Population 20,857 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 50208
Household size in ZIP 50208
| Period | ZIP 50208 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.21 | 2.51 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.37 | 2.56 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.33 | 2.55 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.52 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.13 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
ZIP 50208 is a place of small households, averaging 2.34 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.21, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in ZIP 50208
| Period | ZIP 50208 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.1 | 36.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.7 | 36.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.1 | 37.2 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.3 | 37.6 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.2 | +1.4 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
ZIP 50208 skews older than the country: its median age is 43.3, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 42.1 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in ZIP 50208
| Period | ZIP 50208 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.2% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.1% | 11.1% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.1% | 10.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.2% | 11.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in ZIP 50208 (10.2%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across the Des Moines area. The single-parent share is down 2.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in ZIP 50208
Renters in ZIP 50208
| Period | ZIP 50208 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.5% | 27.3% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.6% | 29.3% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.2% | 30.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.9% | 30.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a third of households in ZIP 50208 rent their homes (34.9%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in the wider Des Moines area (30.5%). About four in ten owners (39.3%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share has risen 2.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in ZIP 50208
| Period | ZIP 50208 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 7.2% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.6% | 7.2% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 7.0% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in ZIP 50208 as nationally: 10.9%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the wider Des Moines area (7.0%). Vacancy has risen 2.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in ZIP 50208
| Period | ZIP 50208 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1976 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1977 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1979 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1962 | 1983 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in ZIP 50208 is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1962, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in ZIP 50208
| Period | ZIP 50208 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $601 | $808 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $670 | $899 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $727 | $986 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $856 | $1,210 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$254 | +$402 | +$351 | +$606 |
A typical rental in ZIP 50208 costs $856 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $254 a month since 2006–10, up 42%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.1% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in ZIP 50208
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 50208
| Period | ZIP 50208 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.0% | 33.6% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.1% | 35.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.6% | 37.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.3% | 40.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +6.6 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in ZIP 50208: 18.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the center. ZIP 50208 has a lower share of college graduates than at least four in five Iowa ZIP codes.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in ZIP 50208
| Period | ZIP 50208 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.4% | 91.9% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.4% | 92.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.8% | 92.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.6% | 92.9% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in ZIP 50208 have finished high school (92.6%), above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the Des Moines area. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.2 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in ZIP 50208
| Period | ZIP 50208 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in ZIP 50208: 8.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Of the 145 Iowa ZIP codes with 5,000+ people, only four have higher unemployment. Unemployment is up 2.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
ZIP 50208 compared with nearby ZIP codes
| ZIP code | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP 50208 | 2.34 | 43.3 | 10.2% | 34.9% | 10.9% | 1962 | $856 | 18.3% | 92.6% | 8.4% |
| ZIP 50135 | 2.66 | 44.9 | 7.0% | 19.1% | 11.5% | 1954 | $1,109 | 20.8% | 92.4% | 11.2% |
| ZIP 50137 | 2.73 | 39.1 | 2.1% | 25.5% | 1.2% | 1961 | $1,051 | 12.9% | 96.6% | 0.0% |
| ZIP 50232 | 2.91 | 40.3 | 4.3% | 23.6% | 1.7% | 1966 | $1,020 | 16.9% | 95.3% | 10.3% |
| ZIP 50127 | 2.58 | 46.9 | 1.7% | 8.3% | 30.2% | 1978 | $609 | 31.7% | 94.8% | 0.0% |
| ZIP 50054 | 2.54 | 37.0 | 15.4% | 23.7% | 9.6% | 1963 | $824 | 21.1% | 95.5% | 4.3% |
| ZIP 50170 | 2.40 | 38.7 | 13.3% | 17.1% | 3.1% | 1969 | $815 | 23.6% | 99.1% | 5.1% |
| ZIP 50228 | 2.53 | 38.2 | 11.2% | 17.8% | 4.7% | 1975 | $807 | 28.5% | 97.7% | 7.6% |
| ZIP 50251 | 2.45 | 40.9 | 1.6% | 18.7% | 2.9% | 1957 | $841 | 20.7% | 97.6% | 2.8% |
| ZIP 50168 | 2.54 | 46.4 | 9.2% | 10.9% | 17.1% | 1984 | $886 | 22.9% | 95.2% | 3.0% |
| ZIP 50153 | 2.19 | 43.1 | 0.9% | 20.8% | 4.6% | 1946 | $659 | 20.9% | 94.4% | 2.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 77447, TX · 33434, FL · 35080, AL · 37857, TN · 49017, MI · 50125, IA · 59106, MT · 60450, IL · 67213, KS · 76115, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up ZIP 50208. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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