PlainZIP

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
$63,402
Median income
$188,300
Median home value
29.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

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 Iowa average), while per-capita income is $37,984. Poverty here runs at 13.1%, with unemployment measured at 4.0%. The typical home here is valued at $188,300 (7% above the state average); renters pay a median of $807 monthly, and 70.3% of units 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. A geography-based comparison follows: 4 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 51301, plus 6 more within Clay County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

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.

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 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

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 51301?

41.8

Median Age

48.5%

Male

51.5%

Female

3.0%

Foreign-Born

White 92.3%
African American 0.3%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.0%
Hispanic or Latino 5.3%

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

$37,984

Per Capita Income

13.1%

Poverty Rate

4.0%

Unemployment Rate

16.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 51301 ranks nationally

Spencer, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$63,402 36th percentile higher than 36% 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 56.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 29.0%

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

What does housing look like?

6,185

Total Housing Units

5,680

Occupied Units

505

Vacant Units

2.17

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 70.3%
Renter 29.7%

$188,300

Median Home Value

+7% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 51301 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 51301 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 51301 ranks #3 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
51333 Dickens, IA 522 7.6 mi
51343 Greenville, IA 238 9.7 mi
51357 Royal, IA 728 9.3 mi
51341 Gillett Grove, IA 49 11.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Clay County

51338 standard
Everly, IA
Pop: 1,000
51357 standard
Royal, IA
Pop: 728
51047 standard
Peterson, IA
Pop: 646
51333 standard
Dickens, IA
Pop: 522
51366 standard
Webb, IA
Pop: 379
51343 standard
Greenville, IA
Pop: 238

Related Areas

Clay County Spencer, IA Iowa

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.