PlainZIP

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
$79,010
Median income
$262,300
Median home value
30.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

ZIP code 51503 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 307.5 square miles in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, Iowa. The area is home to 36,376 residents, producing a population density of 118 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 51503 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 51503 sits at $79,010 (3% above the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $40,763. The poverty rate stands at 10.8% and the unemployment rate at 3.0%. On housing, the median home value is $262,300 (49% above the state average) with median rent at $991 per month, and 68.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 51503 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 30.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.6, and the average commute is 19 minutes. We also surface 9 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Pottawattamie County, so you can benchmark 51503 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 51503

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51503.

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 51503, 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

36,376

Population

307.5

Area (sq mi)

118

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 51503?

40.6

Median Age

49.3%

Male

50.7%

Female

2.2%

Foreign-Born

White 89.6%
African American 3.1%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.0%

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?

$79,010

Median Household Income

+3% vs state

$40,763

Per Capita Income

10.8%

Poverty Rate

3.0%

Unemployment Rate

18.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 51503 ranks nationally

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

$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 61.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 30.5%

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

What does housing look like?

16,425

Total Housing Units

15,442

Occupied Units

983

Vacant Units

2.37

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 68.6%
Renter 31.4%

$262,300

Median Home Value

+49% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 51503 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 51503 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 51503 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
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

More ZIP Codes in Pottawattamie County

51501 standard
Council Bluffs, IA
Pop: 35,406
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 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.

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.