Essex, IA · standard
ZIP Code 51638
Page County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,299
- 6/sq mi Low-density area
- $59,107
- Median income Below-median income area
- $120,700
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 17.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Essex pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 28th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 17th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 6
- people per sq mi
- 82%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 51638 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 51638 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Essex, Page County, Iowa, home to just 1,299 residents across 220.2 square miles, a density of 6 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 51638 reports a modest median household income of $59,107 (23% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $36,660. The poverty rate is 12.0%, with unemployment at 1.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $120,700 (31% below the average Iowa ZIP), and median rent is $606; owner occupancy is 81.9%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 50.5, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Page County, so 51638 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 51638
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Essex, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 51638.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
8 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
4 establishments
- Retail trade 3
Retail trade
3 establishments
- Finance and insurance 3
Finance and insurance
3 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 51638, Essex, 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
1,299
Population
220.2
Area (sq mi)
6
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 51638?
50.5
Median Age
49.6%
Male
50.4%
Female
2.6%
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?
$59,107
Median Household Income
-23% vs state ZIP avg
$36,660
Per Capita Income
12.0%
Poverty Rate
1.4%
Unemployment Rate
25.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 51638 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Essex, 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)
$59,107 15th percentile higher than 15% 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
623housing units
623
Total Housing Units
569
Occupied Units
54
Vacant Units
2.21
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$120,700
Median Home Value
-31% vs state ZIP avg
$606
Median Rent
1941
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 30 business establishments in ZIP 51638, employing approximately 89 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,730,000.
30
Businesses
89
Employees
$2.7M
Annual Payroll
4
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 8 | 26.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 13.3% |
| Retail trade | 3 | 10.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 3 | 10.0% |
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 51638 vs 51601 →
ZIP 51638 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51601
Shenandoah (51601)
6,025 residents
- 51638 1,299
Essex (51638)
1,299 residents
- 51656 71
Yorktown (51656)
71 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 51638 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 51638 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 51656
Yorktown (51656)
$83,750 median income
- 51601
Shenandoah (51601)
$62,143 median income
- 51638
Essex (51638)
$59,107 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 51638 ranks #3 of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 51638, 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 (1,299 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Page County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 51638 in?
ZIP code 51638 (Essex) is located in Page County, Iowa. Page County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/page-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 51638?
ZIP code 51638 in Essex, IA has a population of 1,299 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 51638?
The median household income in ZIP 51638 is $59,107, which is 23% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 51638?
The median home value in ZIP 51638 is $120,700, which is 57% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 51638?
The largest racial group in ZIP 51638 is White at 90.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 51638?
ZIP code 51638 has 30 business establishments employing approximately 89 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 51638?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 51638 are: Other services (except public administration) (8), Transportation and warehousing (4), Retail trade (3). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 51638?
In ZIP code 51638, 56.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 51638?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 51638 is 25.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 51638?
In ZIP code 51638, approximately 81.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51638?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 51638 is 12.0% 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 51638's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 51638 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Essex, 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.