PlainZIP

Westphalia, IA · standard

ZIP Code 51578

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

79
817/sq mi
$77,292
Median income
$97,600
Median home value
13.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Westphalia pairs an above-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 42%
household income, US ZIPs
9th pct
home value, US ZIPs
817
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51578 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 51578 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Westphalia, Shelby County, Iowa, home to just 79 residents across 0.1 square miles, a density of 817 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 51578 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $77,292 (1% above the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $45,207. 2.6% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 0.0%. The typical home here is valued at $97,600 (44% below the state average); renters pay a median of - monthly, and 72.1% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 13.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 63.3, and the average commute is -. To put 51578 in local context, 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Shelby County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 →

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 51578, Westphalia, 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

79

Population

0.1

Area (sq mi)

817

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 51578?

63.3

Median Age

42.2%

Male

57.8%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 100.0%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 0.0%
Hispanic or Latino 0.0%

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?

$77,292

Median Household Income

+1% vs state

$45,207

Per Capita Income

2.6%

Poverty Rate

0.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 51578 ranks nationally

Westphalia, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$77,292 Top 42% higher than 58% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $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 68.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 13.9%

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

What does housing look like?

70

Total Housing Units

61

Occupied Units

9

Vacant Units

1.90

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 72.1%
Renter 27.9%

$97,600

Median Home Value

-44% vs state

1953

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 3 business establishments in ZIP 51578, employing approximately 12 people with a combined annual payroll of $484,000.

3

Businesses

12

Employees

$484K

Annual Payroll

0

Industry Sectors

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 51578 vs 51530 →

ZIP 51578 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 51578 ranks #6 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 51578 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 51578 ranks #3 of 6 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
51530 Earling, IA 854 4.9 mi
51562 Panama, IA 449 5.6 mi
51527 Defiance, IA 530 7.7 mi
51537 Harlan, IA 6,703 7.2 mi
51565 Portsmouth, IA 501 8.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Shelby County

51537 standard
Harlan, IA
Pop: 6,703
51531 standard
Elk Horn, IA
Pop: 914
51530 standard
Earling, IA
Pop: 854
51527 standard
Defiance, IA
Pop: 530
51446 standard
Irwin, IA
Pop: 511
51565 standard
Portsmouth, IA
Pop: 501

Related Areas

Shelby County Westphalia, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 51578 in? ▼
ZIP code 51578 (Westphalia) is located in Shelby County, Iowa. Shelby County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/shelby-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 51578? ▼
ZIP code 51578 in Westphalia, IA has a population of 79 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51578? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 51578 is $77,292, which is 1% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51578? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 51578 is $97,600, which is 65% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51578? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 51578 is White at 100.0%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51578? ▼
ZIP code 51578 has 3 business establishments employing approximately 12 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 51578? ▼
In ZIP code 51578, 68.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 13.9% 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 51578? ▼
In ZIP code 51578, approximately 72.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51578? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51578 is 2.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.