PlainZIP

Beacon, IA · standard

ZIP Code 52534

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

284
281/sq mi
$57,986
Median income
$75,700
Median home value
9.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

26th pct
household income, US ZIPs
4th pct
home value, US ZIPs
281
people per sq mi
85%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 52534 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 52534 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Beacon, Mahaska County, Iowa, home to just 284 residents across 1.0 square miles, a density of 281 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 52534 reports a modest median household income of $57,986 (24% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $41,901. The poverty rate stands at 17.4% and the unemployment rate at 1.8%. The typical home here is valued at $75,700 (57% below the state average); renters pay a median of $593 monthly, and 85.0% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 9.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 53.2, and the average commute is -. To put 52534 in local context, 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Mahaska County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 52534, Beacon, 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

284

Population

1.0

Area (sq mi)

281

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 52534?

53.2

Median Age

49.2%

Male

50.8%

Female

1.6%

Foreign-Born

White 91.0%
African American 0.0%
Asian 2.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.3%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.5%
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?

$57,986

Median Household Income

-24% vs state

$41,901

Per Capita Income

17.4%

Poverty Rate

1.8%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 52534 ranks nationally

Beacon, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$57,986 26th percentile higher than 26% 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 53.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 9.2%

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

What does housing look like?

159

Total Housing Units

153

Occupied Units

6

Vacant Units

2.10

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 85.0%
Renter 15.0%

$75,700

Median Home Value

-57% vs state

$593

Median Rent

1978

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 5 business establishments in ZIP 52534, employing approximately 32 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,268,000.

5

Businesses

32

Employees

$2.3M

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 52534 vs 52577 →

ZIP 52534 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 52534 ranks #5 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 52534 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 52534 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
52577 Oskaloosa, IA 15,055 1.1 mi
52595 University Park, IA 416 3.7 mi
52553 Eddyville, IA 1,745 8.7 mi
50143 Leighton, IA 600 7.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Mahaska County

52577 standard
Oskaloosa, IA
Pop: 15,055
50207 standard
New Sharon, IA
Pop: 2,537
52561 standard
Fremont, IA
Pop: 962
50143 standard
Leighton, IA
Pop: 600
52586 standard
Rose Hill, IA
Pop: 521
52595 standard
University Park, IA
Pop: 416

Related Areas

Mahaska County Beacon, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 52534 in? ▼
ZIP code 52534 (Beacon) is located in Mahaska County, Iowa. Mahaska County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mahaska-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 52534? ▼
ZIP code 52534 in Beacon, IA has a population of 284 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 52534? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 52534 is $57,986, which is 24% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 52534? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 52534 is $75,700, which is 73% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 52534? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 52534 is White at 91.0%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 52534? ▼
ZIP code 52534 has 5 business establishments employing approximately 32 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 52534? ▼
In ZIP code 52534, 53.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 9.2% 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 52534? ▼
In ZIP code 52534, approximately 85.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 52534? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 52534 is 17.4% 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.