Iowa City, IA · standard
ZIP Code 52242
Johnson County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,592
- 855/sq mi High-density area
- 0.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Iowa City has 1,592 residents, placing it in the 39th percentile of the 33,099 US ZIP codes with a reported population, at 855 people per square mile.
Source: USPS ZIP record + U.S. Census Bureau ZIP population. Rank compares ZIP 52242 against every US ZIP with a reported population; income/home-value percentiles are not available for this ZIP.
ZIP code 52242 covers 1.9 square miles in Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,592 residents on file, a density of 855 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
Median household income is not on file for ZIP 52242, but per-capita income is $4,779. Economic pressure is pronounced: 62.5% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 11.6%. The ACS does not report a median home value for this ZIP, so housing cost context is limited to the available tenure and rent fields.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 0.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 19.1, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 8 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Johnson County, so 52242 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 52242
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Iowa City, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 52242.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
4 establishments
- Utilities
Utilities
3 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
3 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
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 52242, Iowa City, 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
1,592
Population
1.9
Area (sq mi)
855
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 52242?
19.1
Median Age
43.4%
Male
56.6%
Female
1.5%
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?
$4,779
Per Capita Income
62.5%
Poverty Rate
11.6%
Unemployment Rate
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
21housing units
21
Total Housing Units
21
Occupied Units
0
Vacant Units
1.48
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 23 business establishments in ZIP 52242, employing approximately 13,387 people with a combined annual payroll of $782,482,000.
23
Businesses
13,387
Employees
$782.5M
Annual Payroll
4
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 4 | 17.4% |
| Utilities | 3 | 13.0% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 3 | 13.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 3 | 13.0% |
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 52242 vs 52246 →
ZIP 52242 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 52240
Iowa City (52240)
32,230 residents
- 52245
Iowa City (52245)
22,573 residents
- 52246
Iowa City (52246)
21,114 residents
- 52241
Coralville (52241)
18,911 residents
- 52317
North Liberty (52317)
14,775 residents
- 52333 6,168
Solon (52333)
6,168 residents
- 52340 2,180
Tiffin (52340)
2,180 residents
- 52242 1,592
Iowa City (52242)
1,592 residents
- 52235 698
Hills (52235)
698 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 52242 ranks #8 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 52242, 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 (1,592 here; floor ≥1,000).
More ZIP Codes in Johnson County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 52242 in?
ZIP code 52242 (Iowa City) is located in Johnson County, Iowa. Johnson County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/johnson-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 52242?
ZIP code 52242 in Iowa City, IA has a population of 1,592 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 52242?
The largest racial group in ZIP 52242 is White at 83.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 52242?
ZIP code 52242 has 23 business establishments employing approximately 13,387 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 52242?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 52242 are: Accommodation and food services (4), Utilities (3), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (3). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 52242?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 52242 is 62.5% 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 52242's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 52242 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Iowa City, 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.