PlainZIP

Plano, IA · standard

ZIP Code 52581

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

305
3/sq mi
$55,000
Median income
$154,900
Median home value
10.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

21th pct
household income, US ZIPs
27th pct
home value, US ZIPs
3
people per sq mi
89%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 52581 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 52581 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Plano, Appanoose County, Iowa, home to just 305 residents across 98.4 square miles, a density of 3 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 52581 reports a modest median household income of $55,000 (28% below the Iowa average), while per-capita income is $33,107. Local economic indicators show a 4.8% poverty rate alongside 15.5% unemployment. Housing costs here run $154,900 for a typical home value (12% below the state average), with rent averaging - a month; 88.5% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 56, and the average commute is -. To put 52581 in local context, 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Appanoose 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 52581, Plano, 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

305

Population

98.4

Area (sq mi)

3

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 52581?

56.0

Median Age

57.1%

Male

42.9%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 90.5%
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 9.5%
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?

$55,000

Median Household Income

-28% vs state

$33,107

Per Capita Income

4.8%

Poverty Rate

15.5%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 52581 ranks nationally

Plano, IA household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$55,000 21st percentile higher than 21% 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 65.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.9%

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

What does housing look like?

84

Total Housing Units

78

Occupied Units

6

Vacant Units

2.15

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 88.5%
Renter 11.5%

$154,900

Median Home Value

-12% vs state

1971

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 3 business establishments in ZIP 52581, employing approximately 48 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,926,000.

3

Businesses

48

Employees

$2.9M

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 52581 vs 52583 →

ZIP 52581 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 52581 ranks #4 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 52581 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 52581 ranks #2 of 4 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
52583 Promise City, IA 342 4.7 mi
52574 Mystic, IA 826 5.0 mi
52590 Seymour, IA 1,246 10.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Appanoose County

52544 standard
Centerville, IA
Pop: 7,847
52571 standard
Moravia, IA
Pop: 1,407
52572 standard
Moulton, IA
Pop: 1,132
52574 standard
Mystic, IA
Pop: 826
52549 standard
Cincinnati, IA
Pop: 762
52594 standard
Unionville, IA
Pop: 399

Related Areas

Appanoose County Plano, IA Iowa

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 52581 in? ▼
ZIP code 52581 (Plano) is located in Appanoose County, Iowa. Appanoose County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/appanoose-ia.
What is the population of ZIP code 52581? ▼
ZIP code 52581 in Plano, IA has a population of 305 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 52581? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 52581 is $55,000, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 52581? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 52581 is $154,900, which is 44% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 52581? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 52581 is White at 90.5%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 52581? ▼
ZIP code 52581 has 3 business establishments employing approximately 48 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 52581? ▼
In ZIP code 52581, 65.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.9% 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 52581? ▼
In ZIP code 52581, approximately 88.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 11.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 52581? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 52581 is 4.8% 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.