PlainZIP

Pacific Junction, IA · standard

ZIP Code 51561

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

1,455
9/sq mi
$113,421
Median income
$388,800
Median home value
37.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Pacific Junction pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 12%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 22%
home value, US ZIPs
9
people per sq mi
87%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51561 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 51561 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 154.8 square miles in Pacific Junction, Mills County, Iowa. The area is home to 1,455 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 51561 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 51561 sits at $113,421 (48% above the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $48,419. The poverty rate stands at 3.9% and the unemployment rate at 0.0%. On housing, the median home value is $388,800 (121% above the state average) with median rent at $1,103 per month, and 87.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 51561 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 37.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.8, and the average commute is —. We also surface 8 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Mills County, so you can benchmark 51561 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 51561

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51561.

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 51561, Pacific Junction, 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

1,455

Population

154.8

Area (sq mi)

9

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 51561?

47.8

Median Age

59.7%

Male

40.3%

Female

1.3%

Foreign-Born

White 88.6%
African American 0.0%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.0%
Hispanic or Latino 7.1%

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?

$113,421

Median Household Income

+48% vs state

$48,419

Per Capita Income

3.9%

Poverty Rate

0.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 51561 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$113,421 Top 12% higher than 88% 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%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $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 56.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 37.7%

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

What does housing look like?

473

Total Housing Units

374

Occupied Units

99

Vacant Units

2.78

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 87.4%
Renter 12.6%

$388,800

Median Home Value

+121% vs state

$1,103

Median Rent

1992

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

+16.8%

YoY Change (2022)

203

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+103%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 51561 have increased 16.8% over the past year (2022). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +103% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2018 +18.3% 169
2019 -10.2% 151
2020 +7.6% 163
2021 +6.4% 173
2022 +16.8% 203

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 2022. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 23 business establishments in ZIP 51561, employing approximately 283 people with a combined annual payroll of $19,153,000.

23

Businesses

283

Employees

$19.2M

Annual Payroll

4

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 4 17.4%
Accommodation and food services 4 17.4%
Construction 3 13.0%
Manufacturing 3 13.0%

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 51561 vs 51534 →

ZIP 51561 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 51561 ranks #5 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 51561 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 51561 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
51534 Glenwood, IA 9,236 5.3 mi
68048 Plattsmouth, NE 12,422 6.8 mi
68113 Offutt Afb, NE 994 9.2 mi
68005 Bellevue, NE 22,132 10.1 mi
68123 Bellevue, NE 27,926 9.5 mi
68409 Murray, NE 807 10.2 mi
51653 Tabor, IA 1,379 11.2 mi
51554 Mineola, IA 187 11.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in Mills County

51534 standard
Glenwood, IA
Pop: 9,236
51551 standard
Malvern, IA
Pop: 1,828
51533 standard
Emerson, IA
Pop: 895
51571 standard
Silver City, IA
Pop: 649
51540 standard
Hastings, IA
Pop: 449
51541 standard
Henderson, IA
Pop: 363

Related Areas

Mills County Pacific Junction, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 51561 in? ▼
ZIP code 51561 (Pacific Junction) is located in Mills County, Iowa. Mills County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mills-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 51561? ▼
ZIP code 51561 in Pacific Junction, IA has a population of 1,455 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51561? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 51561 is $113,421, which is 49% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51561? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 51561 is $388,800, which is 40% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51561? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 51561 is White at 88.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51561? ▼
ZIP code 51561 has 23 business establishments employing approximately 283 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51561? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 51561 are: Retail trade (4), Accommodation and food services (4), Construction (3). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 51561? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 51561 increased by 16.8% in 2022. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 103%. 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 51561? ▼
In ZIP code 51561, 56.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 37.7% 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 51561? ▼
In ZIP code 51561, approximately 87.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51561? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51561 is 3.9% 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 Pacific Junction, 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.