PlainZIP

Carter Lake, IA · standard

ZIP Code 51510

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

3,785
793/sq mi
$85,349
Median income
$169,400
Median home value
9.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Carter Lake pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 32%
household income, US ZIPs
34th pct
home value, US ZIPs
793
people per sq mi
91%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51510 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 51510 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 4.8 square miles in Carter Lake, Pottawattamie County, Iowa. The area is home to 3,785 residents, producing a population density of 793 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 51510 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 51510 sits at $85,349 (11% above the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $38,306. The poverty rate stands at 11.5% and the unemployment rate at 3.8%. On housing, the median home value is $169,400 (4% below the state average) with median rent at $1,323 per month, and 91.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 51510 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 9.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40, and the average commute is —. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Pottawattamie County, so you can benchmark 51510 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 51510

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51510.

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 51510, Carter Lake, 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

3,785

Population

4.8

Area (sq mi)

793

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 51510?

40.0

Median Age

50.4%

Male

49.6%

Female

6.3%

Foreign-Born

White 80.0%
African American 0.4%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 16.3%
Hispanic or Latino 14.3%

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?

$85,349

Median Household Income

+11% vs state

$38,306

Per Capita Income

11.5%

Poverty Rate

3.8%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 51510 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$85,349 Top 32% higher than 68% 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%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 59.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 9.5%

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

What does housing look like?

1,457

Total Housing Units

1,390

Occupied Units

67

Vacant Units

2.71

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 91.0%
Renter 9.0%

$169,400

Median Home Value

-4% vs state

$1,323

Median Rent

1969

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

+14.0%

YoY Change (2024)

258

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+158%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 51510 have increased 14.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +158% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +12.4% 165
2021 +2.0% 169
2022 +26.5% 213
2023 +6.0% 226
2024 +14.0% 258

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 55 business establishments in ZIP 51510, employing approximately 860 people with a combined annual payroll of $45,728,000.

55

Businesses

860

Employees

$45.7M

Annual Payroll

6

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 11 20.0%
Retail trade 8 14.6%
Transportation and warehousing 7 12.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6 10.9%
Construction 5 9.1%
Wholesale trade 5 9.1%

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 51510 vs 68110 →

ZIP 51510 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 51510 ranks #0 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 51510 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 51510 ranks the highest 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
68110 Omaha, NE 9,173 0.7 mi
68102 Omaha, NE 6,102 2.0 mi
68178 Omaha, NE 1,573 2.2 mi
68111 Omaha, NE 23,393 2.5 mi
68108 Omaha, NE 14,664 3.6 mi
68131 Omaha, NE 12,302 3.0 mi
68104 Omaha, NE 34,664 4.4 mi
68105 Omaha, NE 23,842 4.1 mi
51501 Council Bluffs, IA 35,406 4.6 mi
68132 Omaha, NE 14,101 4.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Pottawattamie County

51503 standard
Council Bluffs, IA
Pop: 36,376
51501 standard
Council Bluffs, IA
Pop: 35,406
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 Carter Lake, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 51510 in? ▼
ZIP code 51510 (Carter Lake) 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 51510? ▼
ZIP code 51510 in Carter Lake, IA has a population of 3,785 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51510? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 51510 is $85,349, which is 12% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51510? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 51510 is $169,400, which is 39% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51510? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 51510 is White at 80.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 14.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51510? ▼
ZIP code 51510 has 55 business establishments employing approximately 860 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51510? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 51510 are: Accommodation and food services (11), Retail trade (8), Transportation and warehousing (7). There are 6 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 51510? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 51510 increased by 14.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 158%. 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 51510? ▼
In ZIP code 51510, 59.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 9.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 51510? ▼
In ZIP code 51510, approximately 91.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 9.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51510? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51510 is 11.5% 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 Carter Lake, 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.