Avoca, IA · standard
ZIP Code 51521
Pottawattamie County, Iowa — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,036
- 9/sq mi
- $73,769
- Median income
- $202,800
- Median home value
- 28.0%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Avoca pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 47%
- household income, US ZIPs
- 44th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 9
- people per sq mi
- 73%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51521 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 51521 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 221.3 square miles in Avoca, Pottawattamie County, Iowa. The area is home to 2,036 residents, producing a population density of 9 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 51521 against Iowa and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 51521 sits at $73,769 (4% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $46,316. The poverty rate stands at 8.9% and the unemployment rate at 1.0%. On housing, the median home value is $202,800 (15% above the state average) with median rent at $860 per month, and 73.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 51521 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 28.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.2, and the average commute is 23 minutes. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Pottawattamie County, so you can benchmark 51521 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 51521
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51521.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
13 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
10 establishments
- Construction
Construction
8 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
7 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
6 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 51521, Avoca, 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
2,036
Population
221.3
Area (sq mi)
9
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 51521?
45.2
Median Age
44.2%
Male
55.8%
Female
1.4%
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?
$73,769
Median Household Income
-4% vs state
$46,316
Per Capita Income
8.9%
Poverty Rate
1.0%
Unemployment Rate
23.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 51521 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$73,769 Top 47% higher than 53% 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?
965
Total Housing Units
878
Occupied Units
87
Vacant Units
2.21
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$202,800
Median Home Value
+15% vs state
$860
Median Rent
1948
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 63 business establishments in ZIP 51521, employing approximately 480 people with a combined annual payroll of $27,086,000.
63
Businesses
480
Employees
$27.1M
Annual Payroll
8
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 13 | 20.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 10 | 15.9% |
| Construction | 8 | 12.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 7 | 11.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 6 | 9.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 7.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 6.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 3 | 4.8% |
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 51521 vs 51536 →
ZIP 51521 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51521
Avoca (51521)
2,036 residents
- 51577
Walnut (51577)
1,184 residents
- 51570
Shelby (51570)
1,039 residents
- 51536 448
Hancock (51536)
448 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 51521 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 51521 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51536
Hancock (51536)
$101,750 median income
- 51570
Shelby (51570)
$77,708 median income
- 51521
Avoca (51521)
$73,769 median income
- 51577
Walnut (51577)
$71,518 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 51521 ranks #3 of 4 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Pottawattamie County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 51521 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 51521? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 51521? ▼
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What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51521? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51521? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51521? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 51521? ▼
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What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 51521? ▼
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Avoca, IA
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.