800 (13% above the state average) with median rent at $930 per month, and 71.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 51201 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 21.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.9, and the average commute is 16 minutes. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing O'Brien County, so you can benchmark 51201 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 51201

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51201.

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 51201, Sheldon, 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

6,193

Population

296.3

Area (sq mi)

21

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 51201?

37.9

Median Age

49.2%

Male

50.8%

Female

8.1%

Foreign-Born

White 79.4%
African American 2.2%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.3%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.9%
Hispanic or Latino 14.6%

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?

$68,799

Median Household Income

-10% vs state

$34,229

Per Capita Income

14.5%

Poverty Rate

0.5%

Unemployment Rate

16.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 51201 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$68,799 45th percentile higher than 45% 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 55.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.8%

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

What does housing look like?

2,948

Total Housing Units

2,550

Occupied Units

398

Vacant Units

2.40

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 71.6%
Renter 28.4%

$197,800

Median Home Value

+13% vs state

$930

Median Rent

1966

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

+2.6%

YoY Change (2024)

251

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+151%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 51201 have increased 2.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +151% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.8% 177
2021 +9.9% 195
2022 +13.3% 220
2023 +11.0% 245
2024 +2.6% 251

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 243 business establishments in ZIP 51201, employing approximately 3,990 people with a combined annual payroll of $185,085,000.

243

Businesses

3,990

Employees

$185.1M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 40 16.5%
Other services (except public administration) 36 14.8%
Health care and social assistance 20 8.2%
Transportation and warehousing 19 7.8%
Finance and insurance 19 7.8%
Construction 18 7.4%
Manufacturing 18 7.4%
Wholesale trade 17 7.0%
Accommodation and food services 17 7.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 14 5.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 8 3.3%
Information 7 2.9%
Educational services 3 1.2%

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 51201 vs 51244 →

ZIP 51201 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 51201 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 51201 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 51201 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
51244 Matlock, IA 79 5.5 mi
51238 Hospers, IA 1,184 7.5 mi
51232 Ashton, IA 875 8.5 mi
51231 Archer, IA 282 8.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in O'Brien County

51346 standard
Hartley, IA
Pop: 2,451
51248 standard
Sanborn, IA
Pop: 1,857
51046 standard
Paullina, IA
Pop: 1,660
51245 standard
Primghar, IA
Pop: 1,359
51058 standard
Sutherland, IA
Pop: 1,007
51231 standard
Archer, IA
Pop: 282

Related Areas

O'Brien County Sheldon, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 51201 in? ▼
ZIP code 51201 (Sheldon) is located in O'Brien County, Iowa. O'Brien County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/obrien-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 51201? ▼
ZIP code 51201 in Sheldon, IA has a population of 6,193 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51201? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 51201 is $68,799, which is 10% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51201? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 51201 is $197,800, which is 29% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51201? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 51201 is White at 79.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 14.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51201? ▼
ZIP code 51201 has 243 business establishments employing approximately 3,990 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51201? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 51201 are: Retail trade (40), Other services (except public administration) (36), Health care and social assistance (20). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 51201? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 51201 increased by 2.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 151%. 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 51201? ▼
In ZIP code 51201, 55.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.8% 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 51201? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 51201 is 16.1 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 51201? ▼
In ZIP code 51201, approximately 71.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51201? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51201 is 14.5% 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 Sheldon, 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.