Cresco, IA · standard
ZIP Code 52136
Howard County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 5,967
- 11/sq mi Low-density area
- $70,778
- Median income Near-median income area
- $161,100
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 21.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Cresco pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 48th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 30th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 11
- people per sq mi
- 79%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 52136 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 52136 (Cresco, IA) rose +22.2% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 205.6 in 2023 to 251.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 52136 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Cresco, Howard County, Iowa, home to 5,967 residents across 552.5 square miles, a density of 11 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 52136 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $70,778 (8% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $37,585. The poverty rate is 9.5%, with unemployment at 1.3%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $161,100 (8% below the average Iowa ZIP) and median rent is $713; 78.8% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 21.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.3, and the average commute is 19 minutes. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 more in Howard County, so 52136 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 52136
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Cresco, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 52136.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
32 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
18 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
17 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
16 establishments
- Construction
Construction
15 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 52136, Cresco, 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
5,967
Population
552.5
Area (sq mi)
11
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 52136?
42.3
Median Age
51.0%
Male
49.0%
Female
2.3%
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?
$70,778
Median Household Income
-8% vs state ZIP avg
$37,585
Per Capita Income
9.5%
Poverty Rate
1.3%
Unemployment Rate
19.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 52136 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Cresco, 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)
$70,778 41st percentile higher than 41% 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
2,604housing units
2,604
Total Housing Units
2,373
Occupied Units
231
Vacant Units
2.40
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$161,100
Median Home Value
-8% vs state ZIP avg
$713
Median Rent
1965
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
+22.2%
YoY Change (2024)
251
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+151%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 52136 have increased 22.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +151% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.1% | 175 |
| 2021 | +6.0% | 186 |
| 2022 | +9.7% | 204 |
| 2023 | +0.8% | 206 |
| 2024 | +22.2% | 251 |
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 172 business establishments in ZIP 52136, employing approximately 2,460 people with a combined annual payroll of $106,057,000.
172
Businesses
2,460
Employees
$106.1M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 32 | 18.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 18 | 10.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 17 | 9.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 16 | 9.3% |
| Construction | 15 | 8.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 15 | 8.7% |
| Manufacturing | 12 | 7.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 10 | 5.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 8 | 4.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 8 | 4.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 7 | 4.1% |
| Information | 5 | 2.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 5 | 2.9% |
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 52136 vs 52165 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 52165 | Ridgeway, IA | 1,004 | 7.9 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 52136, 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 (5,967 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Howard County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 52136 in?
ZIP code 52136 (Cresco) is located in Howard County, Iowa. Howard County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/howard-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 52136?
ZIP code 52136 in Cresco, IA has a population of 5,967 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 52136?
The median household income in ZIP 52136 is $70,778, which is 7% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 52136?
The median home value in ZIP 52136 is $161,100, which is 42% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 52136?
The largest racial group in ZIP 52136 is White at 93.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 52136?
ZIP code 52136 has 172 business establishments employing approximately 2,460 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 52136?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 52136 are: Retail trade (32), Other services (except public administration) (18), Accommodation and food services (17). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 52136?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 52136 increased by 22.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 151%. 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 52136?
In ZIP code 52136, 61.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 21.5% 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 52136?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 52136 is 19.2 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 52136?
In ZIP code 52136, approximately 78.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 52136?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 52136 is 9.5% 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 52136's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 52136 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Cresco, IA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.