PlainZIP

Primghar, IA · standard

ZIP Code 51245

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

1,359
7/sq mi
$69,531
Median income
$149,700
Median home value
24.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

46th pct
household income, US ZIPs
25th pct
home value, US ZIPs
7
people per sq mi
79%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51245 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 51245 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Primghar, O'Brien County, Iowa, home to just 1,359 residents across 202.8 square miles, a density of 7 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 51245 reports a modest median household income of $69,531 (9% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $28,395. Local economic indicators show a 19.5% poverty rate alongside 1.0% unemployment. Housing costs here run $149,700 for a typical home value (15% below the state average), with rent averaging $672 a month; 78.9% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.4, and the average commute is 27 minutes. To put 51245 in local context, 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in O'Brien 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 →

Top industries in ZIP 51245

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Primghar, IA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51245.

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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 51245, Primghar, 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

1,359

Population

202.8

Area (sq mi)

7

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 51245?

33.4

Median Age

54.3%

Male

45.7%

Female

0.3%

Foreign-Born

White 95.6%
African American 3.3%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 0.9%
Hispanic or Latino 0.1%

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?

$69,531

Median Household Income

-9% vs state

$28,395

Per Capita Income

19.5%

Poverty Rate

1.0%

Unemployment Rate

26.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 51245 ranks nationally

Primghar, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$69,531 46th percentile higher than 46% 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 48.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.2%

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

What does housing look like?

530

Total Housing Units

475

Occupied Units

55

Vacant Units

2.75

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.9%
Renter 21.1%

$149,700

Median Home Value

-15% vs state

$672

Median Rent

1962

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 42 business establishments in ZIP 51245, employing approximately 259 people with a combined annual payroll of $10,628,000.

42

Businesses

259

Employees

$10.6M

Annual Payroll

9

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 7 16.7%
Health care and social assistance 6 14.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 5 11.9%
Construction 4 9.5%
Retail trade 4 9.5%
Transportation and warehousing 4 9.5%
Wholesale trade 3 7.1%
Finance and insurance 3 7.1%
Accommodation and food services 3 7.1%

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 51245 vs 51231 →

ZIP 51245 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 51245 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 51245 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 51245 ranks #4 of 7 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
51231 Archer, IA 282 7.4 mi
51009 Calumet, IA 164 9.3 mi
51248 Sanborn, IA 1,857 9.5 mi
51046 Paullina, IA 1,660 8.6 mi
51058 Sutherland, IA 1,007 9.2 mi
51346 Hartley, IA 2,451 10.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in O'Brien County

51201 standard
Sheldon, IA
Pop: 6,193
51346 standard
Hartley, IA
Pop: 2,451
51248 standard
Sanborn, IA
Pop: 1,857
51046 standard
Paullina, IA
Pop: 1,660
51058 standard
Sutherland, IA
Pop: 1,007
51231 standard
Archer, IA
Pop: 282

Related Areas

O'Brien County Primghar, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 51245 in? ▼
ZIP code 51245 (Primghar) 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 51245? ▼
ZIP code 51245 in Primghar, IA has a population of 1,359 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51245? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 51245 is $69,531, which is 9% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51245? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 51245 is $149,700, which is 46% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51245? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 51245 is White at 95.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51245? ▼
ZIP code 51245 has 42 business establishments employing approximately 259 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51245? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 51245 are: Other services (except public administration) (7), Health care and social assistance (6), Professional, scientific, and technical services (5). There are 9 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 51245? ▼
In ZIP code 51245, 48.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.2% 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 51245? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 51245 is 26.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 51245? ▼
In ZIP code 51245, approximately 78.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51245? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51245 is 19.5% 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.