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Iowa ZIP Codes
Van Buren County
Cantril, IA
52542
52542 ZIP Code — Cantril, IA
Van Buren County, Iowa
ZIP code 52542 is located in
Cantril ,
Iowa ,
within Van Buren County .
It covers approximately 46.82 square miles and serves a population of
436 residents.
This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone,
served by area code 319 .
About ZIP code 52542
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 $97,500. Owner-occupancy is high at 87%, well above the national average.
Median household income is $47,188. 42% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.
The dominant occupation class is sales and office, with retail trade as the leading industry. The average commute of 12 minutes is near the national average.
College attainment at 14% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.
39% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.
Overall, ZIP code 52542 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.
52542 ZIP code map
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Cities in ZIP code 52542
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Nearby ZIP codes
Demographics
updated 05/2026
Population
Total population
436
Population density
9 / sq mi
State FIPS
19
County FIPS
177
Geography
Land area
46.82 sq mi
Water area
0.06 sq mi
Latitude
40.6644
Longitude
-92.0192
Timezone
Central (CT)
Area code
319
Economics
updated 05/2026
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
63.9%
49.4%
40.1%
$50k – $100k
19.5%
35.4%
33.4%
$100k – $200k
16.5%
12.5%
21.5%
Over $200k
0.0%
2.7%
5.0%
Demographics & statistics
$47,188
Median household income
$1,042
Median monthly rent
14.3%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Age summary
Group Count %
Under 18 102 23.4%
18 and over 334 76.6%
65 and over 102 23.4%
Median age 47.2 years
Race & ethnicity
Household income
Income range
This ZIP
County avg
State avg
Under $50k
63.9%
49.4%
40.1%
$50k – $100k
19.5%
35.4%
33.4%
$100k – $200k
16.5%
12.5%
21.5%
Over $200k
0.0%
2.7%
5.0%
Range % of households
Under $10k 6.2%
$10k–$15k 9.2%
$15k–$25k 13.8%
$25k–$35k 11.3%
$35k–$50k 9.7%
$50k–$75k 18.5%
$75k–$100k 5.6%
$100k–$150k 11.3%
$150k–$200k 2.1%
$200k+ 12.3%
Median income $47,188
Housing
Housing overview
Metric Value
Median home value $97,500
Median rent / month $1,042
Owner occupied 86.7%
Renter occupied 13.3%
Vacant 17.0%
Single-family detached 84.3%
Large apartment buildings 0.0%
Mobile homes 15.3%
Median rooms 5.8
Avg household size (owned) 2.30
Year built
Era %
2020 or later 0.0%
2010–2019 15.3%
2000–2009 3.4%
1990–1999 1.7%
1980–1989 3.4%
1970–1979 28.9%
1960–1969 9.4%
1950–1959 5.1%
1940–1949 2.1%
1939 or earlier 30.6%
Bedrooms
Size % of units
No bedroom (studio) 3.8%
1 bedroom 3.4%
2 bedrooms 28.1%
3 bedrooms 44.7%
4 bedrooms 16.2%
5+ bedrooms 3.8%
Vehicles per household
Vehicles % of households
No vehicle 2.6%
1 vehicle 24.1%
2 vehicles 33.8%
3 or more 39.5%
Heating fuel
Fuel type %
Utility gas 9.7%
Electricity 20.5%
Propane / LP gas 61.0%
Wood 8.7%
Households & families
Household type Count %
Married-couple family 108 55.4%
Cohabiting couple 4 2.1%
Male householder, no spouse 39 20.0%
Female householder, no spouse 44 22.6%
Households with children under 18 59 30.3%
Households with seniors (65+) 86 44.1%
Average household size 2.24
Marital status
Status Male Female
Never married 17.4% 18.6%
Married 63.4% 59.3%
Separated 0.0% 2.8%
Widowed 14.5% 12.4%
Divorced 4.7% 6.8%
Education
Less than 9th grade
34.7%
Some college, no degree
16.0%
Graduate / professional
1.4%
Metric %
HS diploma or higher 63.6%
Bachelor's or higher 14.3%
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
Type Count %
Nursery / preschool 1 1.9%
Kindergarten 4 7.7%
Elementary school 47 90.4%
High school 0 0.0%
College / grad school 0 0.0%
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
9.8%
Agriculture & mining
7.7%
Professional & management
4.1%
Transportation & utilities
3.6%
Finance & real estate
0.5%
Occupation
Category %
Management, business & arts 21.6%
Service 3.6%
Sales & office 40.7%
Natural resources & construction 14.9%
Production & transportation 19.1%
Employment type
Type %
Private sector 83.5%
Government 2.1%
Self-employed 14.4%
Unpaid family workers 0.0%
Commute
Method %
Drive alone 89.7%
Carpool 7.7%
Public transit 0.0%
Walk 0.0%
Work from home 1.5%
Other means 1.0%
Avg commute (minutes) 11.9
Poverty
Married-couple families
6.5%
Female-led households
37.5%
Income support
Source % of households
Social Security 42.1%
Retirement income 21.5%
Supplemental Security 2.6%
Cash public assistance 0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP 6.2%
Health indicators
Condition %
Obesity 37.4%
High blood pressure 39.3%
High cholesterol 36.6%
Diabetes 12.4%
Heart disease 9.0%
Stroke 4.1%
Asthma 9.5%
Arthritis 31.0%
Kidney disease 3.6%
Pulmonary disease 9.3%
Cancer 8.6%
Behavior / access %
Smoking 20.0%
Binge drinking 18.8%
No physical activity 28.7%
Less than 7 hrs sleep 31.3%
Depression 18.3%
Fair or poor health 16.5%
Poor mental health 13.4%
Poor physical health 11.8%
No health insurance 11.5%
Visited doctor (checkup) 75.5%
Visited dentist 61.8%
Cholesterol screening 89.0%
Teeth loss 16.9%
Veterans & disability
Veterans Count %
Civilian veterans 30 9.0%
Disability %
Any disability 12.8%
Under 18 0.0%
18–64 years 11.6%
65 and over 28.4%
Health insurance coverage
Type %
Private insurance 41.3%
Public insurance 33.5%
No insurance 39.2%
Uninsured under 19 48.6%
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
Language Count %
English only 402 92.2%
Spanish 78 19.4%
Other Indo-European 0 0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander 78 19.4%
Other languages 0 0.0%
Place of birth & citizenship
Origin Count %
Native born (US) 432 99.1%
Born in same state 430 98.6%
Born in different state 224 51.4%
Foreign born 2 0.5%
Naturalized citizen 4 0.9%
Not a US citizen 4 100.0%
Ancestry
Ancestry Count %
Arab 99 22.7%
French 34 7.8%
English 17 3.9%
Italian 17 3.9%
Ancestry Count %
Irish 6 1.4%
Polish 2 0.5%
Norwegian 2 0.5%
Technology access
Metric % of households
Computer access 44.7%
Internet access 69.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 52542
What city is ZIP code 52542 in?
ZIP code 52542 is primarily assigned to Cantril, Iowa.
What county is ZIP code 52542 in?
ZIP code 52542 falls within Van Buren County, Iowa.
Is ZIP code 52542 mostly owner-occupied?
87% of occupied units in ZIP code 52542 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.
How educated is the population of ZIP code 52542?
14% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.
Does ZIP code 52542 have a large retiree population?
42% of households in ZIP code 52542 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 52542?
The median home value in ZIP code 52542 is $97,500.
What timezone is ZIP code 52542 in?
ZIP code 52542 observes the CST timezone.
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