Spencer, IA · standard
ZIP Code 51301
Clay County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 12,691
- 31/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $63,402
- Median income Near-median income area
- $188,300
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 29.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Spencer pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 36th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 40th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 31
- people per sq mi
- 70%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51301 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 51301 (Spencer, IA) rose +2.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 197.0 in 2023 to 202.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 51301 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Spencer, Clay County, Iowa, home to 12,691 residents across 404.2 square miles, a density of 31 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 51301 reports a modest median household income of $63,402 (17% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $37,984. The poverty rate is 13.1%, with unemployment at 4.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $188,300 (7% above the average Iowa ZIP) and median rent is $807; 70.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 29.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.8, and the average commute is 16 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Clay County, so 51301 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 51301
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Spencer, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51301.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
88 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
55 establishments
- Construction
Construction
46 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
43 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
41 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 51301, Spencer, 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
12,691
Population
404.2
Area (sq mi)
31
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 51301?
41.8
Median Age
48.5%
Male
51.5%
Female
3.0%
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?
$63,402
Median Household Income
-17% vs state ZIP avg
$37,984
Per Capita Income
13.1%
Poverty Rate
4.0%
Unemployment Rate
16.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 51301 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Spencer, 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)
$63,402 26th percentile higher than 26% 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
6,185housing units
6,185
Total Housing Units
5,680
Occupied Units
505
Vacant Units
2.17
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$188,300
Median Home Value
+7% vs state ZIP avg
$807
Median Rent
1971
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
+2.7%
YoY Change (2024)
202
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+102%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 51301 have increased 2.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +102% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.2% | 155 |
| 2021 | +6.7% | 165 |
| 2022 | +12.1% | 185 |
| 2023 | +6.5% | 197 |
| 2024 | +2.7% | 202 |
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 483 business establishments in ZIP 51301, employing approximately 6,534 people with a combined annual payroll of $304,818,000.
483
Businesses
6,534
Employees
$304.8M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 88 | 18.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 55 | 11.4% |
| Construction | 46 | 9.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 43 | 8.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 41 | 8.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 37 | 7.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 30 | 6.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 27 | 5.6% |
| Manufacturing | 24 | 5.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 24 | 5.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 21 | 4.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 15 | 3.1% |
| Information | 10 | 2.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 9 | 1.9% |
| Utilities | 4 | 0.8% |
| Educational services | 4 | 0.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 0.6% |
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 51301 vs 51333 →
ZIP 51301 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51301
Spencer (51301)
12,691 residents
- 51357 728
Royal (51357)
728 residents
- 51333 522
Dickens (51333)
522 residents
- 51343 238
Greenville (51343)
238 residents
- 51341 49
Gillett Grove (51341)
49 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 51301 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 51301 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51333
Dickens (51333)
$110,833 median income
- 51357
Royal (51357)
$68,333 median income
- 51301
Spencer (51301)
$63,402 median income
- 51343
Greenville (51343)
$60,625 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 51301 ranks #3 of 4 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 51301, 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 (12,691 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Clay County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 51301 in?
ZIP code 51301 (Spencer) is located in Clay County, Iowa. Clay County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/clay-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 51301?
ZIP code 51301 in Spencer, IA has a population of 12,691 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51301?
The median household income in ZIP 51301 is $63,402, which is 17% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51301?
The median home value in ZIP 51301 is $188,300, which is 32% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51301?
The largest racial group in ZIP 51301 is White at 92.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51301?
ZIP code 51301 has 483 business establishments employing approximately 6,534 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51301?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 51301 are: Retail trade (88), Health care and social assistance (55), Construction (46). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 51301?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 51301 increased by 2.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 102%. 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 51301?
In ZIP code 51301, 56.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 29.0% 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 51301?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 51301 is 16.2 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 51301?
In ZIP code 51301, approximately 70.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 29.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51301?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51301 is 13.1% 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 51301's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 51301 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Spencer, IA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.