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 Moderate-density area
- $63,426
- Median income Near-median income area
- $122,700
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 20.6%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 52501 (Ottumwa, IA) rose +8.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 191.1 in 2023 to 206.5 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 52501 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa, with 30,220 residents across 584.5 square miles, a density of 52 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 52501 reports a modest median household income of $63,426 (17% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $32,047. The poverty rate is 16.5%, with unemployment at 4.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $122,700 (30% below the average Iowa ZIP), and median rent is $926; owner occupancy is 65.9%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.5, and the average commute is 19 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Wapello County, so 52501 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 52501
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ottumwa, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 52501.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
106 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
93 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
70 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
65 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
46 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 52501, Ottumwa, 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
30,220
Population
584.5
Area (sq mi)
52
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 52501?
38.5
Median Age
50.9%
Male
49.1%
Female
11.5%
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?
$63,426
Median Household Income
-17% vs state ZIP avg
$32,047
Per Capita Income
16.5%
Poverty Rate
4.4%
Unemployment Rate
19.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 52501 ranks nationally
Ottumwa, IA 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
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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
13,570housing units
13,570
Total Housing Units
11,976
Occupied Units
1,594
Vacant Units
2.46
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$122,700
Median Home Value
-30% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 52501
Ottumwa (52501)
30,220 residents
- 52563 1,583
Hedrick (52563)
1,583 residents
- 52530 1,005
Agency (52530)
1,005 residents
- 52566 168
Kirkville (52566)
168 residents
- 52548 97
Chillicothe (52548)
97 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 52501 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 52501 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 52563
Hedrick (52563)
$98,438 median income
- 52530
Agency (52530)
$98,125 median income
- 52548
Chillicothe (52548)
$75,750 median income
- 52501
Ottumwa (52501)
$63,426 median income
- 52566
Kirkville (52566)
$58,750 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 52501, 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 (30,220 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Wapello County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 52501's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 52501 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Ottumwa, 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.