51301 ZIP Code — Spencer, IA
Clay County, Iowa
ZIP code 51301 is located in Spencer, Iowa, within Clay County. It covers approximately 157.67 square miles and serves a population of 12,326 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 712.
About ZIP code 51301
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 $160,600. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 70%.
Median household income is $59,987. 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 28% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
12,326
population
157.67
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Central (CT)
timezone
51301 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 51301
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 51301. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Spencer | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
51357 Royal (7.9 mi)
51338 Everly (8.4 mi)
51333 Dickens (8.4 mi)
51351 Milford (13.1 mi)
51358 Ruthven (13.4 mi)
51366 Webb (13.6 mi)
51364 Terril (15.1 mi)
50585 Sioux Rapids (15.2 mi)
51331 Arnolds Park (15.4 mi)
50515 Ayrshire (15.7 mi)
51346 Hartley (16.2 mi)
51033 Linn Grove (17.1 mi)
Demographics
updated 05/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 12,326 |
| Population density | 78 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 19 |
| County FIPS | 041 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 157.67 sq mi |
| Water area | 0.87 sq mi |
| Latitude | 43.1368 |
| Longitude | -95.1512 |
| 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 | 51.2% | 48.3% | 40.1% |
| $50k – $100k | 31.0% | 32.6% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 15.5% | 16.4% | 21.5% |
| Over $200k | 2.2% | 2.7% | 5.0% |
Demographics & statistics
12,326
Population
78
People per sq mi
41.5
Median age
$59,987
Median household income
$35,930
Per capita income
$160,600
Median home value
$739
Median monthly rent
70.4%
Home ownership
12.6%
Poverty rate
4.8%
Unemployment
4,416
Housing units
27.5%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
296
Under 5
328
360
5–9
401
458
10–14
509
354
15–19
394
340
20–24
378
594
25–34
661
747
35–44
829
622
45–54
692
315
55–59
349
476
60–64
528
638
65–74
709
432
75–84
480
207
85+
229
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 2,827 | 22.9% |
| 18 and over | 9,499 | 77.1% |
| 65 and over | 2,695 | 21.9% |
| Median age | 41.5 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
91.7%
Two or more races
3.9%
Hispanic or Latino
2.4%
Other race
0.9%
Black or African American
0.5%
Asian
0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.2%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 11,580 | 91.7% |
| Two or more races | 499 | 3.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 308 | 2.4% |
| Other race | 111 | 0.9% |
| Black or African American | 67 | 0.5% |
| Asian | 49 | 0.4% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 20 | 0.2% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 51.2% | 48.3% | 40.1% |
| $50k – $100k | 31.0% | 32.6% | 33.4% |
| $100k – $200k | 15.5% | 16.4% | 21.5% |
| Over $200k | 2.2% | 2.7% | 5.0% |
Under $10k
2.9%
$10k–$15k
4.3%
$15k–$25k
13.1%
$25k–$35k
9.9%
$35k–$50k
13.6%
$50k–$75k
16.1%
$75k–$100k
14.2%
$100k–$150k
15.9%
$150k–$200k
6.9%
$200k+
3.1%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 2.9% |
| $10k–$15k | 4.3% |
| $15k–$25k | 13.1% |
| $25k–$35k | 9.9% |
| $35k–$50k | 13.6% |
| $50k–$75k | 16.1% |
| $75k–$100k | 14.2% |
| $100k–$150k | 15.9% |
| $150k–$200k | 6.9% |
| $200k+ | 3.1% |
| Median income | $59,987 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
2.4%
$50k–$100k
17.0%
$100k–$150k
26.6%
$150k–$200k
18.7%
$200k–$300k
20.2%
$300k–$500k
13.3%
$500k–$1M
1.6%
$1M+
0.3%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $160,600 |
| Median rent / month | $739 |
| Owner occupied | 70.4% |
| Renter occupied | 29.6% |
| Vacant | 8.5% |
| Single-family detached | 70.6% |
| Large apartment buildings | 6.9% |
| Mobile homes | 1.5% |
| Median rooms | 5.8 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.28 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.3% |
| 2010–2019 | 5.2% |
| 2000–2009 | 10.2% |
| 1990–1999 | 7.3% |
| 1980–1989 | 10.5% |
| 1970–1979 | 17.8% |
| 1960–1969 | 9.0% |
| 1950–1959 | 11.2% |
| 1940–1949 | 4.8% |
| 1939 or earlier | 23.9% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 1.3% |
| 1 bedroom | 11.1% |
| 2 bedrooms | 28.4% |
| 3 bedrooms | 39.1% |
| 4 bedrooms | 15.8% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 4.3% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 4.7% |
| 1 vehicle | 34.8% |
| 2 vehicles | 42.2% |
| 3 or more | 18.2% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 52.8% |
| Electricity | 41.1% |
| Propane / LP gas | 4.7% |
| Wood | 0.9% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 2,282 | 41.2% |
| Cohabiting couple | 361 | 6.5% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 1,174 | 21.2% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 1,724 | 31.1% |
| Households with children under 18 | 1,396 | 25.2% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 1,750 | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.17 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 31.3% | 29.2% |
| Married | 51.4% | 46.6% |
| Separated | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Widowed | 5.3% | 11.1% |
| Divorced | 11.2% | 12.6% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
0.2%
Some HS, no diploma
3.6%
HS graduate
32.2%
Some college, no degree
24.4%
Associate's degree
12.0%
Bachelor's degree
18.8%
Graduate / professional
8.7%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 96.1% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 27.5% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 208 | 7.2% |
| Kindergarten | 277 | 9.5% |
| Elementary school | 1,242 | 42.7% |
| High school | 646 | 22.2% |
| College / grad school | 534 | 18.4% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
24.6%
Retail trade
14.2%
Manufacturing
11.0%
Professional & management
8.8%
Arts, food & hospitality
8.5%
Finance & real estate
7.3%
Construction
6.2%
Transportation & utilities
5.3%
Other services
4.0%
Public administration
3.1%
Agriculture & mining
2.9%
Wholesale trade
2.4%
Information
1.7%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 34.3% |
| Service | 15.4% |
| Sales & office | 26.4% |
| Natural resources & construction | 8.8% |
| Production & transportation | 15.1% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 83.9% |
| Government | 11.8% |
| Self-employed | 4.4% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 79.8% |
| Carpool | 7.5% |
| Public transit | 1.2% |
| Walk | 3.7% |
| Work from home | 7.7% |
| Other means | 0.1% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 15.4 |
Poverty
All people
12.6%
Under 18 years
21.0%
18 and over
10.0%
Married-couple families
1.9%
Female-led households
43.1%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 34.5% |
| Retirement income | 24.4% |
| Supplemental Security | 3.9% |
| Cash public assistance | 6.6% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 12.3% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 39.7% |
| High blood pressure | 34.2% |
| High cholesterol | 34.7% |
| Diabetes | 10.6% |
| Heart disease | 7.4% |
| Stroke | 3.4% |
| Asthma | 9.3% |
| Arthritis | 27.4% |
| Kidney disease | 3.2% |
| Pulmonary disease | 7.3% |
| Cancer | 7.9% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 16.5% |
| Binge drinking | 20.7% |
| No physical activity | 25.2% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 31.1% |
| Depression | 17.9% |
| Fair or poor health | 13.5% |
| Poor mental health | 13.3% |
| Poor physical health | 10.0% |
| No health insurance | 9.4% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 75.5% |
| Visited dentist | 65.6% |
| Cholesterol screening | 88.8% |
| Teeth loss | 13.3% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 745 | 7.8% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 15.7% |
| Under 18 | 7.4% |
| 18–64 years | 14.1% |
| 65 and over | 29.5% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 66.4% |
| Public insurance | 42.9% |
| No insurance | 4.3% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 0.3% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 11,702 | 94.9% |
| Spanish | 60 | 0.5% |
| Other Indo-European | 50 | 0.4% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.0% |
| Other languages | 8 | 0.1% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 12,191 | 98.9% |
| Born in same state | 12,100 | 98.2% |
| Born in different state | 8,950 | 72.6% |
| Foreign born | 91 | 0.7% |
| Naturalized citizen | 135 | 1.1% |
| Not a US citizen | 59 | 43.7% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Polish | 1,455 | 11.8% |
| Italian | 1,335 | 10.8% |
| French | 774 | 6.3% |
| Dutch | 570 | 4.6% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Arab | 539 | 4.4% |
| English | 484 | 3.9% |
| German | 16 | 0.1% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 45.0% |
| Internet access | 94.8% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 51301
What city is ZIP code 51301 in?
ZIP code 51301 is primarily assigned to Spencer, Iowa.
What county is ZIP code 51301 in?
ZIP code 51301 falls within Clay County, Iowa.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 51301?
The median home value in ZIP code 51301 is $160,600.
What is the population of ZIP code 51301?
ZIP code 51301 has an estimated population of 12,326 residents, with a density of 78 people per square mile.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 51301?
The median household income in ZIP code 51301 is $59,987, below the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 51301 in?
ZIP code 51301 observes the CST timezone.