PlainZIP

Mount Sterling, IA · standard

ZIP Code 52573

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

162
2/sq mi
$35,179
Median income
$258,300
Median home value
15.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Mount Sterling pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

3th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 41%
home value, US ZIPs
2
people per sq mi
88%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 52573 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 52573 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Mount Sterling, Van Buren County, Iowa, home to just 162 residents across 73.6 square miles, a density of 2 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 52573 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $35,179 (54% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $20,440. The poverty rate stands at 40.5% and the unemployment rate at 0.0%. On housing, the median home value is $258,300 (47% above the state average) with median rent at - per month, and 88.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 15.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 59, and the average commute is -. We also surface 5 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Van Buren County, so you can benchmark 52573 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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 52573, Mount Sterling, 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

162

Population

73.6

Area (sq mi)

2

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 52573?

59.0

Median Age

39.2%

Male

60.8%

Female

4.7%

Foreign-Born

White 100.0%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 0.0%
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?

$35,179

Median Household Income

-54% vs state

$20,440

Per Capita Income

40.5%

Poverty Rate

0.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 52573 ranks nationally

Mount Sterling, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$35,179 3rd percentile higher than 3% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 52.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 15.2%

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

What does housing look like?

104

Total Housing Units

60

Occupied Units

44

Vacant Units

2.47

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 88.3%
Renter 11.7%

$258,300

Median Home Value

+47% vs state

1955

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 7 business establishments in ZIP 52573, employing approximately 7 people with a combined annual payroll of $147,000.

7

Businesses

7

Employees

$147K

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 52573 vs 52565 →

ZIP 52573 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 52573 ranks #6 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 52573 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 52573 ranks #6 of 6 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
52565 Keosauqua, IA 2,027 7.4 mi
52542 Cantril, IA 435 5.9 mi
63432 Arbela, MO 513 9.7 mi
63453 Luray, MO 519 9.6 mi
52620 Bonaparte, IA 938 8.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Van Buren County

52565 standard
Keosauqua, IA
Pop: 2,027
52570 standard
Milton, IA
Pop: 954
52620 standard
Bonaparte, IA
Pop: 938
52535 standard
Birmingham, IA
Pop: 888
52551 standard
Douds, IA
Pop: 688
52651 standard
Stockport, IA
Pop: 646

Related Areas

Van Buren County Mount Sterling, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 52573 in? ▼
ZIP code 52573 (Mount Sterling) is located in Van Buren County, Iowa. Van Buren County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/van-buren-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 52573? ▼
ZIP code 52573 in Mount Sterling, IA has a population of 162 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 52573? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 52573 is $35,179, which is 54% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 52573? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 52573 is $258,300, which is 7% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 52573? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 52573 is White at 100.0%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 52573? ▼
ZIP code 52573 has 7 business establishments employing approximately 7 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 52573? ▼
In ZIP code 52573, 52.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 15.2% 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 52573? ▼
In ZIP code 52573, approximately 88.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 11.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 52573? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 52573 is 40.5% 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.