Brighton, IA · standard
ZIP Code 52540
Washington County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,420
- 6/sq mi Low-density area
- $55,000
- Median income Below-median income area
- $115,300
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 20.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Brighton pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 21st pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 15th 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 52540 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 52540 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Brighton, Washington County, Iowa, home to just 1,420 residents across 253.6 square miles, a density of 6 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 52540 reports a modest median household income of $55,000 (28% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,883. The poverty rate is 20.8%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $115,300 (34% below the average Iowa ZIP), and median rent is $681; owner occupancy is 77.5%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 49.4, and the average commute is 33 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Washington County, so 52540 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 →
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 52540, Brighton, 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
1,420
Population
253.6
Area (sq mi)
6
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 52540?
49.4
Median Age
49.6%
Male
50.4%
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?
$55,000
Median Household Income
-28% vs state ZIP avg
$34,883
Per Capita Income
20.8%
Poverty Rate
1.5%
Unemployment Rate
33.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 52540 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Brighton, IA household income vs. every Iowa ZIP code
Median household income among 911 reporting Iowa ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$55,000 10th percentile higher than 10% of 911 Iowa ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Iowa 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
481housing units
481
Total Housing Units
472
Occupied Units
9
Vacant Units
2.31
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$115,300
Median Home Value
-34% vs state ZIP avg
$681
Median Rent
1944
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 19 business establishments in ZIP 52540, employing approximately 103 people with a combined annual payroll of $3,777,000.
19
Businesses
103
Employees
$3.8M
Annual Payroll
2
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 5 | 26.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 21.1% |
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 52540 vs 52556 →
ZIP 52540 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 52556
Fairfield (52556)
13,247 residents
- 52353
Washington (52353)
9,173 residents
- 52540 1,420
Brighton (52540)
1,420 residents
- 52557 85
Fairfield (52557)
85 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 52540 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 52540 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 52353
Washington (52353)
$63,047 median income
- 52556
Fairfield (52556)
$59,243 median income
- 52540
Brighton (52540)
$55,000 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 52540 ranks #3 of 3 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 52540, 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 (1,420 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Washington County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 52540 in?
ZIP code 52540 (Brighton) is located in Washington County, Iowa. Washington County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/washington-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 52540?
ZIP code 52540 in Brighton, IA has a population of 1,420 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 52540?
The median household income in ZIP 52540 is $55,000, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 52540?
The median home value in ZIP 52540 is $115,300, which is 59% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 52540?
The largest racial group in ZIP 52540 is White at 93.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 52540?
ZIP code 52540 has 19 business establishments employing approximately 103 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 52540?
In ZIP code 52540, 51.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.8% 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 52540?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 52540 is 33.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 52540?
In ZIP code 52540, approximately 77.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 22.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 52540?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 52540 is 20.8% 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 52540's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 52540 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Brighton, IA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.