PlainZIP

Wadena, IA · standard

ZIP Code 52169

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

432
6/sq mi
$52,321
Median income
$112,900
Median home value
17.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Wadena pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

17th pct
household income, US ZIPs
14th pct
home value, US ZIPs
6
people per sq mi
78%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 52169 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 52169 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Wadena, Fayette County, Iowa, home to just 432 residents across 77.1 square miles, a density of 6 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 52169 reports a modest median household income of $52,321 (32% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $30,078. The poverty rate stands at 13.9% and the unemployment rate at 2.2%. Median home value sits at $112,900 (36% below the state average), median rent at $592 a month, and owner-occupancy at 78.2%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 53.6, and the average commute is -. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Fayette County, so you can benchmark 52169 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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 52169, Wadena, 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

432

Population

77.1

Area (sq mi)

6

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 52169?

53.6

Median Age

57.2%

Male

42.8%

Female

0.3%

Foreign-Born

White 86.9%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.5%
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?

$52,321

Median Household Income

-32% vs state

$30,078

Per Capita Income

13.9%

Poverty Rate

2.2%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 52169 ranks nationally

Wadena, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$52,321 17th percentile higher than 17% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 59.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.3%

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

What does housing look like?

226

Total Housing Units

170

Occupied Units

56

Vacant Units

2.16

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 78.2%
Renter 21.8%

$112,900

Median Home Value

-36% vs state

$592

Median Rent

1963

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 8 business establishments in ZIP 52169, employing approximately 16 people with a combined annual payroll of $479,000.

8

Businesses

16

Employees

$479K

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 52169 vs 52141 →

ZIP 52169 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 52169 ranks #4 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 52169 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 52169 ranks #5 of 5 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
52141 Elgin, IA 1,435 6.2 mi
50606 Arlington, IA 885 7.4 mi
52077 Volga, IA 398 5.8 mi
52142 Fayette, IA 1,871 6.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Fayette County

50662 standard
Oelwein, IA
Pop: 7,238
52175 standard
West Union, IA
Pop: 3,492
52142 standard
Fayette, IA
Pop: 1,871
52141 standard
Elgin, IA
Pop: 1,435
52147 standard
Hawkeye, IA
Pop: 1,050
50606 standard
Arlington, IA
Pop: 885

Related Areas

Fayette County Wadena, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 52169 in? ▼
ZIP code 52169 (Wadena) is located in Fayette County, Iowa. Fayette County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/fayette-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 52169? ▼
ZIP code 52169 in Wadena, IA has a population of 432 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 52169? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 52169 is $52,321, which is 31% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 52169? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 52169 is $112,900, which is 59% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 52169? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 52169 is White at 86.9%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 52169? ▼
ZIP code 52169 has 8 business establishments employing approximately 16 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 52169? ▼
In ZIP code 52169, 59.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.3% 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 52169? ▼
In ZIP code 52169, approximately 78.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 52169? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 52169 is 13.9% 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.