PlainZIP

Ralston, IA · standard

ZIP Code 51459

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

75
55/sq mi
$63,333
Median income
$75,000
Median home value
0.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Ralston pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

35th pct
household income, US ZIPs
3th pct
home value, US ZIPs
55
people per sq mi
82%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51459 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 51459 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ralston, Carroll County, Iowa, home to just 75 residents across 1.4 square miles, a density of 55 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 51459 reports a modest median household income of $63,333 (17% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $25,578. Poverty here runs at 29.6%, with unemployment measured at 9.1%. The typical home here is valued at $75,000 (57% below the state average); renters pay a median of - monthly, and 81.8% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 0.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40, and the average commute is -. To put 51459 in local context, 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Carroll County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 →

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 51459, Ralston, 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

75

Population

1.4

Area (sq mi)

55

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 51459?

40.0

Median Age

40.7%

Male

59.3%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 87.0%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 13.0%
Hispanic or Latino 9.3%

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?

$63,333

Median Household Income

-17% vs state

$25,578

Per Capita Income

29.6%

Poverty Rate

9.1%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 51459 ranks nationally

Ralston, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$63,333 35th percentile higher than 35% 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 54.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 0.0%

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

What does housing look like?

26

Total Housing Units

22

Occupied Units

4

Vacant Units

2.45

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 81.8%
Renter 18.2%

$75,000

Median Home Value

-57% vs state

1938

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 3 business establishments in ZIP 51459, employing approximately 72 people with a combined annual payroll of $6,987,000.

3

Businesses

72

Employees

$7.0M

Annual Payroll

0

Industry Sectors

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 51459 vs 51443 →

ZIP 51459 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 51459 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 51459 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 51459 ranks #4 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
51443 Glidden, IA 1,798 4.1 mi
51462 Scranton, IA 1,013 4.8 mi
51451 Lanesboro, IA 116 10.1 mi
50050 Churdan, IA 710 10.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Carroll County

51401 standard
Carroll, IA
Pop: 12,373
51455 standard
Manning, IA
Pop: 2,306
50058 standard
Coon Rapids, IA
Pop: 1,927
51443 standard
Glidden, IA
Pop: 1,798
51436 standard
Breda, IA
Pop: 904
51430 standard
Arcadia, IA
Pop: 761

Related Areas

Carroll County Ralston, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 51459 in? ▼
ZIP code 51459 (Ralston) is located in Carroll County, Iowa. Carroll County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/carroll-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 51459? ▼
ZIP code 51459 in Ralston, IA has a population of 75 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51459? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 51459 is $63,333, which is 17% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51459? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 51459 is $75,000, which is 73% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51459? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 51459 is White at 87.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51459? ▼
ZIP code 51459 has 3 business establishments employing approximately 72 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 51459? ▼
In ZIP code 51459, approximately 81.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51459? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51459 is 29.6% 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.