Council Bluffs, IA · standard
ZIP Code 51503
Pottawattamie County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 36,376
- 118/sq mi High-density area
- $79,010
- Median income Near-median income area
- $262,300
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 30.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Council Bluffs pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 39%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 40%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 118
- people per sq mi
- 69%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51503 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 51503 (Council Bluffs, IA) rose +7.0% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 201.2 in 2023 to 215.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 51503 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, with 36,376 residents across 307.5 square miles, a density of 118 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 51503 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $79,010 (3% above the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $40,763. The poverty rate is 10.8%, with unemployment at 3.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $262,300 (49% above the average Iowa ZIP), while 68.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $991.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 30.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.6, and the average commute is 19 minutes. The page also surfaces 9 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Pottawattamie County, so 51503 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 51503
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Council Bluffs, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51503.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
123 establishments
- Construction
Construction
83 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
76 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
72 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
63 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 51503, Council Bluffs, 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
36,376
Population
307.5
Area (sq mi)
118
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 51503?
40.6
Median Age
49.3%
Male
50.7%
Female
2.2%
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?
$79,010
Median Household Income
+3% vs state ZIP avg
$40,763
Per Capita Income
10.8%
Poverty Rate
3.0%
Unemployment Rate
18.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 51503 ranks nationally
Council Bluffs, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$79,010 Top 39% higher than 61% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
16,425housing units
16,425
Total Housing Units
15,442
Occupied Units
983
Vacant Units
2.37
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$262,300
Median Home Value
+49% vs state ZIP avg
$991
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
+7.0%
YoY Change (2024)
215
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+115%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 51503 have increased 7.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +115% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.0% | 152 |
| 2021 | +8.0% | 164 |
| 2022 | +13.5% | 186 |
| 2023 | +8.2% | 201 |
| 2024 | +7.0% | 215 |
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 721 business establishments in ZIP 51503, employing approximately 10,010 people with a combined annual payroll of $479,760,000.
721
Businesses
10,010
Employees
$479.8M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 123 | 17.1% |
| Construction | 83 | 11.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 76 | 10.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 72 | 10.0% |
| Retail trade | 63 | 8.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 54 | 7.5% |
| Finance and insurance | 50 | 6.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 46 | 6.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 44 | 6.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 41 | 5.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 18 | 2.5% |
| Educational services | 14 | 1.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 14 | 1.9% |
| Manufacturing | 13 | 1.8% |
| Information | 4 | 0.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 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 51503 vs 51501 →
ZIP 51503 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51503
Council Bluffs (51503)
36,376 residents
- 51501
Council Bluffs (51501)
35,406 residents
- 68005
Bellevue (68005)
22,132 residents
- 68110 9,173
Omaha (68110)
9,173 residents
- 51510 3,785
Carter Lake (51510)
3,785 residents
- 51576 2,110
Underwood (51576)
2,110 residents
- 51526 1,753
Crescent (51526)
1,753 residents
- 68113 994
Offutt Afb (68113)
994 residents
- 51548 433
Mc Clelland (51548)
433 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 51503 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 51503 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51548
Mc Clelland (51548)
$114,583 median income
- 51576
Underwood (51576)
$110,476 median income
- 51554
Mineola (51554)
$102,692 median income
- 51526
Crescent (51526)
$95,179 median income
- 51510
Carter Lake (51510)
$85,349 median income
- 51503
Council Bluffs (51503)
$79,010 median income
- 68005
Bellevue (68005)
$66,551 median income
- 68113
Offutt Afb (68113)
$62,409 median income
- 51501
Council Bluffs (51501)
$59,843 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 51503 ranks #6 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51501 | Council Bluffs, IA | 35,406 | 5.2 mi |
| 51554 | Mineola, IA | 187 | 7.7 mi |
| 51510 | Carter Lake, IA | 3,785 | 8.2 mi |
| 68110 | Omaha, NE | 9,173 | 8.3 mi |
| 68005 | Bellevue, NE | 22,132 | 8.6 mi |
| 51576 | Underwood, IA | 2,110 | 10.6 mi |
| 51548 | Mc Clelland, IA | 433 | 9.4 mi |
| 51526 | Crescent, IA | 1,753 | 10.8 mi |
| 68113 | Offutt Afb, NE | 994 | 10.5 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 51503, 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 (36,376 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Pottawattamie County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 51503 in?
ZIP code 51503 (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 51503?
ZIP code 51503 in Council Bluffs, IA has a population of 36,376 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51503?
The median household income in ZIP 51503 is $79,010, which is 4% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51503?
The median home value in ZIP 51503 is $262,300, which is 6% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51503?
The largest racial group in ZIP 51503 is White at 89.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51503?
ZIP code 51503 has 721 business establishments employing approximately 10,010 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51503?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 51503 are: Health care and social assistance (123), Construction (83), Other services (except public administration) (76). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 51503?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 51503 increased by 7.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 115%. 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 51503?
In ZIP code 51503, 61.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 30.5% 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 51503?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 51503 is 18.7 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 51503?
In ZIP code 51503, approximately 68.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 31.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51503?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51503 is 10.8% 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 51503's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 51503 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Council Bluffs, IA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.