Spirit Lake, IA · standard
ZIP Code 51360
Dickinson County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 8,031
- 28/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $75,882
- Median income Near-median income area
- $271,700
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 32.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Spirit Lake pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 44%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 38%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 28
- people per sq mi
- 75%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51360 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 51360 (Spirit Lake, IA) rose +8.0% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 254.8 in 2023 to 275.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 51360 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Spirit Lake, Dickinson County, Iowa, home to 8,031 residents across 288.9 square miles, a density of 28 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 51360 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $75,882 (1% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $45,689. The poverty rate is 8.2%, with unemployment at 3.3%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $271,700 (55% above the average Iowa ZIP), while 75.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $935.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 32.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.3, and the average commute is 15 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Dickinson County, so 51360 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 51360
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Spirit Lake, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51360.
- Construction
Construction
59 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
58 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
44 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
40 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
33 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 51360, Spirit Lake, 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
8,031
Population
288.9
Area (sq mi)
28
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 51360?
47.3
Median Age
50.6%
Male
49.4%
Female
1.5%
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?
$75,882
Median Household Income
-1% vs state ZIP avg
$45,689
Per Capita Income
8.2%
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Unemployment Rate
15.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 51360 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Spirit Lake, 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)
$75,882 Top 45% higher than 55% 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
6,744housing units
6,744
Total Housing Units
4,330
Occupied Units
2,414
Vacant Units
1.96
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$271,700
Median Home Value
+55% vs state ZIP avg
$935
Median Rent
1979
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
+8.0%
YoY Change (2024)
275
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+175%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 51360 have increased 8.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +175% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.6% | 184 |
| 2021 | +10.7% | 204 |
| 2022 | +10.6% | 225 |
| 2023 | +13.2% | 255 |
| 2024 | +8.0% | 275 |
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 399 business establishments in ZIP 51360, employing approximately 4,949 people with a combined annual payroll of $238,147,000.
399
Businesses
4,949
Employees
$238.1M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 59 | 14.8% |
| Retail trade | 58 | 14.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 44 | 11.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 40 | 10.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 33 | 8.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 31 | 7.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 31 | 7.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 21 | 5.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 20 | 5.0% |
| Manufacturing | 16 | 4.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 12 | 3.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 10 | 2.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 10 | 2.5% |
| Information | 6 | 1.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 0.8% |
| Educational services | 3 | 0.8% |
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 51360 vs 51355 →
ZIP 51360 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51360
Spirit Lake (51360)
8,031 residents
- 51351
Milford (51351)
4,365 residents
- 51331 1,140
Arnolds Park (51331)
1,140 residents
- 51355 874
Okoboji (51355)
874 residents
- 51364 690
Terril (51364)
690 residents
- 51363 130
Superior (51363)
130 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 51360 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 51360 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51331
Arnolds Park (51331)
$89,167 median income
- 51360
Spirit Lake (51360)
$75,882 median income
- 51363
Superior (51363)
$75,625 median income
- 51351
Milford (51351)
$73,824 median income
- 51355
Okoboji (51355)
$72,262 median income
- 51364
Terril (51364)
$66,875 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 51360 ranks #2 of 6 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 51360, 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 (8,031 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Dickinson County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 51360 in?
ZIP code 51360 (Spirit Lake) is located in Dickinson County, Iowa. Dickinson County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/dickinson-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 51360?
ZIP code 51360 in Spirit Lake, IA has a population of 8,031 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51360?
The median household income in ZIP 51360 is $75,882, which is 1% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51360?
The median home value in ZIP 51360 is $271,700, which is 2% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51360?
The largest racial group in ZIP 51360 is White at 93.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51360?
ZIP code 51360 has 399 business establishments employing approximately 4,949 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51360?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 51360 are: Construction (59), Retail trade (58), Accommodation and food services (44). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 51360?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 51360 increased by 8.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 175%. 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 51360?
In ZIP code 51360, 62.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 32.8% 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 51360?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 51360 is 15.2 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 51360?
In ZIP code 51360, approximately 75.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51360?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51360 is 8.2% 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 51360's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 51360 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Spirit Lake, 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.