Decorah, IA · standard
ZIP Code 52101
Winneshiek County, Iowa — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 13,864
- 17/sq mi
- $73,484
- Median income
- $273,200
- Median home value
- 37.8%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Decorah pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 48%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 38%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 17
- people per sq mi
- 71%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 52101 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 52101 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 806.0 square miles in Decorah, Winneshiek County, Iowa. The area is home to 13,864 residents, producing a population density of 17 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 52101 against Iowa and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 52101 sits at $73,484 (4% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $42,545. The poverty rate stands at 9.7% and the unemployment rate at 3.1%. On housing, the median home value is $273,200 (56% above the state average) with median rent at $883 per month, and 70.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 52101 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 37.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44, and the average commute is 16 minutes. Use the benchmarks above to see where 52101 sits relative to Iowa and the national baseline rather than viewing the numbers in isolation. 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 52101
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 52101.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
74 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
57 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
55 establishments
- Construction
Construction
48 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
47 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 52101, Decorah, 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
13,864
Population
806.0
Area (sq mi)
17
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 52101?
44.0
Median Age
49.1%
Male
50.9%
Female
3.4%
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?
$73,484
Median Household Income
-4% vs state
$42,545
Per Capita Income
9.7%
Poverty Rate
3.1%
Unemployment Rate
16.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 52101 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$73,484 Top 48% higher than 52% 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?
5,790
Total Housing Units
5,206
Occupied Units
584
Vacant Units
2.11
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$273,200
Median Home Value
+56% vs state
$883
Median Rent
1967
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
+9.8%
YoY Change (2024)
249
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+149%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 52101 have increased 9.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +149% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +0.1% | 167 |
| 2021 | +10.2% | 185 |
| 2022 | +13.1% | 209 |
| 2023 | +8.8% | 227 |
| 2024 | +9.8% | 249 |
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 455 business establishments in ZIP 52101, employing approximately 7,963 people with a combined annual payroll of $357,448,000.
455
Businesses
7,963
Employees
$357.4M
Annual Payroll
18
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 74 | 16.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 57 | 12.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 55 | 12.1% |
| Construction | 48 | 10.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 47 | 10.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 27 | 5.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 27 | 5.9% |
| Manufacturing | 22 | 4.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 22 | 4.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 13 | 2.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 13 | 2.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 11 | 2.4% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 10 | 2.2% |
| Information | 9 | 2.0% |
| Educational services | 6 | 1.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 4 | 0.9% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 3 | 0.7% |
| Utilities | 3 | 0.7% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
More ZIP Codes in Winneshiek County
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Frequently Asked Questions
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What are the main industries in ZIP code 52101? ▼
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Decorah, 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.