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 High-density area
- $85,349
- Median income Above-median income area
- $169,400
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 9.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 51510 (Carter Lake, IA) rose +14.0% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 226.2 in 2023 to 257.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 51510 covers 4.8 square miles in Carter Lake, Pottawattamie County, Iowa (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,785 residents on file, a density of 793 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 51510 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $85,349 (11% above the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $38,306. The poverty rate is 11.5%, with unemployment at 3.8%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $169,400 (4% below the average Iowa ZIP) and median rent is $1,323; 91.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 9.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Pottawattamie County, so 51510 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 51510
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Carter Lake, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51510.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
11 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
8 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
7 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
6 establishments
- Construction
Construction
5 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 51510, Carter Lake, 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
3,785
Population
4.8
Area (sq mi)
793
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 51510?
40.0
Median Age
50.4%
Male
49.6%
Female
6.3%
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?
$85,349
Median Household Income
+11% vs state ZIP avg
$38,306
Per Capita Income
11.5%
Poverty Rate
3.8%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 51510 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Carter Lake, IA household income vs. every Iowa ZIP code
Median household income among 911 reporting Iowa ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$85,349 Top 27% higher than 73% of 911 Iowa ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Iowa 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
1,457housing units
1,457
Total Housing Units
1,390
Occupied Units
67
Vacant Units
2.71
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$169,400
Median Home Value
-4% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 51501
Council Bluffs (51501)
35,406 residents
- 68104
Omaha (68104)
34,664 residents
- 68105
Omaha (68105)
23,842 residents
- 68111
Omaha (68111)
23,393 residents
- 68108
Omaha (68108)
14,664 residents
- 68132 14,101
Omaha (68132)
14,101 residents
- 68131 12,302
Omaha (68131)
12,302 residents
- 68110 9,173
Omaha (68110)
9,173 residents
- 68102 6,102
Omaha (68102)
6,102 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 51510 ranks #0 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 51510 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51510
Carter Lake (51510)
$85,349 median income
- 68132
Omaha (68132)
$68,221 median income
- 68102
Omaha (68102)
$64,111 median income
- 68104
Omaha (68104)
$60,549 median income
- 51501
Council Bluffs (51501)
$59,843 median income
- 68105
Omaha (68105)
$57,533 median income
- 68108
Omaha (68108)
$53,609 median income
- 68131
Omaha (68131)
$48,925 median income
- 68111
Omaha (68111)
$42,185 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 51510, 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 (3,785 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 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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 51510's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 51510 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Carter Lake, IA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.