PlainZIP

Denison, IA · standard

ZIP Code 51442

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

9,838
22/sq mi
$66,767
Median income
$159,400
Median home value
17.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

41th pct
household income, US ZIPs
29th pct
home value, US ZIPs
22
people per sq mi
73%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51442 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 51442 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 449.2 square miles in Denison, Crawford County, Iowa. The area is home to 9,838 residents, producing a population density of 22 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 51442 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 51442 sits at $66,767 (13% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $31,469. The poverty rate stands at 16.2% and the unemployment rate at 4.9%. On housing, the median home value is $159,400 (9% below the state average) with median rent at $755 per month, and 73.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 51442 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 17.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.1, and the average commute is 14 minutes. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Crawford County, so you can benchmark 51442 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 51442

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51442.

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 51442, Denison, 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

9,838

Population

449.2

Area (sq mi)

22

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 51442?

36.1

Median Age

50.8%

Male

49.2%

Female

26.8%

Foreign-Born

White 53.8%
African American 1.4%
Asian 3.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 24.3%
Hispanic or Latino 42.7%

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?

$66,767

Median Household Income

-13% vs state

$31,469

Per Capita Income

16.2%

Poverty Rate

4.9%

Unemployment Rate

14.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 51442 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$66,767 41st percentile higher than 41% 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 51.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.3%

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

What does housing look like?

3,825

Total Housing Units

3,587

Occupied Units

238

Vacant Units

2.59

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 73.2%
Renter 26.8%

$159,400

Median Home Value

-9% vs state

$755

Median Rent

1974

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

-6.0%

YoY Change (2024)

196

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+96%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 51442 have decreased 6.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +96% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.8% 142
2021 +9.2% 155
2022 +13.4% 176
2023 +18.3% 208
2024 -6.0% 196

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 257 business establishments in ZIP 51442, employing approximately 4,264 people with a combined annual payroll of $221,922,000.

257

Businesses

4,264

Employees

$221.9M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 40 15.6%
Health care and social assistance 30 11.7%
Accommodation and food services 28 10.9%
Other services (except public administration) 25 9.7%
Finance and insurance 21 8.2%
Construction 20 7.8%
Transportation and warehousing 19 7.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 14 5.5%
Wholesale trade 11 4.3%
Manufacturing 10 3.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 10 3.9%
Information 9 3.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 9 3.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 2.3%
Educational services 4 1.6%

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 51442 vs 51441 →

ZIP 51442 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 51442 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 51442 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 51442 ranks #2 of 5 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
51441 Deloit, IA 353 6.6 mi
51520 Arion, IA 233 6.8 mi
51528 Dow City, IA 931 10.2 mi
51461 Schleswig, IA 1,165 11.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Crawford County

51454 standard
Manilla, IA
Pop: 1,346
51461 standard
Schleswig, IA
Pop: 1,165
51439 standard
Charter Oak, IA
Pop: 1,047
51528 standard
Dow City, IA
Pop: 931
51465 standard
Vail, IA
Pop: 733
51467 standard
Westside, IA
Pop: 615

Related Areas

Crawford County Denison, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 51442 in? ▼
ZIP code 51442 (Denison) is located in Crawford County, Iowa. Crawford County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/crawford-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 51442? ▼
ZIP code 51442 in Denison, IA has a population of 9,838 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51442? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 51442 is $66,767, which is 12% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51442? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 51442 is $159,400, which is 43% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51442? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 51442 is White at 53.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 42.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51442? ▼
ZIP code 51442 has 257 business establishments employing approximately 4,264 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51442? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 51442 are: Retail trade (40), Health care and social assistance (30), Accommodation and food services (28). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 51442? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 51442 decreased by 6.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 96%. 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 51442? ▼
In ZIP code 51442, 51.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.3% 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 51442? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 51442 is 14.2 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 51442? ▼
In ZIP code 51442, approximately 73.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 26.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51442? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51442 is 16.2% 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 Denison, 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.