51231 ZIP Code — Archer, IA

Obrien County, Iowa

ZIP code 51231 is located in Archer, Iowa, within Obrien County. It covers approximately 24.21 square miles and serves a population of 621 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 712.

About ZIP code 51231

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1950s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $184,700. Owner-occupancy is high at 97%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $100,547. Poverty affects 25% of residents, above the national average.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with manufacturing as the leading industry. The average commute of 24 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 34% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

19% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.

Overall, ZIP code 51231 reflects a community defined by economic challenges above the national average and high homeownership.

621

population

24.21

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

51231 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 51231

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 51231. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Archer	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

51245 Primghar (6.8 mi) 51238 Hospers (7.6 mi) 51201 Sheldon (8.1 mi) 51248 Sanborn (8.3 mi) 51022 Granville (9.5 mi) 51046 Paullina (9.9 mi) 51232 Ashton (14.3 mi) 51003 Alton (14.8 mi) 51346 Hartley (15.1 mi) 51234 Boyden (15.2 mi) 51058 Sutherland (16.4 mi) 51350 Melvin (16.6 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	621
Population density	26 / sq mi
State FIPS	19
County FIPS	141

Geography
Land area	24.21 sq mi
Water area	0.00 sq mi
Latitude	43.0989
Longitude	-95.7428
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	29.8%	43.1%	40.1%
$50k – $100k	54.5%	37.3%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	14.7%	16.5%	21.5%
Over $200k	1.0%	3.1%	5.0%

Demographics & statistics

621

Population

People per sq mi

30.2

Median age

$100,547

Median household income

$25,390

Per capita income

$184,700

Median home value

Median monthly rent

97.3%

Home ownership

24.6%

Poverty rate

0.4%

Unemployment

183

Housing units

34.1%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	296	47.7%
18 and over	325	52.3%
65 and over	61	9.8%
Median age	30.2 years

Race & ethnicity

White 100%

Group	Count	%
White	621	100%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	29.8%	43.1%	40.1%
$50k – $100k	54.5%	37.3%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	14.7%	16.5%	21.5%
Over $200k	1.0%	3.1%	5.0%

Under $10k 2.2%

$10k–$15k 2.2%

$15k–$25k 4.4%

$25k–$35k 4.9%

$35k–$50k 9.9%

$50k–$75k 7.7%

$75k–$100k 11.0%

$100k–$150k 45.6%

$150k–$200k 11.5%

$200k+ 0.5%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	2.2%
$10k–$15k	2.2%
$15k–$25k	4.4%
$25k–$35k	4.9%
$35k–$50k	9.9%
$50k–$75k	7.7%
$75k–$100k	11.0%
$100k–$150k	45.6%
$150k–$200k	11.5%
$200k+	0.5%
Median income	$100,547

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 14.1%

$50k–$100k 16.9%

$100k–$150k 0.6%

$150k–$200k 40.1%

$200k–$300k 15.3%

$300k–$500k 13.0%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$184,700
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	97.3%
Renter occupied	2.7%
Vacant	3.2%
Single-family detached	96.3%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	2.7%
Median rooms	5.4
Avg household size (owned)	3.38

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	5.9%
2000–2009	3.2%
1990–1999	2.7%
1980–1989	2.1%
1970–1979	4.3%
1960–1969	8.5%
1950–1959	44.7%
1940–1949	4.8%
1939 or earlier	23.9%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	2.7%
2 bedrooms	51.6%
3 bedrooms	32.4%
4 bedrooms	13.3%
5+ bedrooms	0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.0%
1 vehicle	7.7%
2 vehicles	23.6%
3 or more	68.7%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	18.7%
Electricity	55.5%
Propane / LP gas	25.8%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	152	83.5%
Cohabiting couple	0	0.0%
Male householder, no spouse	20	11.0%
Female householder, no spouse	10	5.5%
Households with children under 18	103	56.6%
Households with seniors (65+)	46	25.3%
Average household size	3.41

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	6.9%	17.9%
Married	86.2%	76.8%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	2.3%	4.2%
Divorced	4.6%	1.2%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.0%

Some HS, no diploma 1.6%

HS graduate 24.3%

Some college, no degree 28.1%

Associate's degree 12.0%

Bachelor's degree 29.0%

Graduate / professional 5.0%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	98.4%
Bachelor's or higher	34.1%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	49	24.7%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	134	67.7%
High school	6	3.0%
College / grad school	9	4.5%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 28.9%

Education & healthcare 27.3%

Construction 9.1%

Public administration 8.3%

Retail trade 6.2%

Wholesale trade 4.5%

Other services 4.5%

Finance & real estate 4.1%

Agriculture & mining 3.7%

Transportation & utilities 1.2%

Professional & management 0.8%

Arts, food & hospitality 0.8%

Information 0.4%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	33.1%
Service	10.3%
Sales & office	11.2%
Natural resources & construction	14.9%
Production & transportation	30.6%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	71.1%
Government	15.7%
Self-employed	13.2%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	91.3%
Carpool	4.5%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.4%
Work from home	3.7%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	24.1

Poverty

All people 24.6%

Under 18 years 37.8%

18 and over 12.6%

Married-couple families 9.2%

Female-led households 50.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	24.2%
Retirement income	17.6%
Supplemental Security	0.5%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	3.3%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	35.0%
High blood pressure	36.9%
High cholesterol	35.9%
Diabetes	11.2%
Heart disease	7.9%
Stroke	3.6%
Asthma	9.1%
Arthritis	28.0%
Kidney disease	3.3%
Pulmonary disease	7.9%
Cancer	8.4%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	17.8%
Binge drinking	19.9%
No physical activity	28.2%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	29.6%
Depression	17.4%
Fair or poor health	13.9%
Poor mental health	12.8%
Poor physical health	10.6%
No health insurance	9.5%
Visited doctor (checkup)	76.4%
Visited dentist	66.4%
Cholesterol screening	90.2%
Teeth loss	13.7%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	16	4.9%

Disability	%
Any disability	9.7%
Under 18	8.4%
18–64 years	4.9%
65 and over	36.1%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	65.9%
Public insurance	19.0%
No insurance	19.0%
Uninsured under 19	29.1%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	516	83.1%
Spanish	0	0.0%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	619	99.7%
Born in same state	619	99.7%
Born in different state	532	85.7%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	2	0.3%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	89	14.3%
English	62	10%
Italian	12	1.9%

Ancestry	Count	%
French	7	1.1%
Polish	6	1%
Dutch	2	0.3%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	29.3%
Internet access	98.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 51231

What city is ZIP code 51231 in?

ZIP code 51231 is primarily assigned to Archer, Iowa.

What county is ZIP code 51231 in?

ZIP code 51231 falls within Obrien County, Iowa.

Is ZIP code 51231 family-oriented?

48% of residents in ZIP code 51231 are under 18, reflecting a younger, family-oriented community.

Is ZIP code 51231 mostly owner-occupied?

97% of occupied units in ZIP code 51231 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51231?

25% of residents in ZIP code 51231 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 51231?

The median home value in ZIP code 51231 is $184,700.

What timezone is ZIP code 51231 in?

ZIP code 51231 observes the CST timezone.