50278 ZIP Code — Zearing, IA

Story County, Iowa

ZIP code 50278 is located in Zearing, Iowa, within Story County. It covers approximately 46.40 square miles and serves a population of 851 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 641.

About ZIP code 50278

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 $153,100. Owner-occupancy is high at 76%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $59,286. Poverty affects 19% of residents, above the national average. 37% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with agriculture and mining as the leading industry. The average commute of 27 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 28% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Overall, ZIP code 50278 reflects a community defined by economic challenges above the national average, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

851

population

46.40

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

50278 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 50278

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 50278. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Zearing	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

50239 Saint Anthony (4.5 mi) 50154 Mc Callsburg (5.7 mi) 50051 Clemons (7.1 mi) 50056 Colo (7.9 mi) 50206 New Providence (8.9 mi) 50236 Roland (10.5 mi) 50122 Hubbard (11.1 mi) 50201 Nevada (11.5 mi) 50247 State Center (11.9 mi) 50258 Union (12.1 mi) 50005 Albion (13.2 mi) 50230 Radcliffe (14 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	851
Population density	18 / sq mi
State FIPS	19
County FIPS	169

Geography
Land area	46.40 sq mi
Water area	0.02 sq mi
Latitude	42.1434
Longitude	-93.2893
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	40.9%	43.0%	40.1%
$50k – $100k	40.6%	29.3%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	15.3%	22.2%	21.5%
Over $200k	3.2%	5.5%	5.0%

Demographics & statistics

851

Population

People per sq mi

36.5

Median age

$59,286

Median household income

$29,042

Per capita income

$153,100

Median home value

$716

Median monthly rent

75.8%

Home ownership

19.0%

Poverty rate

1.9%

Unemployment

263

Housing units

27.8%

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	205	24.1%
18 and over	646	75.9%
65 and over	158	18.6%
Median age	36.5 years

Race & ethnicity

White 85%

Two or more races 9.2%

Hispanic or Latino 3.1%

Black or African American 1.7%

Asian 0.8%

Other race 0.2%

Group	Count	%
White	746	85%
Two or more races	81	9.2%
Hispanic or Latino	27	3.1%
Black or African American	15	1.7%
Asian	7	0.8%
Other race	2	0.2%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	40.9%	43.0%	40.1%
$50k – $100k	40.6%	29.3%	33.4%
$100k – $200k	15.3%	22.2%	21.5%
Over $200k	3.2%	5.5%	5.0%

Under $10k 2.1%

$10k–$15k 3.6%

$15k–$25k 11.2%

$25k–$35k 15.2%

$35k–$50k 8.8%

$50k–$75k 28.5%

$75k–$100k 14.8%

$100k–$150k 10.9%

$150k–$200k 0.9%

$200k+ 3.9%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	2.1%
$10k–$15k	3.6%
$15k–$25k	11.2%
$25k–$35k	15.2%
$35k–$50k	8.8%
$50k–$75k	28.5%
$75k–$100k	14.8%
$100k–$150k	10.9%
$150k–$200k	0.9%
$200k+	3.9%
Median income	$59,286

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 7.2%

$50k–$100k 16.4%

$100k–$150k 24.0%

$150k–$200k 32.4%

$200k–$300k 13.6%

$300k–$500k 6.4%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$153,100
Median rent / month	$716
Owner occupied	75.8%
Renter occupied	24.2%
Vacant	3.8%
Single-family detached	93.6%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	0.6%
Median rooms	6.4
Avg household size (owned)	2.54

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	0.9%
2000–2009	5.8%
1990–1999	1.2%
1980–1989	4.7%
1970–1979	28.0%
1960–1969	12.5%
1950–1959	4.7%
1940–1949	1.5%
1939 or earlier	40.8%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	1.5%
1 bedroom	3.8%
2 bedrooms	13.1%
3 bedrooms	56.3%
4 bedrooms	19.2%
5+ bedrooms	6.1%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.6%
1 vehicle	23.3%
2 vehicles	52.4%
3 or more	23.6%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	48.5%
Electricity	30.6%
Propane / LP gas	20.9%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	144	43.6%
Cohabiting couple	35	10.6%
Male householder, no spouse	107	32.4%
Female householder, no spouse	44	13.3%
Households with children under 18	95	28.8%
Households with seniors (65+)	110	33.3%
Average household size	2.49

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	21.2%	27.8%
Married	53.2%	54.0%
Separated	0.0%	1.0%
Widowed	6.9%	11.0%
Divorced	18.7%	6.2%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.0%

Some HS, no diploma 2.8%

HS graduate 35.1%

Some college, no degree 22.6%

Associate's degree 11.6%

Bachelor's degree 25.1%

Graduate / professional 2.7%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	97.2%
Bachelor's or higher	27.8%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	13	6.1%
Kindergarten	20	9.3%
Elementary school	96	44.9%
High school	34	15.9%
College / grad school	51	23.8%

Employment

Industry of employment

Agriculture & mining 28.7%

Education & healthcare 16.8%

Manufacturing 15.3%

Retail trade 7.5%

Transportation & utilities 7.3%

Construction 6.1%

Wholesale trade 5.4%

Professional & management 2.9%

Public administration 2.4%

Information 2.2%

Other services 2.2%

Arts, food & hospitality 1.7%

Finance & real estate 1.5%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	46.5%
Service	6.3%
Sales & office	14.6%
Natural resources & construction	19.7%
Production & transportation	12.9%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	69.3%
Government	13.6%
Self-employed	15.6%
Unpaid family workers	1.5%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	69.7%
Carpool	19.7%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	10.6%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	27.1

Poverty

All people 19.0%

Under 18 years 37.4%

18 and over 13.0%

Married-couple families 13.2%

Female-led households 58.6%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	37.3%
Retirement income	29.4%
Supplemental Security	2.7%
Cash public assistance	3.6%
Food stamps / SNAP	9.1%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	32.3%
High blood pressure	33.3%
High cholesterol	33.9%
Diabetes	10.1%
Heart disease	7.4%
Stroke	3.3%
Asthma	9.3%
Arthritis	26.7%
Kidney disease	3.1%
Pulmonary disease	6.8%
Cancer	8.1%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	14.6%
Binge drinking	20.5%
No physical activity	20.9%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	27.0%
Depression	15.9%
Fair or poor health	11.9%
Poor mental health	12.3%
Poor physical health	9.3%
No health insurance	8.0%
Visited doctor (checkup)	73.3%
Visited dentist	72.4%
Cholesterol screening	90.0%
Teeth loss	11.2%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	61	9.4%

Disability	%
Any disability	8.3%
Under 18	2.9%
18–64 years	6.4%
65 and over	23.0%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	66.1%
Public insurance	45.3%
No insurance	2.8%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	800	94.0%
Spanish	56	7.0%
Other Indo-European	56	7.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	786	92.4%
Born in same state	786	92.4%
Born in different state	617	72.5%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	65	7.6%
Not a US citizen	5	7.7%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Polish	111	13%
Italian	82	9.6%
French	66	7.8%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	9	1.1%
Dutch	6	0.7%
Arab	4	0.5%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	38.8%
Internet access	83.9%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 50278

What city is ZIP code 50278 in?

ZIP code 50278 is primarily assigned to Zearing, Iowa.

What county is ZIP code 50278 in?

ZIP code 50278 falls within Story County, Iowa.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 50278?

19% of residents in ZIP code 50278 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Does ZIP code 50278 have a large retiree population?

37% of households in ZIP code 50278 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 50278?

The median home value in ZIP code 50278 is $153,100.

Does ZIP code 50278 have a large veteran population?

9% of civilians in ZIP code 50278 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What timezone is ZIP code 50278 in?

ZIP code 50278 observes the CST timezone.