51005 ZIP Code — Aurelia, IA

Cherokee County, Iowa

ZIP code 51005 is located in Aurelia, Iowa, within Cherokee County. It covers approximately 94.25 square miles and serves a population of 1,486 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 712.

About ZIP code 51005

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 $150,300. Owner-occupancy is high at 78%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $74,750. 40% 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 17 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 26% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Overall, ZIP code 51005 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

1,486

population

94.25

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

51005 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 51005

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 51005. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Aurelia	Acceptable
Aurelia	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

51002 Alta (6.7 mi) 51012 Cherokee (7.6 mi) 51049 Quimby (12 mi) 51029 Larrabee (12.1 mi) 51037 Meriden (12.4 mi) 51014 Cleghorn (14.4 mi) 50588 Storm Lake (14.7 mi) 50576 Rembrandt (15.1 mi) 51020 Galva (15.4 mi) 51033 Linn Grove (15.6 mi) 51047 Peterson (16.1 mi) 51061 Washta (17.6 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	1,486
Population density	16 / sq mi
State FIPS	19
County FIPS	035

Geography
Land area	94.25 sq mi
Water area	0.01 sq mi
Latitude	42.7173
Longitude	-95.4369
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	34.5%	44.2%	40.1%
$50k – $100k	38.9%	32.9%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	24.5%	18.9%	21.5%
Over $200k	2.0%	3.9%	5.0%

Demographics & statistics

1,486

Population

People per sq mi

51.9

Median age

$74,750

Median household income

$34,656

Per capita income

$150,300

Median home value

$705

Median monthly rent

77.8%

Home ownership

8.3%

Poverty rate

1.8%

Unemployment

596

Housing units

25.8%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

111

55–59

60–64

103

114

65–74

127

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	297	20.0%
18 and over	1,189	80.0%
65 and over	389	26.2%
Median age	51.9 years

Race & ethnicity

White 79.9%

Hispanic or Latino 9.9%

Two or more races 6.3%

Other race 3.8%

Group	Count	%
White	1,319	79.9%
Hispanic or Latino	164	9.9%
Two or more races	104	6.3%
Other race	63	3.8%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	34.5%	44.2%	40.1%
$50k – $100k	38.9%	32.9%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	24.5%	18.9%	21.5%
Over $200k	2.0%	3.9%	5.0%

Under $10k 3.6%

$10k–$15k 3.6%

$15k–$25k 7.2%

$25k–$35k 1.9%

$35k–$50k 12.1%

$50k–$75k 21.7%

$75k–$100k 26.6%

$100k–$150k 17.5%

$150k–$200k 3.0%

$200k+ 2.7%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	3.6%
$10k–$15k	3.6%
$15k–$25k	7.2%
$25k–$35k	1.9%
$35k–$50k	12.1%
$50k–$75k	21.7%
$75k–$100k	26.6%
$100k–$150k	17.5%
$150k–$200k	3.0%
$200k+	2.7%
Median income	$74,750

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 7.1%

$50k–$100k 20.0%

$100k–$150k 22.7%

$150k–$200k 26.0%

$200k–$300k 13.3%

$300k–$500k 5.8%

$500k–$1M 5.2%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$150,300
Median rent / month	$705
Owner occupied	77.8%
Renter occupied	22.2%
Vacant	10.2%
Single-family detached	93.3%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	2.3%
Median rooms	6.8
Avg household size (owned)	2.15

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	1.9%
2000–2009	0.9%
1990–1999	3.4%
1980–1989	5.2%
1970–1979	18.5%
1960–1969	16.8%
1950–1959	16.7%
1940–1949	0.0%
1939 or earlier	36.6%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	4.8%
2 bedrooms	25.7%
3 bedrooms	42.3%
4 bedrooms	23.0%
5+ bedrooms	4.2%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	3.4%
1 vehicle	14.2%
2 vehicles	52.5%
3 or more	29.8%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	55.5%
Electricity	26.0%
Propane / LP gas	16.5%
Wood	1.0%
Solar	0.6%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	418	62.6%
Cohabiting couple	50	7.5%
Male householder, no spouse	82	12.3%
Female householder, no spouse	118	17.7%
Households with children under 18	198	29.6%
Households with seniors (65+)	257	38.5%
Average household size	2.18

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	16.4%	14.4%
Married	69.3%	65.6%
Separated	2.3%	1.6%
Widowed	0.5%	8.9%
Divorced	11.5%	9.4%

Education

Less than 9th grade 2.8%

Some HS, no diploma 3.7%

HS graduate 34.2%

Some college, no degree 18.3%

Associate's degree 15.2%

Bachelor's degree 16.3%

Graduate / professional 9.4%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	93.5%
Bachelor's or higher	25.8%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	36	13.3%
Kindergarten	37	13.7%
Elementary school	126	46.7%
High school	41	15.2%
College / grad school	30	11.1%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 26.2%

Retail trade 14.1%

Agriculture & mining 11.9%

Manufacturing 8.6%

Transportation & utilities 8.3%

Construction 6.5%

Wholesale trade 6.0%

Other services 5.8%

Finance & real estate 5.0%

Public administration 3.2%

Professional & management 1.7%

Arts, food & hospitality 1.4%

Information 1.3%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	42.8%
Service	9.2%
Sales & office	14.0%
Natural resources & construction	12.2%
Production & transportation	21.8%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	74.6%
Government	15.8%
Self-employed	9.6%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	80.6%
Carpool	10.6%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	3.0%
Work from home	4.9%
Other means	0.9%
Avg commute (minutes)	17.1

Poverty

All people 8.3%

Under 18 years 13.1%

18 and over 7.0%

Married-couple families 4.5%

Female-led households 18.2%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	40.4%
Retirement income	28.7%
Supplemental Security	2.1%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	9.9%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	37.4%
High blood pressure	37.4%
High cholesterol	35.5%
Diabetes	10.9%
Heart disease	7.8%
Stroke	3.5%
Asthma	9.0%
Arthritis	27.2%
Kidney disease	3.3%
Pulmonary disease	7.3%
Cancer	8.3%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	16.0%
Binge drinking	20.4%
No physical activity	24.4%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	31.3%
Depression	16.8%
Fair or poor health	13.2%
Poor mental health	12.7%
Poor physical health	10.0%
No health insurance	9.3%
Visited doctor (checkup)	76.9%
Visited dentist	67.4%
Cholesterol screening	89.8%
Teeth loss	13.7%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	95	8.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	9.1%
Under 18	5.4%
18–64 years	7.6%
65 and over	15.4%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	75.4%
Public insurance	43.6%
No insurance	2.5%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,394	93.8%
Spanish	16	1.1%
Other Indo-European	16	1.1%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,400	94.2%
Born in same state	1,400	94.2%
Born in different state	1,148	77.3%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	86	5.8%
Not a US citizen	59	68.6%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	106	7.1%
French	100	6.7%
Arab	94	6.3%
Polish	87	5.9%

Ancestry	Count	%
Dutch	53	3.6%
English	22	1.5%
Norwegian	6	0.4%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	45.0%
Internet access	93.0%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 51005

What city is ZIP code 51005 in?

ZIP code 51005 is primarily assigned to Aurelia, Iowa.

What county is ZIP code 51005 in?

ZIP code 51005 falls within Buena Vista County, Iowa.

Does ZIP code 51005 have an older population?

26% of residents in ZIP code 51005 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Does ZIP code 51005 have a large retiree population?

40% of households in ZIP code 51005 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 51005?

The median home value in ZIP code 51005 is $150,300.

What is the population of ZIP code 51005?

ZIP code 51005 has an estimated population of 1,486 residents, with a density of 16 people per square mile.

What timezone is ZIP code 51005 in?

ZIP code 51005 observes the CST timezone.