52215 ZIP Code — Chelsea, IA

Tama County, Iowa

ZIP code 52215 is located in Chelsea, Iowa, within Tama County. It covers approximately 79.80 square miles and serves a population of 986 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 641.

About ZIP code 52215

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 $145,800. Owner-occupancy is high at 91%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $57,308. Poverty affects 26% of residents, above the national average.

The dominant occupation class is sales and office, with construction as the leading industry. The average commute of 32 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 10% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Overall, ZIP code 52215 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, and high homeownership.

986

population

79.80

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

52215 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 52215

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 52215. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Chelsea	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

52208 Belle Plaine (7.4 mi) 52225 Elberon (9.1 mi) 52211 Brooklyn (9.9 mi) 52339 Tama (10.2 mi) 52342 Toledo (11.8 mi) 52249 Keystone (12.1 mi) 50157 Malcom (13.5 mi) 52347 Victor (14.3 mi) 52209 Blairstown (15.4 mi) 52251 Ladora (16.5 mi) 50173 Montour (16.7 mi) 52301 Marengo (16.9 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	986
Population density	12 / sq mi
State FIPS	19
County FIPS	171

Geography
Land area	79.80 sq mi
Water area	0.14 sq mi
Latitude	41.8995
Longitude	-92.3954
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	33.7%	44.9%	40.1%
$50k – $100k	23.1%	35.3%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	38.1%	17.1%	21.5%
Over $200k	5.2%	2.8%	5.0%

Demographics & statistics

986

Population

People per sq mi

35.3

Median age

$57,308

Median household income

$30,249

Per capita income

$145,800

Median home value

$485

Median monthly rent

90.8%

Home ownership

25.7%

Poverty rate

2.4%

Unemployment

376

Housing units

9.6%

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	327	33.2%
18 and over	659	66.8%
65 and over	148	15.0%
Median age	35.3 years

Race & ethnicity

White 89.7%

Two or more races 5.9%

Hispanic or Latino 4.1%

Other race 0.2%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%

Group	Count	%
White	922	89.7%
Two or more races	61	5.9%
Hispanic or Latino	42	4.1%
Other race	2	0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.1%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	33.7%	44.9%	40.1%
$50k – $100k	23.1%	35.3%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	38.1%	17.1%	21.5%
Over $200k	5.2%	2.8%	5.0%

Under $10k 4.5%

$10k–$15k 2.6%

$15k–$25k 15.4%

$25k–$35k 6.5%

$35k–$50k 9.4%

$50k–$75k 17.5%

$75k–$100k 7.9%

$100k–$150k 28.3%

$150k–$200k 2.6%

$200k+ 5.2%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	4.5%
$10k–$15k	2.6%
$15k–$25k	15.4%
$25k–$35k	6.5%
$35k–$50k	9.4%
$50k–$75k	17.5%
$75k–$100k	7.9%
$100k–$150k	28.3%
$150k–$200k	2.6%
$200k+	5.2%
Median income	$57,308

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 18.7%

$50k–$100k 13.5%

$100k–$150k 19.0%

$150k–$200k 5.8%

$200k–$300k 27.1%

$300k–$500k 6.3%

$500k–$1M 6.1%

$1M+ 3.5%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$145,800
Median rent / month	$485
Owner occupied	90.8%
Renter occupied	9.2%
Vacant	7.1%
Single-family detached	100.0%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	0.0%
Median rooms	6.5
Avg household size (owned)	2.61

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	5.6%
2000–2009	7.5%
1990–1999	0.0%
1980–1989	20.0%
1970–1979	3.6%
1960–1969	0.5%
1950–1959	2.9%
1940–1949	8.0%
1939 or earlier	51.8%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.7%
1 bedroom	0.0%
2 bedrooms	41.4%
3 bedrooms	42.6%
4 bedrooms	12.7%
5+ bedrooms	2.7%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.5%
1 vehicle	10.5%
2 vehicles	34.3%
3 or more	54.7%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	20.7%
Electricity	9.4%
Propane / LP gas	29.8%
Fuel oil	2.4%
Wood	37.7%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	213	55.8%
Cohabiting couple	28	7.3%
Male householder, no spouse	81	21.2%
Female householder, no spouse	60	15.7%
Households with children under 18	198	51.8%
Households with seniors (65+)	122	31.9%
Average household size	2.58

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	34.3%	17.9%
Married	54.1%	65.4%
Separated	0.0%	2.1%
Widowed	3.0%	10.4%
Divorced	8.5%	4.2%

Education

Less than 9th grade 4.2%

Some HS, no diploma 7.4%

HS graduate 49.1%

Some college, no degree 19.9%

Associate's degree 9.9%

Bachelor's degree 5.1%

Graduate / professional 4.5%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	88.4%
Bachelor's or higher	9.6%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	5	2.1%
Kindergarten	5	2.1%
Elementary school	140	58.3%
High school	85	35.4%
College / grad school	5	2.1%

Employment

Industry of employment

Construction 20.4%

Wholesale trade 20.4%

Manufacturing 19.4%

Retail trade 8.5%

Agriculture & mining 8.1%

Arts, food & hospitality 6.7%

Professional & management 5.1%

Education & healthcare 4.3%

Finance & real estate 3.6%

Other services 2.0%

Transportation & utilities 0.6%

Information 0.4%

Public administration 0.4%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	18.0%
Service	2.8%
Sales & office	27.9%
Natural resources & construction	24.9%
Production & transportation	26.3%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	87.0%
Government	4.3%
Self-employed	8.5%
Unpaid family workers	0.2%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	74.9%
Carpool	11.2%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.2%
Work from home	10.6%
Other means	3.1%
Avg commute (minutes)	32.2

Poverty

All people 25.7%

Under 18 years 38.5%

18 and over 19.3%

Married-couple families 16.0%

Female-led households 52.8%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	26.2%
Retirement income	14.4%
Supplemental Security	3.4%
Cash public assistance	4.2%
Food stamps / SNAP	13.4%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	37.9%
High blood pressure	34.9%
High cholesterol	34.5%
Diabetes	10.8%
Heart disease	7.4%
Stroke	3.3%
Asthma	9.2%
Arthritis	26.4%
Kidney disease	3.0%
Pulmonary disease	7.5%
Cancer	7.1%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	19.3%
Binge drinking	21.4%
No physical activity	28.0%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	30.0%
Depression	17.7%
Fair or poor health	14.5%
Poor mental health	13.5%
Poor physical health	10.5%
No health insurance	11.7%
Visited doctor (checkup)	75.4%
Visited dentist	61.7%
Cholesterol screening	88.0%
Teeth loss	15.0%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	36	5.5%

Disability	%
Any disability	13.7%
Under 18	4.0%
18–64 years	11.5%
65 and over	42.6%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	67.4%
Public insurance	38.8%
No insurance	4.4%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	892	90.5%
Spanish	64	7.2%
Other Indo-European	64	7.2%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	912	92.5%
Born in same state	910	92.3%
Born in different state	822	83.4%
Foreign born	2	0.2%
Naturalized citizen	74	7.5%
Not a US citizen	29	39.2%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Polish	41	4.2%
Italian	39	4%
Arab	34	3.4%

Ancestry	Count	%
French	19	1.9%
English	9	0.9%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	38.7%
Internet access	91.1%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 52215

What city is ZIP code 52215 in?

ZIP code 52215 is primarily assigned to Chelsea, Iowa.

What county is ZIP code 52215 in?

ZIP code 52215 falls within Tama County, Iowa.

Is ZIP code 52215 family-oriented?

33% of residents in ZIP code 52215 are under 18, reflecting a younger, family-oriented community.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 52215?

26% of residents in ZIP code 52215 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Is ZIP code 52215 mostly owner-occupied?

91% of occupied units in ZIP code 52215 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 52215?

10% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

What timezone is ZIP code 52215 in?

ZIP code 52215 observes the CST timezone.