Fairfield, IA · standard
ZIP Code 52556
Jefferson County, Iowa - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 13,247
- 29/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $59,243
- Median income Below-median income area
- $166,800
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 48.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Fairfield pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 28th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 33rd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 29
- people per sq mi
- 64%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 52556 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 52556 (Fairfield, IA) rose +14.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 189.5 in 2023 to 217.1 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 52556 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Fairfield, Jefferson County, Iowa, home to 13,247 residents across 456.8 square miles, a density of 29 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 52556 reports a modest median household income of $59,243 (23% below the average Iowa ZIP), while per-capita income is $40,168. The poverty rate is 16.8%, with unemployment at 8.9%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $166,800 (5% below the average Iowa ZIP) and median rent is $878; 63.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 48.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45.2, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 5 more in Jefferson County, so 52556 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 52556
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Fairfield, IA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 52556.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
112 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
80 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
50 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 44
Health care and social assistance
44 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 43
Accommodation and food services
43 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 52556, Fairfield, 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
13,247
Population
456.8
Area (sq mi)
29
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 52556?
45.2
Median Age
51.5%
Male
48.5%
Female
14.7%
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?
$59,243
Median Household Income
-23% vs state ZIP avg
$40,168
Per Capita Income
16.8%
Poverty Rate
8.9%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 52556 ranks among Iowa ZIPs
Fairfield, 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)
$59,243 16th percentile higher than 16% 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
6,044housing units
6,044
Total Housing Units
5,377
Occupied Units
667
Vacant Units
2.06
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$166,800
Median Home Value
-5% vs state ZIP avg
$878
Median Rent
1968
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
+14.5%
YoY Change (2024)
217
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+117%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 52556 have increased 14.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +117% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -1.2% | 156 |
| 2021 | +11.5% | 174 |
| 2022 | +9.1% | 190 |
| 2023 | -0.3% | 190 |
| 2024 | +14.5% | 217 |
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 552 business establishments in ZIP 52556, employing approximately 5,563 people with a combined annual payroll of $298,087,000.
552
Businesses
5,563
Employees
$298.1M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 112 | 20.3% |
| Retail trade | 80 | 14.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 50 | 9.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 44 | 8.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 43 | 7.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 40 | 7.3% |
| Construction | 36 | 6.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 27 | 4.9% |
| Manufacturing | 24 | 4.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 24 | 4.3% |
| Information | 15 | 2.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 15 | 2.7% |
| Educational services | 14 | 2.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 11 | 2.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 8 | 1.4% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 4 | 0.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 0.5% |
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 52556 vs 52557 →
ZIP 52556 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
- 52540 1,420
Brighton (52540)
1,420 residents
- 52567 615
Libertyville (52567)
615 residents
- 52557 85
Fairfield (52557)
85 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 52556 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 52556 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 52567
Libertyville (52567)
$81,985 median income
- 52556
Fairfield (52556)
$59,243 median income
- 52540
Brighton (52540)
$55,000 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 52556 ranks #2 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 52556, 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 (13,247 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Jefferson County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 52556 in?
ZIP code 52556 (Fairfield) is located in Jefferson County, Iowa. Jefferson County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/jefferson-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 52556?
ZIP code 52556 in Fairfield, IA has a population of 13,247 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 52556?
The median household income in ZIP 52556 is $59,243, which is 22% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 52556?
The median home value in ZIP 52556 is $166,800, which is 40% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 52556?
The largest racial group in ZIP 52556 is White at 82.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 52556?
ZIP code 52556 has 552 business establishments employing approximately 5,563 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 52556?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 52556 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (112), Retail trade (80), Other services (except public administration) (50). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 52556?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 52556 increased by 14.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 117%. 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 52556?
In ZIP code 52556, 68.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 48.0% 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 52556?
In ZIP code 52556, approximately 63.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 36.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 52556?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 52556 is 16.8% 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 52556's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 52556 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Fairfield, 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.