50436 ZIP Code — Forest City, IA
Winnebago County, Iowa
ZIP code 50436 is located in Forest City, Iowa, within Winnebago County. It covers approximately 135.28 square miles and serves a population of 5,879 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 641.
About ZIP code 50436
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $143,900. Owner-occupancy is high at 76%, well above the national average.
Median household income is $67,773. The poverty rate of 7% is below the national average.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 15 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 26% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
5,879
population
135.28
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Central (CT)
timezone
50436 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 50436
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 50436. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Forest City | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
50453 Leland (7.2 mi)
50478 Thompson (10.7 mi)
50438 Garner (10.9 mi)
50484 Woden (11.6 mi)
50423 Britt (11.7 mi)
50434 Fertile (11.7 mi)
50450 Lake Mills (13.1 mi)
50446 Joice (13.3 mi)
50473 Scarville (13.9 mi)
50482 Ventura (14 mi)
50424 Buffalo Center (14.9 mi)
50444 Hanlontown (15.6 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 5,879 |
| Population density | 43 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 19 |
| County FIPS | 189 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 135.28 sq mi |
| Water area | 0.58 sq mi |
| Latitude | 43.2634 |
| Longitude | -93.6848 |
| 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 | 44.4% | 45.7% | 40.1% |
| $50k – $100k | 34.2% | 33.4% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 18.7% | 18.5% | 21.5% |
| Over $200k | 2.8% | 2.4% | 5.0% |
Demographics & statistics
5,879
Population
43
People per sq mi
35.3
Median age
$67,773
Median household income
$34,953
Per capita income
$143,900
Median home value
$718
Median monthly rent
76.0%
Home ownership
7.3%
Poverty rate
1.7%
Unemployment
2,037
Housing units
25.7%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
178
Under 5
169
187
5–9
178
233
10–14
222
269
15–19
257
331
20–24
316
291
25–34
278
463
35–44
441
207
45–54
197
169
55–59
162
211
60–64
202
305
65–74
292
104
75–84
100
60
85+
57
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 1,430 | 24.3% |
| 18 and over | 4,449 | 75.7% |
| 65 and over | 918 | 15.6% |
| Median age | 35.3 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
88%
Asian
5.7%
Hispanic or Latino
2.1%
Two or more races
1.8%
Black or African American
1.3%
Other race
1%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.1%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 5,283 | 88% |
| Asian | 340 | 5.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 126 | 2.1% |
| Two or more races | 108 | 1.8% |
| Black or African American | 81 | 1.3% |
| Other race | 58 | 1% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 9 | 0.1% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 44.4% | 45.7% | 40.1% |
| $50k – $100k | 34.2% | 33.4% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 18.7% | 18.5% | 21.5% |
| Over $200k | 2.8% | 2.4% | 5.0% |
Under $10k
2.8%
$10k–$15k
5.6%
$15k–$25k
5.9%
$25k–$35k
7.4%
$35k–$50k
14.6%
$50k–$75k
22.7%
$75k–$100k
14.6%
$100k–$150k
13.7%
$150k–$200k
3.7%
$200k+
8.8%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 2.8% |
| $10k–$15k | 5.6% |
| $15k–$25k | 5.9% |
| $25k–$35k | 7.4% |
| $35k–$50k | 14.6% |
| $50k–$75k | 22.7% |
| $75k–$100k | 14.6% |
| $100k–$150k | 13.7% |
| $150k–$200k | 3.7% |
| $200k+ | 8.8% |
| Median income | $67,773 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
5.3%
$50k–$100k
24.5%
$100k–$150k
23.0%
$150k–$200k
18.3%
$200k–$300k
15.7%
$300k–$500k
10.7%
$500k–$1M
1.8%
$1M+
0.7%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $143,900 |
| Median rent / month | $718 |
| Owner occupied | 76.0% |
| Renter occupied | 24.0% |
| Vacant | 11.6% |
| Single-family detached | 79.2% |
| Large apartment buildings | 3.8% |
| Mobile homes | 4.4% |
| Median rooms | 6.2 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.40 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.0% |
| 2010–2019 | 4.5% |
| 2000–2009 | 5.6% |
| 1990–1999 | 6.1% |
| 1980–1989 | 8.7% |
| 1970–1979 | 24.6% |
| 1960–1969 | 13.9% |
| 1950–1959 | 10.0% |
| 1940–1949 | 2.6% |
| 1939 or earlier | 24.0% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 0.3% |
| 1 bedroom | 7.1% |
| 2 bedrooms | 20.8% |
| 3 bedrooms | 45.9% |
| 4 bedrooms | 20.4% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 5.6% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 4.6% |
| 1 vehicle | 32.3% |
| 2 vehicles | 39.9% |
| 3 or more | 23.2% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 59.6% |
| Electricity | 12.4% |
| Propane / LP gas | 26.1% |
| Fuel oil | 0.5% |
| No fuel used | 0.5% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 1,079 | 47.2% |
| Cohabiting couple | 127 | 5.6% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 514 | 22.5% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 566 | 24.8% |
| Households with children under 18 | 757 | 33.1% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 614 | 26.9% |
| Average household size | 2.32 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 46.4% | 26.8% |
| Married | 39.8% | 55.6% |
| Separated | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| Widowed | 2.1% | 7.7% |
| Divorced | 11.1% | 9.2% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
1.5%
Some HS, no diploma
3.7%
HS graduate
29.9%
Some college, no degree
20.1%
Associate's degree
19.2%
Bachelor's degree
17.9%
Graduate / professional
7.8%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 94.8% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 25.7% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 88 | 4.8% |
| Kindergarten | 138 | 7.6% |
| Elementary school | 621 | 34.1% |
| High school | 310 | 17.0% |
| College / grad school | 662 | 36.4% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
22.9%
Manufacturing
22.8%
Retail trade
14.9%
Arts, food & hospitality
8.7%
Finance & real estate
6.0%
Other services
5.3%
Construction
4.1%
Wholesale trade
4.1%
Agriculture & mining
3.9%
Transportation & utilities
3.4%
Professional & management
2.8%
Information
0.5%
Public administration
0.5%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 33.8% |
| Service | 15.5% |
| Sales & office | 19.6% |
| Natural resources & construction | 8.7% |
| Production & transportation | 22.4% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 80.4% |
| Government | 9.8% |
| Self-employed | 9.3% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.5% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 77.7% |
| Carpool | 10.0% |
| Public transit | 0.7% |
| Walk | 3.9% |
| Work from home | 6.8% |
| Other means | 1.0% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 14.5 |
Poverty
All people
7.3%
Under 18 years
7.4%
18 and over
7.2%
Married-couple families
1.4%
Female-led households
8.3%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 28.5% |
| Retirement income | 19.9% |
| Supplemental Security | 2.3% |
| Cash public assistance | 1.1% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 6.1% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 36.5% |
| High blood pressure | 32.7% |
| High cholesterol | 32.8% |
| Diabetes | 9.6% |
| Heart disease | 6.5% |
| Stroke | 2.9% |
| Asthma | 9.4% |
| Arthritis | 24.0% |
| Kidney disease | 2.8% |
| Pulmonary disease | 6.6% |
| Cancer | 6.9% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 16.5% |
| Binge drinking | 21.8% |
| No physical activity | 23.5% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 31.0% |
| Depression | 17.5% |
| Fair or poor health | 12.4% |
| Poor mental health | 13.7% |
| Poor physical health | 9.4% |
| No health insurance | 9.2% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 74.2% |
| Visited dentist | 68.0% |
| Cholesterol screening | 87.4% |
| Teeth loss | 13.1% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 249 | 5.6% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 10.6% |
| Under 18 | 4.2% |
| 18–64 years | 8.7% |
| 65 and over | 28.4% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 78.8% |
| Public insurance | 31.7% |
| No insurance | 3.0% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 0.6% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 5,532 | 94.1% |
| Spanish | 197 | 3.6% |
| Other Indo-European | 13 | 0.2% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 24 | 0.4% |
| Other languages | 160 | 2.9% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 5,587 | 95.0% |
| Born in same state | 5,536 | 94.2% |
| Born in different state | 3,789 | 64.4% |
| Foreign born | 51 | 0.9% |
| Naturalized citizen | 292 | 5.0% |
| Not a US citizen | 185 | 63.4% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Polish | 1,173 | 20% |
| Italian | 462 | 7.9% |
| French | 328 | 5.6% |
| Arab | 279 | 4.7% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch | 217 | 3.7% |
| English | 95 | 1.6% |
| Irish | 22 | 0.4% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 38.9% |
| Internet access | 95.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 50436
What city is ZIP code 50436 in?
ZIP code 50436 is primarily assigned to Forest City, Iowa.
What county is ZIP code 50436 in?
ZIP code 50436 falls within Winnebago County, Iowa.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 50436?
The median home value in ZIP code 50436 is $143,900.
What is the population of ZIP code 50436?
ZIP code 50436 has an estimated population of 5,879 residents, with a density of 43 people per square mile.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 50436?
The median household income in ZIP code 50436 is $67,773, below the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 50436 in?
ZIP code 50436 observes the CST timezone.