50049 ZIP Code — Chariton, IA

Lucas County, Iowa

ZIP code 50049 is located in Chariton, Iowa, within Lucas County. It covers approximately 208.62 square miles and serves a population of 6,449 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 641.

About ZIP code 50049

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 $113,100. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 75%.

Median household income is $59,284. Poverty affects 19% of residents, above the national average. 38% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with retail trade as the leading industry. The average commute of 19 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 15% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Overall, ZIP code 50049 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

6,449

population

208.62

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

50049 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 50049

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 50049. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Chariton	Acceptable
Chariton	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

50238 Russell (7.9 mi) 50151 Lucas (12.9 mi) 50068 Derby (12.9 mi) 50139 Lacona (14.5 mi) 52569 Melrose (14.6 mi) 50150 Lovilia (16.2 mi) 52583 Promise City (16.9 mi) 50275 Woodburn (17.6 mi) 50116 Hamilton (18.6 mi) 50166 Milo (18.7 mi) 52581 Plano (19.1 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	6,449
Population density	31 / sq mi
State FIPS	19
County FIPS	117

Geography
Land area	208.62 sq mi
Water area	0.90 sq mi
Latitude	41.0295
Longitude	-93.2705
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	641

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	44.9%	43.8%	40.1%
$50k – $100k	37.7%	36.4%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	14.5%	17.2%	21.5%
Over $200k	2.9%	2.7%	5.0%

Demographics & statistics

6,449

Population

People per sq mi

40.4

Median age

$59,284

Median household income

$32,499

Per capita income

$113,100

Median home value

$774

Median monthly rent

74.9%

Home ownership

18.8%

Poverty rate

4.9%

Unemployment

2,254

Housing units

15.4%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

231

Under 5

228

194

5–9

191

221

10–14

217

179

15–19

177

215

20–24

212

393

25–34

386

329

35–44

323

321

45–54

316

258

55–59

253

219

60–64

215

354

65–74

349

212

75–84

208

125

85+

123

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	1,497	23.2%
18 and over	4,952	76.8%
65 and over	1,371	21.3%
Median age	40.4 years

Race & ethnicity

White 95.7%

Two or more races 1.7%

Hispanic or Latino 1.1%

Other race 0.6%

Asian 0.5%

Black or African American 0.5%

Group	Count	%
White	6,236	95.7%
Two or more races	113	1.7%
Hispanic or Latino	69	1.1%
Other race	38	0.6%
Asian	32	0.5%
Black or African American	30	0.5%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	44.9%	43.8%	40.1%
$50k – $100k	37.7%	36.4%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	14.5%	17.2%	21.5%
Over $200k	2.9%	2.7%	5.0%

Under $10k 3.6%

$10k–$15k 8.1%

$15k–$25k 11.9%

$25k–$35k 8.3%

$35k–$50k 9.1%

$50k–$75k 19.7%

$75k–$100k 15.6%

$100k–$150k 16.0%

$150k–$200k 5.1%

$200k+ 2.7%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	3.6%
$10k–$15k	8.1%
$15k–$25k	11.9%
$25k–$35k	8.3%
$35k–$50k	9.1%
$50k–$75k	19.7%
$75k–$100k	15.6%
$100k–$150k	16.0%
$150k–$200k	5.1%
$200k+	2.7%
Median income	$59,284

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 17.9%

$50k–$100k 26.9%

$100k–$150k 23.3%

$150k–$200k 9.7%

$200k–$300k 11.9%

$300k–$500k 6.4%

$500k–$1M 2.8%

$1M+ 1.3%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$113,100
Median rent / month	$774
Owner occupied	74.9%
Renter occupied	25.1%
Vacant	8.7%
Single-family detached	82.2%
Large apartment buildings	8.3%
Mobile homes	3.5%
Median rooms	5.5
Avg household size (owned)	2.48

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.2%
2010–2019	3.3%
2000–2009	6.0%
1990–1999	6.8%
1980–1989	8.7%
1970–1979	19.2%
1960–1969	11.8%
1950–1959	4.0%
1940–1949	6.1%
1939 or earlier	33.9%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	3.7%
1 bedroom	11.8%
2 bedrooms	30.4%
3 bedrooms	38.9%
4 bedrooms	12.1%
5+ bedrooms	3.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	9.4%
1 vehicle	24.6%
2 vehicles	38.9%
3 or more	27.1%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	46.9%
Electricity	25.1%
Propane / LP gas	19.8%
Fuel oil	0.3%
Wood	3.9%
No fuel used	1.8%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	1,433	53.7%
Cohabiting couple	182	6.8%
Male householder, no spouse	418	15.7%
Female householder, no spouse	636	23.8%
Households with children under 18	793	29.7%
Households with seniors (65+)	900	33.7%
Average household size	2.38

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	30.4%	19.3%
Married	58.5%	55.8%
Separated	1.7%	2.1%
Widowed	3.5%	13.0%
Divorced	5.8%	9.8%

Education

Less than 9th grade 3.8%

Some HS, no diploma 3.7%

HS graduate 45.4%

Some college, no degree 21.2%

Associate's degree 10.4%

Bachelor's degree 10.4%

Graduate / professional 5.0%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	92.5%
Bachelor's or higher	15.4%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	166	11.7%
Kindergarten	47	3.3%
Elementary school	736	52.0%
High school	344	24.3%
College / grad school	123	8.7%

Employment

Industry of employment

Retail trade 24.0%

Education & healthcare 21.9%

Manufacturing 8.5%

Construction 7.9%

Finance & real estate 6.9%

Transportation & utilities 5.8%

Agriculture & mining 5.5%

Wholesale trade 5.3%

Public administration 3.8%

Professional & management 3.6%

Arts, food & hospitality 2.8%

Other services 2.4%

Information 1.7%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	26.8%
Service	14.5%
Sales & office	23.8%
Natural resources & construction	12.8%
Production & transportation	22.1%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	76.8%
Government	16.0%
Self-employed	6.8%
Unpaid family workers	0.4%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	82.9%
Carpool	8.5%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	3.3%
Work from home	3.7%
Other means	1.6%
Avg commute (minutes)	19.3

Poverty

All people 18.8%

Under 18 years 28.4%

18 and over 15.8%

Married-couple families 5.9%

Female-led households 64.6%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	38.3%
Retirement income	20.6%
Supplemental Security	4.8%
Cash public assistance	2.1%
Food stamps / SNAP	13.2%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	36.8%
High blood pressure	37.1%
High cholesterol	36.4%
Diabetes	12.0%
Heart disease	8.4%
Stroke	3.9%
Asthma	9.6%
Arthritis	29.8%
Kidney disease	3.5%
Pulmonary disease	8.6%
Cancer	8.2%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	19.4%
Binge drinking	19.3%
No physical activity	27.3%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	32.3%
Depression	17.9%
Fair or poor health	15.7%
Poor mental health	13.6%
Poor physical health	11.4%
No health insurance	10.1%
Visited doctor (checkup)	75.3%
Visited dentist	60.9%
Cholesterol screening	88.8%
Teeth loss	15.8%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	380	7.7%

Disability	%
Any disability	17.2%
Under 18	8.1%
18–64 years	12.1%
65 and over	41.1%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	62.3%
Public insurance	46.8%
No insurance	9.9%
Uninsured under 19	11.6%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	5,990	92.9%
Spanish	213	3.6%
Other Indo-European	45	0.8%
Asian & Pacific Islander	128	2.1%
Other languages	9	0.2%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	6,279	97.4%
Born in same state	6,268	97.2%
Born in different state	5,029	78.0%
Foreign born	11	0.2%
Naturalized citizen	170	2.6%
Not a US citizen	100	58.8%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	982	15.2%
Italian	957	14.8%
Arab	565	8.8%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	167	2.6%
Polish	128	2%
Dutch	29	0.4%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	41.4%
Internet access	86.8%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 50049

What city is ZIP code 50049 in?

ZIP code 50049 is primarily assigned to Chariton, Iowa.

What county is ZIP code 50049 in?

ZIP code 50049 falls within Lucas County, Iowa.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50049?

19% of residents in ZIP code 50049 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Does ZIP code 50049 have a large retiree population?

38% of households in ZIP code 50049 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 50049?

The median home value in ZIP code 50049 is $113,100.

What is the population of ZIP code 50049?

ZIP code 50049 has an estimated population of 6,449 residents, with a density of 31 people per square mile.

What timezone is ZIP code 50049 in?

ZIP code 50049 observes the CST timezone.