50401 ZIP Code — Mason City, IA
Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
ZIP code 50401 is located in Mason City, Iowa, within Cerro Gordo County. It covers approximately 148.17 square miles and serves a population of 28,909 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 641.
About ZIP code 50401
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 $129,600. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 69%.
Median household income is $61,703. 35% 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 15 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 21% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
28,909
population
148.17
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Central (CT)
timezone
50401 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 50401
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 50401. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Mason City | Acceptable |
| Mason City | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
50458 Nora Springs (8 mi)
50464 Plymouth (8.9 mi)
50469 Rockwell (9.5 mi)
50428 Clear Lake (10 mi)
50456 Manly (10.8 mi)
50440 Grafton (13.5 mi)
50477 Swaledale (13.6 mi)
50468 Rockford (14 mi)
50482 Ventura (14.3 mi)
50448 Kensett (14.6 mi)
50444 Hanlontown (14.6 mi)
50471 Rudd (15.3 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 28,909 |
| Population density | 195 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 19 |
| County FIPS | 033 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 148.17 sq mi |
| Water area | 0.47 sq mi |
| Latitude | 43.1464 |
| Longitude | -93.1816 |
| 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 | 46.3% | 44.2% | 40.1% |
| $50k – $100k | 35.2% | 34.5% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 14.7% | 16.1% | 21.5% |
| Over $200k | 3.8% | 5.2% | 5.0% |
Demographics & statistics
28,909
Population
195
People per sq mi
42.8
Median age
$61,703
Median household income
$35,439
Per capita income
$129,600
Median home value
$838
Median monthly rent
68.7%
Home ownership
10.0%
Poverty rate
3.2%
Unemployment
10,605
Housing units
21.1%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
701
Under 5
702
675
5–9
676
1,089
10–14
1,090
780
15–19
781
861
20–24
861
1,811
25–34
1,812
1,650
35–44
1,652
1,670
45–54
1,672
929
55–59
929
1,139
60–64
1,141
1,757
65–74
1,758
962
75–84
963
424
85+
424
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 5,903 | 20.4% |
| 18 and over | 23,006 | 79.6% |
| 65 and over | 6,288 | 21.8% |
| Median age | 42.8 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
89.1%
Two or more races
4.1%
Black or African American
2.5%
Hispanic or Latino
2.4%
Asian
0.7%
Other race
0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.3%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 26,388 | 89.1% |
| Two or more races | 1,214 | 4.1% |
| Black or African American | 746 | 2.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 704 | 2.4% |
| Asian | 216 | 0.7% |
| Other race | 137 | 0.5% |
| Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | 120 | 0.4% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 88 | 0.3% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 46.3% | 44.2% | 40.1% |
| $50k – $100k | 35.2% | 34.5% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 14.7% | 16.1% | 21.5% |
| Over $200k | 3.8% | 5.2% | 5.0% |
Under $10k
3.5%
$10k–$15k
3.9%
$15k–$25k
9.0%
$25k–$35k
9.0%
$35k–$50k
14.8%
$50k–$75k
20.8%
$75k–$100k
14.2%
$100k–$150k
16.0%
$150k–$200k
4.2%
$200k+
4.6%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 3.5% |
| $10k–$15k | 3.9% |
| $15k–$25k | 9.0% |
| $25k–$35k | 9.0% |
| $35k–$50k | 14.8% |
| $50k–$75k | 20.8% |
| $75k–$100k | 14.2% |
| $100k–$150k | 16.0% |
| $150k–$200k | 4.2% |
| $200k+ | 4.6% |
| Median income | $61,703 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
4.2%
$50k–$100k
27.8%
$100k–$150k
28.0%
$150k–$200k
13.8%
$200k–$300k
15.1%
$300k–$500k
9.4%
$500k–$1M
1.6%
$1M+
0.1%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $129,600 |
| Median rent / month | $838 |
| Owner occupied | 68.7% |
| Renter occupied | 31.3% |
| Vacant | 9.6% |
| Single-family detached | 76.5% |
| Large apartment buildings | 6.3% |
| Mobile homes | 2.0% |
| Median rooms | 5.7 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.18 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.2% |
| 2010–2019 | 3.1% |
| 2000–2009 | 4.7% |
| 1990–1999 | 6.4% |
| 1980–1989 | 5.0% |
| 1970–1979 | 13.1% |
| 1960–1969 | 8.6% |
| 1950–1959 | 17.5% |
| 1940–1949 | 8.2% |
| 1939 or earlier | 33.1% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 1.8% |
| 1 bedroom | 10.7% |
| 2 bedrooms | 32.3% |
| 3 bedrooms | 36.5% |
| 4 bedrooms | 15.4% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 3.3% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 6.7% |
| 1 vehicle | 34.9% |
| 2 vehicles | 41.7% |
| 3 or more | 16.7% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 77.9% |
| Electricity | 15.9% |
| Propane / LP gas | 5.2% |
| Wood | 0.6% |
| No fuel used | 0.2% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 5,667 | 42.4% |
| Cohabiting couple | 1,025 | 7.7% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 3,216 | 24.1% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 3,459 | 25.9% |
| Households with children under 18 | 3,099 | 23.2% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 4,400 | 32.9% |
| Average household size | 2.10 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 35.1% | 25.5% |
| Married | 49.5% | 50.4% |
| Separated | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Widowed | 3.1% | 12.1% |
| Divorced | 11.5% | 11.3% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
2.1%
Some HS, no diploma
4.8%
HS graduate
36.6%
Some college, no degree
19.8%
Associate's degree
15.6%
Bachelor's degree
13.9%
Graduate / professional
7.2%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 93.1% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 21.1% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 282 | 5.0% |
| Kindergarten | 359 | 6.4% |
| Elementary school | 2,838 | 50.2% |
| High school | 1,194 | 21.1% |
| College / grad school | 975 | 17.3% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
22.7%
Retail trade
16.6%
Manufacturing
16.1%
Arts, food & hospitality
10.5%
Professional & management
6.5%
Construction
5.5%
Transportation & utilities
4.6%
Wholesale trade
4.1%
Finance & real estate
3.6%
Other services
3.5%
Public administration
3.4%
Agriculture & mining
1.5%
Information
1.4%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 27.4% |
| Service | 20.3% |
| Sales & office | 21.1% |
| Natural resources & construction | 7.8% |
| Production & transportation | 23.4% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 83.0% |
| Government | 11.9% |
| Self-employed | 5.1% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 79.8% |
| Carpool | 10.8% |
| Public transit | 0.7% |
| Walk | 2.0% |
| Work from home | 5.3% |
| Other means | 1.4% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 14.6 |
Poverty
All people
10.0%
Under 18 years
12.9%
18 and over
9.3%
Married-couple families
2.0%
Female-led households
27.7%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 35.1% |
| Retirement income | 25.0% |
| Supplemental Security | 5.1% |
| Cash public assistance | 1.3% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 10.3% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 35.3% |
| High blood pressure | 33.4% |
| High cholesterol | 33.2% |
| Diabetes | 10.7% |
| Heart disease | 6.9% |
| Stroke | 3.2% |
| Asthma | 9.6% |
| Arthritis | 25.7% |
| Kidney disease | 3.0% |
| Pulmonary disease | 7.0% |
| Cancer | 7.3% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 17.6% |
| Binge drinking | 20.9% |
| No physical activity | 25.2% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 31.8% |
| Depression | 18.4% |
| Fair or poor health | 13.2% |
| Poor mental health | 13.8% |
| Poor physical health | 9.9% |
| No health insurance | 9.9% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 75.8% |
| Visited dentist | 67.5% |
| Cholesterol screening | 88.0% |
| Teeth loss | 13.2% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 1,803 | 7.8% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 13.7% |
| Under 18 | 1.7% |
| 18–64 years | 11.4% |
| 65 and over | 31.9% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 70.2% |
| Public insurance | 43.8% |
| No insurance | 4.6% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 0.5% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 27,506 | 95.1% |
| Spanish | 328 | 1.2% |
| Other Indo-European | 162 | 0.6% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 47 | 0.2% |
| Other languages | 81 | 0.3% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 28,238 | 97.7% |
| Born in same state | 27,999 | 96.9% |
| Born in different state | 21,345 | 73.8% |
| Foreign born | 239 | 0.8% |
| Naturalized citizen | 671 | 2.3% |
| Not a US citizen | 336 | 50.1% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Polish | 3,900 | 13.5% |
| Italian | 3,102 | 10.7% |
| French | 1,618 | 5.6% |
| Arab | 909 | 3.1% |
| English | 632 | 2.2% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch | 563 | 1.9% |
| German | 73 | 0.3% |
| Irish | 31 | 0.1% |
| Norwegian | 17 | 0.1% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 46.2% |
| Internet access | 91.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 50401
What city is ZIP code 50401 in?
ZIP code 50401 is primarily assigned to Mason City, Iowa.
What county is ZIP code 50401 in?
ZIP code 50401 falls within Cerro Gordo County, Iowa.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 50401?
The median home value in ZIP code 50401 is $129,600.
Does ZIP code 50401 have a large retiree population?
35% of households in ZIP code 50401 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.
What is the population of ZIP code 50401?
ZIP code 50401 has an estimated population of 28,909 residents, with a density of 195 people per square mile.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 50401?
The median household income in ZIP code 50401 is $61,703, below the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 50401 in?
ZIP code 50401 observes the CST timezone.