PlainZIP

Ottumwa, IA · standard

ZIP Code 52501

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

30,220
52/sq mi
$63,426
Median income
$122,700
Median home value
20.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Ottumwa pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

36th pct
household income, US ZIPs
18th pct
home value, US ZIPs
52
people per sq mi
66%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 52501 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 52501 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 584.5 square miles in Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa. The area is home to 30,220 residents, producing a population density of 52 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 52501 against Iowa and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 52501 sits at $63,426 (17% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $32,047. The poverty rate stands at 16.5% and the unemployment rate at 4.4%. On housing, the median home value is $122,700 (30% below the state average) with median rent at $926 per month, and 65.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 52501 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 20.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.5, and the average commute is 19 minutes. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Wapello County, so you can benchmark 52501 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. 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 52501

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 52501.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 52501, Ottumwa, 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

30,220

Population

584.5

Area (sq mi)

52

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 52501?

38.5

Median Age

50.9%

Male

49.1%

Female

11.5%

Foreign-Born

White 76.5%
African American 3.5%
Asian 2.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 2.8%
Two or More Ethnicities 9.7%
Hispanic or Latino 15.4%

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?

$63,426

Median Household Income

-17% vs state

$32,047

Per Capita Income

16.5%

Poverty Rate

4.4%

Unemployment Rate

19.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 52501 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$63,426 36th percentile higher than 36% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 58.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.6%

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

What does housing look like?

13,570

Total Housing Units

11,976

Occupied Units

1,594

Vacant Units

2.46

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 65.9%
Renter 34.1%

$122,700

Median Home Value

-30% vs state

$926

Median Rent

1958

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

+8.1%

YoY Change (2024)

207

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+107%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 52501 have increased 8.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +107% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.4% 145
2021 +10.5% 160
2022 +10.7% 178
2023 +7.5% 191
2024 +8.1% 207

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 624 business establishments in ZIP 52501, employing approximately 12,137 people with a combined annual payroll of $605,236,000.

624

Businesses

12,137

Employees

$605.2M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 106 17.0%
Health care and social assistance 93 14.9%
Other services (except public administration) 70 11.2%
Accommodation and food services 65 10.4%
Finance and insurance 46 7.4%
Construction 43 6.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 34 5.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 33 5.3%
Wholesale trade 27 4.3%
Transportation and warehousing 22 3.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 21 3.4%
Manufacturing 20 3.2%
Information 13 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 12 1.9%
Educational services 7 1.1%
Management of companies and enterprises 5 0.8%
Utilities 4 0.6%

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 52501 vs 52548 →

ZIP 52501 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 52501 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 52501 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 52501 ranks #4 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
52548 Chillicothe, IA 97 6.2 mi
52530 Agency, IA 1,005 7.9 mi
52566 Kirkville, IA 168 8.6 mi
52563 Hedrick, IA 1,583 12.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Wapello County

52553 standard
Eddyville, IA
Pop: 1,745
52554 standard
Eldon, IA
Pop: 1,373
52530 standard
Agency, IA
Pop: 1,005
52536 standard
Blakesburg, IA
Pop: 967
52566 standard
Kirkville, IA
Pop: 168
52548 standard
Chillicothe, IA
Pop: 97

Related Areas

Wapello County Ottumwa, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 52501 in? ▼
ZIP code 52501 (Ottumwa) is located in Wapello County, Iowa. Wapello County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/wapello-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 52501? ▼
ZIP code 52501 in Ottumwa, IA has a population of 30,220 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 52501? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 52501 is $63,426, which is 17% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 52501? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 52501 is $122,700, which is 56% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 52501? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 52501 is White at 76.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 15.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 52501? ▼
ZIP code 52501 has 624 business establishments employing approximately 12,137 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 52501? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 52501 are: Retail trade (106), Health care and social assistance (93), Other services (except public administration) (70). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 52501? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 52501 increased by 8.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 107%. 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 52501? ▼
In ZIP code 52501, 58.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.6% 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 52501? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 52501 is 19.1 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 52501? ▼
In ZIP code 52501, approximately 65.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 34.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 52501? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 52501 is 16.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Reading Census Demographics
How to interpret population, income, and education data from the Census Bureau.
Understanding ZIP Code Data
What ZIP codes are, how ZCTAs differ, and what the data reveals.
Best ZIP Codes for Families
Key factors to evaluate when choosing a family-friendly neighborhood.
ZIP Codes for Relocation
Data-driven tips for evaluating ZIP codes before a move.

Official Data Resources for Ottumwa, IA

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

U.S. Census Bureau
Official demographic, economic, and housing data from the American Community Survey.
HUD Fair Market Rents
Department of Housing and Urban Development rental cost estimates by metropolitan area.
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Official crime statistics compiled from law enforcement agencies nationwide.
FHFA House Price Index
Federal Housing Finance Agency home value trends based on repeat sales and appraisals.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.