51503 ZIP Code — Council Bluffs, IA
Pottawattamie County, Iowa
ZIP code 51503 is located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, within Pottawattamie County. It covers approximately 121.68 square miles and serves a population of 37,081 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 712.
About ZIP code 51503
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $229,900. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 68%.
Median household income is $76,075. 34% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 19 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 31% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
37,081
population
121.68
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Central (CT)
timezone
51503 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 51503
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 51503. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Council Bluffs | Acceptable |
| Council Bluffs | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
51501 Council Bluffs (5.5 mi)
68110 Omaha (6.9 mi)
68108 Omaha (8.2 mi)
68102 Omaha (8.3 mi)
68175 Omaha (8.6 mi)
68179 Omaha (8.6 mi)
68176 Omaha (8.6 mi)
68197 Omaha (8.6 mi)
68172 Omaha (8.6 mi)
68180 Omaha (8.6 mi)
68183 Omaha (8.6 mi)
68178 Omaha (8.6 mi)
Demographics
updated 06/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 37,081 |
| Population density | 305 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 19 |
| County FIPS | 155 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 121.68 sq mi |
| Water area | 1.49 sq mi |
| Latitude | 41.2463 |
| Longitude | -95.7721 |
| Timezone | Central (CT) |
| Area code | 712 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 06/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 38.3% | 41.8% | 40.1% |
| $50k – $100k | 31.7% | 33.7% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 24.2% | 20.6% | 21.5% |
| Over $200k | 5.7% | 3.9% | 5.0% |
Demographics & statistics
37,081
Population
305
People per sq mi
40.8
Median age
$76,075
Median household income
$38,860
Per capita income
$229,900
Median home value
$951
Median monthly rent
67.7%
Home ownership
10.2%
Poverty rate
3.2%
Unemployment
11,175
Housing units
31.3%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
971
Under 5
985
1,290
5–9
1,310
1,259
10–14
1,278
1,405
15–19
1,427
1,108
20–24
1,124
1,790
25–34
1,818
2,310
35–44
2,345
2,286
45–54
2,321
1,116
55–59
1,132
1,319
60–64
1,340
2,107
65–74
2,140
1,012
75–84
1,027
427
85+
434
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 8,619 | 23.2% |
| 18 and over | 28,462 | 76.8% |
| 65 and over | 7,147 | 19.3% |
| Median age | 40.8 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
91%
Two or more races
3.7%
Hispanic or Latino
2.1%
Black or African American
1.8%
Other race
0.7%
Asian
0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 34,486 | 91% |
| Two or more races | 1,419 | 3.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 805 | 2.1% |
| Black or African American | 667 | 1.8% |
| Other race | 274 | 0.7% |
| Asian | 155 | 0.4% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 53 | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | 27 | 0.1% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 38.3% | 41.8% | 40.1% |
| $50k – $100k | 31.7% | 33.7% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 24.2% | 20.6% | 21.5% |
| Over $200k | 5.7% | 3.9% | 5.0% |
Under $10k
4.2%
$10k–$15k
3.2%
$15k–$25k
6.8%
$25k–$35k
10.4%
$35k–$50k
8.4%
$50k–$75k
16.3%
$75k–$100k
13.7%
$100k–$150k
19.5%
$150k–$200k
10.4%
$200k+
7.2%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 4.2% |
| $10k–$15k | 3.2% |
| $15k–$25k | 6.8% |
| $25k–$35k | 10.4% |
| $35k–$50k | 8.4% |
| $50k–$75k | 16.3% |
| $75k–$100k | 13.7% |
| $100k–$150k | 19.5% |
| $150k–$200k | 10.4% |
| $200k+ | 7.2% |
| Median income | $76,075 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
2.1%
$50k–$100k
7.4%
$100k–$150k
12.2%
$150k–$200k
19.3%
$200k–$300k
28.4%
$300k–$500k
23.6%
$500k–$1M
5.8%
$1M+
1.1%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $229,900 |
| Median rent / month | $951 |
| Owner occupied | 67.7% |
| Renter occupied | 32.3% |
| Vacant | 7.0% |
| Single-family detached | 70.8% |
| Large apartment buildings | 9.4% |
| Mobile homes | 1.8% |
| Median rooms | 6.0 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.63 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.2% |
| 2010–2019 | 5.0% |
| 2000–2009 | 15.9% |
| 1990–1999 | 11.6% |
| 1980–1989 | 5.8% |
| 1970–1979 | 14.3% |
| 1960–1969 | 9.5% |
| 1950–1959 | 9.3% |
| 1940–1949 | 3.5% |
| 1939 or earlier | 24.9% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 3.5% |
| 1 bedroom | 10.3% |
| 2 bedrooms | 25.3% |
| 3 bedrooms | 40.3% |
| 4 bedrooms | 15.3% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 5.4% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 8.3% |
| 1 vehicle | 30.6% |
| 2 vehicles | 37.5% |
| 3 or more | 23.5% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 71.2% |
| Electricity | 21.0% |
| Propane / LP gas | 6.2% |
| Fuel oil | 0.2% |
| No fuel used | 0.7% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 7,098 | 47.8% |
| Cohabiting couple | 1,101 | 7.4% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 2,783 | 18.7% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 3,874 | 26.1% |
| Households with children under 18 | 4,040 | 27.2% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 4,900 | 33.0% |
| Average household size | 2.40 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 36.4% | 26.2% |
| Married | 49.3% | 48.1% |
| Separated | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| Widowed | 2.5% | 10.5% |
| Divorced | 10.9% | 13.9% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
1.9%
Some HS, no diploma
4.3%
HS graduate
27.2%
Some college, no degree
23.8%
Associate's degree
11.5%
Bachelor's degree
21.1%
Graduate / professional
10.2%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 93.8% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 31.3% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 526 | 5.5% |
| Kindergarten | 516 | 5.4% |
| Elementary school | 3,925 | 41.4% |
| High school | 2,026 | 21.3% |
| College / grad school | 2,498 | 26.3% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
26.2%
Retail trade
14.2%
Arts, food & hospitality
8.3%
Professional & management
8.2%
Finance & real estate
7.7%
Manufacturing
7.5%
Construction
7.2%
Transportation & utilities
6.8%
Public administration
4.2%
Other services
3.9%
Wholesale trade
3.7%
Information
1.7%
Agriculture & mining
0.4%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 40.4% |
| Service | 14.8% |
| Sales & office | 23.1% |
| Natural resources & construction | 9.2% |
| Production & transportation | 12.5% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 79.8% |
| Government | 14.9% |
| Self-employed | 5.1% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.2% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 82.1% |
| Carpool | 5.7% |
| Public transit | 0.2% |
| Walk | 2.2% |
| Work from home | 8.7% |
| Other means | 1.2% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 19.4 |
Poverty
All people
10.2%
Under 18 years
14.1%
18 and over
9.0%
Married-couple families
1.7%
Female-led households
20.2%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 33.5% |
| Retirement income | 24.9% |
| Supplemental Security | 5.8% |
| Cash public assistance | 2.1% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 9.2% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 38.2% |
| High blood pressure | 32.9% |
| High cholesterol | 32.0% |
| Diabetes | 9.7% |
| Heart disease | 6.5% |
| Stroke | 2.9% |
| Asthma | 9.6% |
| Arthritis | 26.1% |
| Kidney disease | 2.8% |
| Pulmonary disease | 6.6% |
| Cancer | 7.1% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 18.0% |
| Binge drinking | 21.7% |
| No physical activity | 24.9% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 31.0% |
| Depression | 20.3% |
| Fair or poor health | 12.4% |
| Poor mental health | 13.7% |
| Poor physical health | 9.3% |
| No health insurance | 9.2% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 74.7% |
| Visited dentist | 65.5% |
| Cholesterol screening | 87.6% |
| Teeth loss | 12.1% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 2,404 | 8.5% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 14.6% |
| Under 18 | 7.9% |
| 18–64 years | 9.9% |
| 65 and over | 37.4% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 75.6% |
| Public insurance | 33.8% |
| No insurance | 3.3% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 1.1% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 35,125 | 94.7% |
| Spanish | 357 | 1.0% |
| Other Indo-European | 232 | 0.7% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 16 | 0.0% |
| Other languages | 84 | 0.2% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 36,079 | 97.3% |
| Born in same state | 35,713 | 96.3% |
| Born in different state | 18,699 | 50.4% |
| Foreign born | 366 | 1.0% |
| Naturalized citizen | 1,002 | 2.7% |
| Not a US citizen | 531 | 53.0% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Italian | 5,640 | 15.2% |
| French | 3,865 | 10.4% |
| Arab | 2,431 | 6.6% |
| Dutch | 1,666 | 4.5% |
| Polish | 1,213 | 3.3% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English | 577 | 1.6% |
| Irish | 46 | 0.1% |
| German | 44 | 0.1% |
| Norwegian | 26 | 0.1% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 40.1% |
| Internet access | 93.1% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 51503
What city is ZIP code 51503 in?
ZIP code 51503 is primarily assigned to Council Bluffs, Iowa.
What county is ZIP code 51503 in?
ZIP code 51503 falls within Pottawattamie County, Iowa.
What is the population of ZIP code 51503?
ZIP code 51503 has an estimated population of 37,081 residents, with a density of 305 people per square mile.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 51503?
The median home value in ZIP code 51503 is $229,900.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 51503?
The median household income in ZIP code 51503 is $76,075, above the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 51503 in?
ZIP code 51503 observes the CST timezone.