PlainZIP

Council Bluffs, IA · standard

ZIP Code 51501

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

35,406
566/sq mi
$59,843
Median income
$152,400
Median home value
16.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Council Bluffs pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

29th pct
household income, US ZIPs
26th pct
home value, US ZIPs
566
people per sq mi
64%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51501 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 51501 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 62.5 square miles in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, Iowa. The area is home to 35,406 residents, producing a population density of 566 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 51501 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 51501 sits at $59,843 (22% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $30,735. The poverty rate stands at 16.3% and the unemployment rate at 5.0%. On housing, the median home value is $152,400 (13% below the state average) with median rent at $1,059 per month, and 63.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 51501 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 16.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38, and the average commute is 18 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Pottawattamie County, so you can benchmark 51501 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 51501

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51501.

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 51501, Council Bluffs, 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

35,406

Population

62.5

Area (sq mi)

566

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 51501?

38.0

Median Age

49.1%

Male

50.9%

Female

6.9%

Foreign-Born

White 82.8%
African American 1.7%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.5%
Hispanic or Latino 16.0%

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?

$59,843

Median Household Income

-22% vs state

$30,735

Per Capita Income

16.3%

Poverty Rate

5.0%

Unemployment Rate

17.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 51501 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$59,843 29th percentile higher than 29% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 54.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.0%

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

What does housing look like?

15,053

Total Housing Units

14,271

Occupied Units

782

Vacant Units

2.39

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 63.8%
Renter 36.2%

$152,400

Median Home Value

-13% vs state

$1,059

Median Rent

1963

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

+2.3%

YoY Change (2024)

218

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+118%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 51501 have increased 2.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +118% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.5% 155
2021 +9.4% 169
2022 +11.2% 188
2023 +13.0% 213
2024 +2.3% 218

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 744 business establishments in ZIP 51501, employing approximately 17,652 people with a combined annual payroll of $893,053,000.

744

Businesses

17,652

Employees

$893.1M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 133 17.9%
Accommodation and food services 109 14.7%
Other services (except public administration) 77 10.3%
Health care and social assistance 75 10.1%
Construction 59 7.9%
Wholesale trade 47 6.3%
Transportation and warehousing 43 5.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 37 5.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 36 4.8%
Finance and insurance 32 4.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 32 4.3%
Manufacturing 28 3.8%
Information 19 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 0.9%
Utilities 4 0.5%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.4%
Educational services 3 0.4%

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 51501 vs 68108 →

ZIP 51501 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 51501 ranks #2 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 51501 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 51501 ranks #6 of 9 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
68108 Omaha, NE 14,664 2.8 mi
68102 Omaha, NE 6,102 3.7 mi
68107 Omaha, NE 29,491 4.0 mi
68105 Omaha, NE 23,842 4.5 mi
51510 Carter Lake, IA 3,785 4.6 mi
68005 Bellevue, NE 22,132 6.0 mi
68110 Omaha, NE 9,173 5.2 mi
51503 Council Bluffs, IA 36,376 5.2 mi
68178 Omaha, NE 1,573 4.4 mi
68131 Omaha, NE 12,302 5.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Pottawattamie County

51503 standard
Council Bluffs, IA
Pop: 36,376
51510 standard
Carter Lake, IA
Pop: 3,785
51576 standard
Underwood, IA
Pop: 2,110
51560 standard
Oakland, IA
Pop: 2,099
51521 standard
Avoca, IA
Pop: 2,036
51559 standard
Neola, IA
Pop: 1,788

Related Areas

Pottawattamie County Council Bluffs, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 51501 in? ▼
ZIP code 51501 (Council Bluffs) is located in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Pottawattamie County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/pottawattamie-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 51501? ▼
ZIP code 51501 in Council Bluffs, IA has a population of 35,406 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51501? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 51501 is $59,843, which is 22% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51501? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 51501 is $152,400, which is 45% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51501? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 51501 is White at 82.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 16.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51501? ▼
ZIP code 51501 has 744 business establishments employing approximately 17,652 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51501? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 51501 are: Retail trade (133), Accommodation and food services (109), Other services (except public administration) (77). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 51501? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 51501 increased by 2.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 118%. 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 51501? ▼
In ZIP code 51501, 54.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.0% 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 51501? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 51501 is 17.6 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 51501? ▼
In ZIP code 51501, approximately 63.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 36.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51501? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51501 is 16.3% 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 Council Bluffs, 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.