51510 ZIP Code — Carter Lake, IA

Pottawattamie County, Iowa

ZIP code 51510 is located in Carter Lake, Iowa, within Pottawattamie County. It covers approximately 1.79 square miles and serves a population of 3,780 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 712.

About ZIP code 51510

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $137,700. Owner-occupancy is high at 81%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $64,479. Poverty affects 18% 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 20 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 13% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (23%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 12% of civilians, above the national average of 7%.

Overall, ZIP code 51510 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, a strong veteran community, and high homeownership.

3,780

population

1.79

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

51510 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 51510

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 51510. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Carter Lake	Acceptable

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	3,780
Population density	2,112 / sq mi
State FIPS	19
County FIPS	155

Geography
Land area	1.79 sq mi
Water area	0.22 sq mi
Latitude	41.2869
Longitude	-95.9169
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	46.6%	41.8%	40.1%
$50k – $100k	27.6%	33.7%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	22.4%	20.6%	21.5%
Over $200k	3.4%	3.9%	5.0%

Demographics & statistics

3,780

Population

2,112

People per sq mi

38.0

Median age

$64,479

Median household income

$32,068

Per capita income

$137,700

Median home value

$1,099

Median monthly rent

80.5%

Home ownership

18.3%

Poverty rate

5.9%

Unemployment

1,182

Housing units

12.9%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

123

Under 5

103

253

5–9

213

123

10–14

104

160

15–19

135

106

20–24

178

25–34

149

242

35–44

203

206

45–54

174

206

55–59

173

136

60–64

115

224

65–74

188

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	1,032	27.3%
18 and over	2,748	72.7%
65 and over	589	15.6%
Median age	38.0 years

Race & ethnicity

White 68.5%

Hispanic or Latino 14.2%

Two or more races 12.6%

Other race 3%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%

Black or African American 0.5%

Asian 0.5%

Group	Count	%
White	3,018	68.5%
Hispanic or Latino	624	14.2%
Two or more races	555	12.6%
Other race	133	3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	31	0.7%
Black or African American	22	0.5%
Asian	21	0.5%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	46.6%	41.8%	40.1%
$50k – $100k	27.6%	33.7%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	22.4%	20.6%	21.5%
Over $200k	3.4%	3.9%	5.0%

Under $10k 5.2%

$10k–$15k 2.9%

$15k–$25k 7.3%

$25k–$35k 11.7%

$35k–$50k 10.7%

$50k–$75k 17.4%

$75k–$100k 11.4%

$100k–$150k 26.1%

$150k–$200k 4.5%

$200k+ 3.0%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	5.2%
$10k–$15k	2.9%
$15k–$25k	7.3%
$25k–$35k	11.7%
$35k–$50k	10.7%
$50k–$75k	17.4%
$75k–$100k	11.4%
$100k–$150k	26.1%
$150k–$200k	4.5%
$200k+	3.0%
Median income	$64,479

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 14.6%

$50k–$100k 12.6%

$100k–$150k 28.5%

$150k–$200k 18.5%

$200k–$300k 10.4%

$300k–$500k 12.5%

$500k–$1M 2.9%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$137,700
Median rent / month	$1,099
Owner occupied	80.5%
Renter occupied	19.5%
Vacant	6.5%
Single-family detached	69.8%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	24.0%
Median rooms	5.4
Avg household size (owned)	2.64

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.8%
2010–2019	3.7%
2000–2009	12.5%
1990–1999	20.1%
1980–1989	3.0%
1970–1979	15.4%
1960–1969	18.3%
1950–1959	12.1%
1940–1949	3.9%
1939 or earlier	10.2%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	2.6%
2 bedrooms	35.4%
3 bedrooms	43.2%
4 bedrooms	17.1%
5+ bedrooms	1.7%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	3.9%
1 vehicle	30.6%
2 vehicles	44.7%
3 or more	20.7%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	84.0%
Electricity	15.0%
Propane / LP gas	0.4%
No fuel used	0.5%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	621	46.0%
Cohabiting couple	110	8.1%
Male householder, no spouse	293	21.7%
Female householder, no spouse	327	24.2%
Households with children under 18	457	33.8%
Households with seniors (65+)	420	31.1%
Average household size	2.80

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	41.2%	27.4%
Married	43.2%	46.0%
Separated	3.4%	1.9%
Widowed	1.7%	16.2%
Divorced	10.6%	8.5%

Education

Less than 9th grade 5.9%

Some HS, no diploma 3.9%

HS graduate 52.8%

Some college, no degree 16.2%

Associate's degree 8.3%

Bachelor's degree 8.5%

Graduate / professional 4.3%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	90.2%
Bachelor's or higher	12.9%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	79	9.1%
Kindergarten	15	1.7%
Elementary school	507	58.7%
High school	184	21.3%
College / grad school	79	9.1%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 17.3%

Arts, food & hospitality 12.3%

Transportation & utilities 11.5%

Education & healthcare 11.4%

Professional & management 11.1%

Construction 10.3%

Finance & real estate 8.3%

Retail trade 7.0%

Other services 6.8%

Public administration 3.2%

Information 0.8%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	28.3%
Service	17.9%
Sales & office	20.3%
Natural resources & construction	10.3%
Production & transportation	23.4%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	84.2%
Government	7.6%
Self-employed	5.1%
Unpaid family workers	3.2%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	85.6%
Carpool	3.6%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.4%
Work from home	9.2%
Other means	1.2%
Avg commute (minutes)	19.9

Poverty

All people 18.3%

Under 18 years 28.6%

18 and over 14.7%

Married-couple families 4.7%

Female-led households 45.4%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	26.9%
Retirement income	32.1%
Supplemental Security	3.6%
Cash public assistance	3.9%
Food stamps / SNAP	13.8%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	41.9%
High blood pressure	33.6%
High cholesterol	31.5%
Diabetes	10.5%
Heart disease	6.5%
Stroke	3.1%
Asthma	10.1%
Arthritis	26.2%
Kidney disease	2.9%
Pulmonary disease	7.6%
Cancer	6.2%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	22.8%
Binge drinking	21.8%
No physical activity	29.1%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	33.3%
Depression	21.6%
Fair or poor health	15.0%
Poor mental health	15.1%
Poor physical health	10.6%
No health insurance	12.1%
Visited doctor (checkup)	73.4%
Visited dentist	58.9%
Cholesterol screening	85.7%
Teeth loss	15.2%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	329	12.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	15.5%
Under 18	0.6%
18–64 years	13.8%
65 and over	48.2%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	55.1%
Public insurance	47.6%
No insurance	10.3%
Uninsured under 19	3.1%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	3,554	94.0%
Spanish	383	10.8%
Other Indo-European	383	10.8%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	3,472	91.9%
Born in same state	3,434	90.8%
Born in different state	1,081	28.6%
Foreign born	38	1.0%
Naturalized citizen	308	8.1%
Not a US citizen	216	70.1%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	702	18.6%
Italian	370	9.8%
Arab	100	2.6%
Polish	77	2%

Ancestry	Count	%
Dutch	57	1.5%
English	9	0.2%
German	5	0.1%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	35.7%
Internet access	89.2%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 51510

What city is ZIP code 51510 in?

ZIP code 51510 is primarily assigned to Carter Lake, Iowa.

What county is ZIP code 51510 in?

ZIP code 51510 falls within Pottawattamie County, Iowa.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 51510?

13% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 51510?

18% of residents in ZIP code 51510 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Is ZIP code 51510 mostly owner-occupied?

81% of occupied units in ZIP code 51510 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 51510 have a large veteran population?

12% of civilians in ZIP code 51510 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What timezone is ZIP code 51510 in?

ZIP code 51510 observes the CST timezone.