PlainZIP

Rock Rapids, IA · standard

ZIP Code 51246

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

3,844
9/sq mi
$72,400
Median income
$247,900
Median home value
22.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Rock Rapids pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 50%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 43%
home value, US ZIPs
9
people per sq mi
79%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51246 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 51246 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 422.4 square miles in Rock Rapids, Lyon County, Iowa. The area is home to 3,844 residents, producing a population density of 9 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 51246 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 51246 sits at $72,400 (5% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $31,514. The poverty rate stands at 4.2% and the unemployment rate at 2.4%. On housing, the median home value is $247,900 (41% above the state average) with median rent at $812 per month, and 78.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 51246 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 22.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38, and the average commute is 13 minutes. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Lyon County, so you can benchmark 51246 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 51246

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51246.

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 51246, Rock Rapids, 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

3,844

Population

422.4

Area (sq mi)

9

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 51246?

38.0

Median Age

50.4%

Male

49.6%

Female

2.2%

Foreign-Born

White 92.2%
African American 0.3%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.3%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%

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?

$72,400

Median Household Income

-5% vs state

$31,514

Per Capita Income

4.2%

Poverty Rate

2.4%

Unemployment Rate

13.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 51246 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$72,400 Top 50% higher than 50% 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 65.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.7%

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

What does housing look like?

1,555

Total Housing Units

1,330

Occupied Units

225

Vacant Units

2.96

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.8%
Renter 21.2%

$247,900

Median Home Value

+41% vs state

$812

Median Rent

1970

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

+10.4%

YoY Change (2024)

245

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+145%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 51246 have increased 10.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +145% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2019 +9.5% 197
2020 -1.6% 194
2021 +2.1% 198
2022 +10.4% 219
2024 — 245

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 147 business establishments in ZIP 51246, employing approximately 1,570 people with a combined annual payroll of $89,816,000.

147

Businesses

1,570

Employees

$89.8M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 23 15.7%
Other services (except public administration) 20 13.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 16 10.9%
Health care and social assistance 15 10.2%
Transportation and warehousing 12 8.2%
Construction 11 7.5%
Finance and insurance 11 7.5%
Accommodation and food services 9 6.1%
Manufacturing 6 4.1%
Wholesale trade 6 4.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6 4.1%

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 51246 vs 56173 →

ZIP 51246 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 51246 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 51246 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 51246 ranks the highest of 4 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
56173 Steen, MN 424 7.7 mi
51235 Doon, IA 1,079 9.6 mi
56129 Ellsworth, MN 741 9.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lyon County

51240 standard
Inwood, IA
Pop: 1,746
51241 standard
Larchwood, IA
Pop: 1,737
51237 standard
George, IA
Pop: 1,703
51235 standard
Doon, IA
Pop: 1,079
51243 standard
Little Rock, IA
Pop: 807
51230 standard
Alvord, IA
Pop: 462

Related Areas

Lyon County Rock Rapids, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 51246 in? ▼
ZIP code 51246 (Rock Rapids) is located in Lyon County, Iowa. Lyon County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lyon-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 51246? ▼
ZIP code 51246 in Rock Rapids, IA has a population of 3,844 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51246? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 51246 is $72,400, which is 5% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51246? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 51246 is $247,900, which is 11% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51246? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 51246 is White at 92.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51246? ▼
ZIP code 51246 has 147 business establishments employing approximately 1,570 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51246? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 51246 are: Retail trade (23), Other services (except public administration) (20), Professional, scientific, and technical services (16). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 51246? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 51246 increased by 10.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 145%. 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 51246? ▼
In ZIP code 51246, 65.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.7% 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 51246? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 51246 is 13.4 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 51246? ▼
In ZIP code 51246, approximately 78.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51246? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51246 is 4.2% 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 Rock Rapids, 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.