Residential delivery area · Iowa
ZIP Code 51503: Council Bluffs, IA
ZIP code 51503 uses the postal name Council Bluffs, Iowa and lies mostly in Pottawattamie County (85% of its land) with the rest in Mills County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 38,000 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024), the more populous of Council Bluffs's 2 residential ZIP codes. Median household income is $79,010 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). By Census place, 16% of its land lies in Council Bluffs; 84% is outside any Census place.
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Council Bluffs · 2 residential ZIPs
- County
- Pottawattamie County (85%); Mills County (15%)
- Census places
- Council Bluffs
- Metro area
- Omaha, NE-IA
- House district
- IA-4 119th Congress
- State
- Iowa
- Time zone
- Central
- Land area
- 121.7 sq mi · 312 people per sq mi
- PO Box ZIPs
- 51502 also use the name Council Bluffs
Where is ZIP code 51503?
51503 centers on 41.223°, -95.784° and covers 121.7 square miles of land plus 1.5 of water. It borders 10 ZIP codes: 51501, 51554, 68005, 51575, 51548, 51571, 51526, 51576, 51534, 51561.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 51503, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0).
How does 51503 compare with the rest of Council Bluffs?
| Measure | 51503 | In Council Bluffs | In Pottawattamie County | In IA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 37,972 | 1st of 2 | 1st of 24 | 8th of 970 |
| Median household income | $79k | 1st of 2 | 7th of 15 | 179th of 396 |
| Median home value | $262k | 1st of 2 | 4th of 15 | 86th of 423 |
Its median household income is higher than in 61% of U.S. residential ZIP codes, and it is denser than 67% of all U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 51503?
The 2020 Census counted 37,330 people in 51503; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 37,972. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew 2.6% (its boundary stayed at least 90% the same).
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 37,972
- 2020 Census count
- 37,330+2.6% since 2010 (36,376)
- Households
- 15,442
- Median age
- 40.6
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 51503?
Of the 37,972 people the ACS estimates in 51503, 22.9% are under 18 and 19.5% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is White (not Hispanic) (87.6%).
- Under 1822.9%
- 18 to 6457.6%
- 65 and older19.5%
- White, not Hispanic87.6%
- Hispanic or Latino5.0%
- Other or two or more4.0%
- Black, not Hispanic3.0%
- Asian, not Hispanic0.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 51503 earn?
Median household income is $79,010 (ACS 2020-2024), the 7th highest of the 15 ranked ZIP codes in Pottawattamie County. It is not measurably different from 2015-2019 ($84,671 in 2024 dollars): the change is within the surveys' margins of error.
- Median household income
- $79,010
- Income per person
- $40,763
- Below the poverty line
- 10.8%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 3.1%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 30.5%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $86,69416,990 returns; wages 66% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 51503?
FHFA's house price index for 51503, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 82% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 47% from 2020 to 2025, and moved +3.2% in 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $262,300
- Median gross rent
- $991
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 68.6%
- Housing units
- 16,425
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 51503?
721 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, 33 fewer than in 2018; the most are in health care and social assistance (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Health care and social assistance123
- Construction83
- Other services (except public administration)76
- Professional, scientific, and technical services72
- Retail trade63
- Accommodation and food services54
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 51503?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51501 | Council Bluffs | 34,618 | $60k | 4.9 mi |
| 51554 | Mineola | 194 | $103k | 7.6 mi |
| 68005 | Bellevue, NE | 21,984 | $67k | 8.0 mi |
| 51575 | Treynor | 1,609 | $112k | 9.5 mi |
| 51548 | McClelland | 415 | $115k | 10.1 mi |
| 51571 | Silver City | 902 | $95k | 10.4 mi |
| 51526 | Crescent | 1,664 | $95k | 11.4 mi |
| 51576 | Underwood | 1,769 | $111k | 11.6 mi |
| 51534 | Glenwood | 8,874 | $94k | 13.0 mi |
| 51561 | Pacific Junction | 1,039 | $113k | 15.1 mi |
| 68108 | Omaha, NE | 14,578 | $54k | 7.7 mi (near) |
| 68110 | Omaha, NE | 9,229 | $40k | 7.8 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.