51551 ZIP Code — Malvern, IA

Mills County, Iowa

ZIP code 51551 is located in Malvern, Iowa, within Mills County. It covers approximately 81.92 square miles and serves a population of 1,619 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 712.

About ZIP code 51551

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 $178,700. Owner-occupancy is high at 78%, well above the national average.

The gap between median ($78,780) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up. The poverty rate of 3% is below 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 education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 28 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 29% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Overall, ZIP code 51551 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

1,619

population

81.92

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

51551 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 51551

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 51551. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Malvern	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

51540 Hastings (4.5 mi) 51534 Glenwood (6.6 mi) 51571 Silver City (9 mi) 51653 Tabor (10.7 mi) 51533 Emerson (11.6 mi) 51649 Randolph (11.7 mi) 51561 Pacific Junction (11.7 mi) 51549 Macedonia (14.5 mi) 51575 Treynor (15.4 mi) 51652 Sidney (16.5 mi) 51525 Carson (17.2 mi) 51654 Thurman (17.6 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	1,619
Population density	20 / sq mi
State FIPS	19
County FIPS	129

Geography
Land area	81.92 sq mi
Water area	0.44 sq mi
Latitude	41.0090
Longitude	-95.5853
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	25.9%	29.9%	40.1%
$50k – $100k	39.8%	36.6%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	21.0%	26.7%	21.5%
Over $200k	13.3%	6.9%	5.0%

Demographics & statistics

1,619

Population

People per sq mi

43.8

Median age

$78,780

Median household income

$49,373

Per capita income

$178,700

Median home value

$921

Median monthly rent

77.9%

Home ownership

3.2%

Poverty rate

3.2%

Unemployment

564

Housing units

28.6%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

101

35–44

105

45–54

55–59

107

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	294	18.2%
18 and over	1,325	81.8%
65 and over	291	18.0%
Median age	43.8 years

Race & ethnicity

White 97.2%

Two or more races 1.5%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%

Asian 0.3%

Black or African American 0.2%

Hispanic or Latino 0.2%

Group	Count	%
White	1,577	97.2%
Two or more races	25	1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	9	0.6%
Asian	5	0.3%
Black or African American	3	0.2%
Hispanic or Latino	3	0.2%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	25.9%	29.9%	40.1%
$50k – $100k	39.8%	36.6%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	21.0%	26.7%	21.5%
Over $200k	13.3%	6.9%	5.0%

Under $10k 1.5%

$10k–$15k 2.1%

$15k–$25k 4.8%

$25k–$35k 4.9%

$35k–$50k 9.2%

$50k–$75k 18.9%

$75k–$100k 23.6%

$100k–$150k 17.7%

$150k–$200k 4.8%

$200k+ 12.6%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	1.5%
$10k–$15k	2.1%
$15k–$25k	4.8%
$25k–$35k	4.9%
$35k–$50k	9.2%
$50k–$75k	18.9%
$75k–$100k	23.6%
$100k–$150k	17.7%
$150k–$200k	4.8%
$200k+	12.6%
Median income	$78,780

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 4.8%

$50k–$100k 14.5%

$100k–$150k 13.7%

$150k–$200k 27.4%

$200k–$300k 22.1%

$300k–$500k 14.7%

$500k–$1M 2.7%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$178,700
Median rent / month	$921
Owner occupied	77.9%
Renter occupied	22.1%
Vacant	12.7%
Single-family detached	86.8%
Large apartment buildings	2.6%
Mobile homes	5.6%
Median rooms	6.5
Avg household size (owned)	2.69

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	2.4%
2010–2019	3.1%
2000–2009	12.0%
1990–1999	3.3%
1980–1989	1.1%
1970–1979	14.2%
1960–1969	10.0%
1950–1959	6.6%
1940–1949	4.3%
1939 or earlier	42.9%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	7.7%
2 bedrooms	22.0%
3 bedrooms	47.9%
4 bedrooms	16.0%
5+ bedrooms	6.3%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.0%
1 vehicle	20.3%
2 vehicles	44.3%
3 or more	35.4%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	44.8%
Electricity	33.0%
Propane / LP gas	16.9%
Wood	0.7%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	315	51.6%
Cohabiting couple	26	4.3%
Male householder, no spouse	129	21.1%
Female householder, no spouse	140	23.0%
Households with children under 18	122	20.0%
Households with seniors (65+)	183	30.0%
Average household size	2.57

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	31.5%	22.4%
Married	47.9%	52.5%
Separated	0.0%	2.0%
Widowed	2.2%	10.8%
Divorced	18.5%	12.3%

Education

Less than 9th grade 1.8%

Some HS, no diploma 6.0%

HS graduate 24.6%

Some college, no degree 21.1%

Associate's degree 17.8%

Bachelor's degree 23.8%

Graduate / professional 4.9%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	92.2%
Bachelor's or higher	28.6%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	7	2.2%
Kindergarten	35	11.2%
Elementary school	132	42.3%
High school	91	29.2%
College / grad school	47	15.1%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 36.6%

Retail trade 14.4%

Construction 7.8%

Manufacturing 7.4%

Public administration 5.8%

Other services 5.7%

Arts, food & hospitality 5.1%

Professional & management 4.9%

Wholesale trade 4.7%

Transportation & utilities 3.2%

Finance & real estate 2.3%

Agriculture & mining 1.4%

Information 0.7%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	33.8%
Service	22.1%
Sales & office	17.4%
Natural resources & construction	12.7%
Production & transportation	14.0%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	75.8%
Government	18.6%
Self-employed	5.6%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	80.5%
Carpool	7.7%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	5.9%
Work from home	5.9%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	28.0

Poverty

All people 3.2%

Under 18 years 3.1%

18 and over 3.2%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 5.8%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	38.2%
Retirement income	24.6%
Supplemental Security	4.1%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	3.1%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	35.8%
High blood pressure	33.7%
High cholesterol	34.0%
Diabetes	10.4%
Heart disease	6.9%
Stroke	3.1%
Asthma	9.6%
Arthritis	26.6%
Kidney disease	2.9%
Pulmonary disease	7.1%
Cancer	7.3%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	17.8%
Binge drinking	20.9%
No physical activity	24.3%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	32.9%
Depression	17.8%
Fair or poor health	12.9%
Poor mental health	13.4%
Poor physical health	10.0%
No health insurance	8.9%
Visited doctor (checkup)	76.0%
Visited dentist	67.9%
Cholesterol screening	89.3%
Teeth loss	13.3%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	118	8.9%

Disability	%
Any disability	14.3%
Under 18	1.7%
18–64 years	10.6%
65 and over	43.0%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	74.8%
Public insurance	34.4%
No insurance	3.3%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,578	97.5%
Spanish	0	0.0%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,614	99.7%
Born in same state	1,614	99.7%
Born in different state	884	54.6%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	5	0.3%
Not a US citizen	5	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	297	18.3%
Italian	146	9%
Arab	111	6.9%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	68	4.2%
Polish	47	2.9%
Dutch	22	1.4%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	37.7%
Internet access	95.2%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 51551

What city is ZIP code 51551 in?

ZIP code 51551 is primarily assigned to Malvern, Iowa.

What county is ZIP code 51551 in?

ZIP code 51551 falls within Mills County, Iowa.

Does ZIP code 51551 have a large retiree population?

38% of households in ZIP code 51551 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 51551?

The median home value in ZIP code 51551 is $178,700.

What is the population of ZIP code 51551?

ZIP code 51551 has an estimated population of 1,619 residents, with a density of 20 people per square mile.

What is the median household income in ZIP code 51551?

The median household income in ZIP code 51551 is $78,780, above the national median of ~$75,000.

What timezone is ZIP code 51551 in?

ZIP code 51551 observes the CST timezone.