51002 ZIP Code — Alta, IA
Buena Vista County, Iowa
ZIP code 51002 is located in Alta, Iowa, within Buena Vista County. It covers approximately 109.69 square miles and serves a population of 2,819 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 712.
About ZIP code 51002
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 $133,400. Owner-occupancy is high at 84%, well above the national average.
Median household income is $71,136. The poverty rate of 4% is below the national average.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with manufacturing as the leading industry. The average commute of 16 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 26% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
2,819
population
109.69
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Central (CT)
timezone
51002 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 51002
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 51002. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Alta | Acceptable |
| Alta | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
51005 Aurelia (6.7 mi)
50588 Storm Lake (7.9 mi)
50576 Rembrandt (10.8 mi)
51053 Schaller (14.2 mi)
51012 Cherokee (14.3 mi)
51020 Galva (14.6 mi)
51033 Linn Grove (14.8 mi)
50510 Albert City (16.2 mi)
50567 Nemaha (17.1 mi)
51029 Larrabee (17.3 mi)
51049 Quimby (17.4 mi)
50585 Sioux Rapids (17.5 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 2,819 |
| Population density | 26 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 19 |
| County FIPS | 021 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 109.69 sq mi |
| Water area | 0.04 sq mi |
| Latitude | 42.6914 |
| Longitude | -95.3090 |
| Timezone | Central (CT) |
| Area code | 712 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 42.6% | 47.2% | 40.1% |
| $50k – $100k | 34.6% | 31.8% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 18.9% | 18.4% | 21.5% |
| Over $200k | 3.9% | 2.6% | 5.0% |
Demographics & statistics
2,819
Population
26
People per sq mi
36.9
Median age
$71,136
Median household income
$32,789
Per capita income
$133,400
Median home value
$855
Median monthly rent
84.4%
Home ownership
3.9%
Poverty rate
11.6%
Unemployment
948
Housing units
26.0%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
104
Under 5
101
131
5–9
129
108
10–14
105
82
15–19
80
67
20–24
65
174
25–34
171
179
35–44
175
210
45–54
206
97
55–59
95
88
60–64
87
81
65–74
80
58
75–84
56
45
85+
45
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 803 | 28.5% |
| 18 and over | 2,016 | 71.5% |
| 65 and over | 365 | 12.9% |
| Median age | 36.9 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
74.2%
Asian
8.2%
Hispanic or Latino
5.7%
Black or African American
4.4%
Other race
3.8%
Two or more races
3.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.3%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 2,218 | 74.2% |
| Asian | 244 | 8.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 171 | 5.7% |
| Black or African American | 131 | 4.4% |
| Other race | 113 | 3.8% |
| Two or more races | 103 | 3.4% |
| Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | 10 | 0.3% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 42.6% | 47.2% | 40.1% |
| $50k – $100k | 34.6% | 31.8% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 18.9% | 18.4% | 21.5% |
| Over $200k | 3.9% | 2.6% | 5.0% |
Under $10k
0.9%
$10k–$15k
1.7%
$15k–$25k
3.9%
$25k–$35k
9.3%
$35k–$50k
8.0%
$50k–$75k
29.5%
$75k–$100k
15.0%
$100k–$150k
18.8%
$150k–$200k
8.2%
$200k+
4.6%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 0.9% |
| $10k–$15k | 1.7% |
| $15k–$25k | 3.9% |
| $25k–$35k | 9.3% |
| $35k–$50k | 8.0% |
| $50k–$75k | 29.5% |
| $75k–$100k | 15.0% |
| $100k–$150k | 18.8% |
| $150k–$200k | 8.2% |
| $200k+ | 4.6% |
| Median income | $71,136 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
18.3%
$50k–$100k
13.1%
$100k–$150k
24.5%
$150k–$200k
18.2%
$200k–$300k
16.4%
$300k–$500k
6.4%
$500k–$1M
3.2%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $133,400 |
| Median rent / month | $855 |
| Owner occupied | 84.4% |
| Renter occupied | 15.6% |
| Vacant | 9.6% |
| Single-family detached | 78.4% |
| Large apartment buildings | 4.8% |
| Mobile homes | 6.7% |
| Median rooms | 6.0 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.85 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.0% |
| 2010–2019 | 3.9% |
| 2000–2009 | 3.4% |
| 1990–1999 | 9.7% |
| 1980–1989 | 7.2% |
| 1970–1979 | 12.9% |
| 1960–1969 | 12.3% |
| 1950–1959 | 15.1% |
| 1940–1949 | 5.4% |
| 1939 or earlier | 30.1% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 4.6% |
| 1 bedroom | 4.8% |
| 2 bedrooms | 29.4% |
| 3 bedrooms | 31.7% |
| 4 bedrooms | 21.3% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 8.2% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 1.2% |
| 1 vehicle | 28.2% |
| 2 vehicles | 37.4% |
| 3 or more | 33.3% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 46.2% |
| Electricity | 36.7% |
| Propane / LP gas | 15.9% |
| Fuel oil | 0.6% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 517 | 51.8% |
| Cohabiting couple | 74 | 7.4% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 155 | 15.5% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 252 | 25.3% |
| Households with children under 18 | 360 | 36.1% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 249 | 24.9% |
| Average household size | 2.81 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 25.5% | 30.7% |
| Married | 51.5% | 49.7% |
| Separated | 0.5% | 0.0% |
| Widowed | 1.1% | 14.6% |
| Divorced | 21.5% | 5.0% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
1.9%
Some HS, no diploma
8.7%
HS graduate
35.8%
Some college, no degree
15.0%
Associate's degree
12.6%
Bachelor's degree
20.0%
Graduate / professional
6.0%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 89.4% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 26.0% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 52 | 6.8% |
| Kindergarten | 52 | 6.8% |
| Elementary school | 381 | 50.0% |
| High school | 164 | 21.5% |
| College / grad school | 113 | 14.8% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Manufacturing
23.7%
Education & healthcare
20.3%
Retail trade
12.1%
Agriculture & mining
11.5%
Construction
8.5%
Finance & real estate
6.0%
Professional & management
4.6%
Arts, food & hospitality
4.6%
Transportation & utilities
3.4%
Other services
2.6%
Wholesale trade
1.2%
Public administration
1.2%
Information
0.3%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 38.5% |
| Service | 11.5% |
| Sales & office | 16.1% |
| Natural resources & construction | 13.8% |
| Production & transportation | 20.1% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 78.6% |
| Government | 10.8% |
| Self-employed | 10.4% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.2% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 81.4% |
| Carpool | 11.5% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.3% |
| Work from home | 4.8% |
| Other means | 1.1% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 16.1 |
Poverty
All people
3.9%
Under 18 years
5.3%
18 and over
3.3%
Married-couple families
0.0%
Female-led households
16.1%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 25.5% |
| Retirement income | 18.4% |
| Supplemental Security | 2.4% |
| Cash public assistance | 6.2% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 12.6% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 31.6% |
| High blood pressure | 32.7% |
| High cholesterol | 33.3% |
| Diabetes | 10.0% |
| Heart disease | 6.8% |
| Stroke | 3.1% |
| Asthma | 9.0% |
| Arthritis | 24.3% |
| Kidney disease | 3.0% |
| Pulmonary disease | 6.9% |
| Cancer | 7.3% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 17.1% |
| Binge drinking | 20.1% |
| No physical activity | 24.9% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 29.0% |
| Depression | 16.6% |
| Fair or poor health | 13.3% |
| Poor mental health | 13.0% |
| Poor physical health | 9.7% |
| No health insurance | 10.7% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 75.7% |
| Visited dentist | 67.2% |
| Cholesterol screening | 88.4% |
| Teeth loss | 13.7% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 117 | 5.8% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 7.5% |
| Under 18 | 0.6% |
| 18–64 years | 5.9% |
| 65 and over | 30.9% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 71.6% |
| Public insurance | 40.0% |
| No insurance | 5.8% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 6.4% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 2,614 | 92.7% |
| Spanish | 148 | 5.7% |
| Other Indo-European | 87 | 3.3% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other languages | 61 | 2.3% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 2,435 | 86.4% |
| Born in same state | 2,424 | 86.0% |
| Born in different state | 1,997 | 70.8% |
| Foreign born | 11 | 0.4% |
| Naturalized citizen | 384 | 13.6% |
| Not a US citizen | 120 | 31.3% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Italian | 222 | 7.9% |
| French | 180 | 6.4% |
| Polish | 126 | 4.5% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English | 95 | 3.4% |
| Dutch | 71 | 2.5% |
| Arab | 54 | 1.9% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 35.4% |
| Internet access | 96.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 51002
What city is ZIP code 51002 in?
ZIP code 51002 is primarily assigned to Alta, Iowa.
What county is ZIP code 51002 in?
ZIP code 51002 falls within Buena Vista County, Iowa.
Is ZIP code 51002 mostly owner-occupied?
84% of occupied units in ZIP code 51002 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 51002?
The median home value in ZIP code 51002 is $133,400.
What is the population of ZIP code 51002?
ZIP code 51002 has an estimated population of 2,819 residents, with a density of 26 people per square mile.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 51002?
The median household income in ZIP code 51002 is $71,136, below the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 51002 in?
ZIP code 51002 observes the CST timezone.