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 Moderate-density area
- $68,799
- Median income Near-median income area
- $197,800
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 21.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Sheldon pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 45th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 43rd 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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 51201 (Sheldon, IA) rose +2.6% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 244.6 in 2023 to 250.9 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 51201 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Sheldon, O'Brien County, Iowa, home to 6,193 residents across 296.3 square miles, a density of 21 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 51201 reports a modest median household income of $68,799 (10% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,229. The poverty rate is 14.5%, with unemployment at 0.5%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $197,800 (13% above the average Iowa ZIP) and median rent is $930; 71.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.9, and the average commute is 16 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in O'Brien County, so 51201 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 →
Top industries in ZIP 51201
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Sheldon, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51201.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
40 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
36 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
20 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
19 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
19 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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
Who lives in ZIP 51201?
37.9
Median Age
49.2%
Male
50.8%
Female
8.1%
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?
$68,799
Median Household Income
-10% vs state ZIP avg
$34,229
Per Capita Income
14.5%
Poverty Rate
0.5%
Unemployment Rate
16.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 51201 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Sheldon, 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)
$68,799 37th percentile higher than 37% 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
2,948housing units
2,948
Total Housing Units
2,550
Occupied Units
398
Vacant Units
2.40
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$197,800
Median Home Value
+13% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 51201
Sheldon (51201)
6,193 residents
- 51238 1,184
Hospers (51238)
1,184 residents
- 51232 875
Ashton (51232)
875 residents
- 51231 282
Archer (51231)
282 residents
- 51244 79
Matlock (51244)
79 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 51201 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 51201 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51231
Archer (51231)
$108,058 median income
- 51244
Matlock (51244)
$83,365 median income
- 51232
Ashton (51232)
$82,917 median income
- 51238
Hospers (51238)
$74,000 median income
- 51201
Sheldon (51201)
$68,799 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 51201, both outside IA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (6,193 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in O'Brien County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 51201's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 51201 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Sheldon, 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.