Population 522 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 50234
Household size in ZIP 50234
| Period | ZIP 50234 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.35 | 2.51 | 2.44 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.19 | 2.56 | 2.45 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.55 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.35 | 2.52 | 2.43 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in ZIP 50234 are small: just 2.35 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home.
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 50234
| Period | ZIP 50234 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.8 | 36.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.8 | 36.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.8 | 37.2 | 39.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.0 | 37.6 | 39.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.2 | +1.4 | +1.0 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.0, ZIP 50234 is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.
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 50234
| Period | ZIP 50234 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.1% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 11.1% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.8% | 10.9% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.9% | 11.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| Change | +10.8 pts | +0.9 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in ZIP 50234 (11.9%), close to the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 10.8 points from 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 50234
Renters in ZIP 50234
| Period | ZIP 50234 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 27.3% | 26.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 29.3% | 28.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 30.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 30.5% | 28.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
ZIP 50234 is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 10.7% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Just over four in ten owners (41.7%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as 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 50234
| Period | ZIP 50234 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 7.2% | 8.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.6% | 7.2% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.5% | 7.0% | 8.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | +9.0 pts | −0.7 pts | +0.1 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in ZIP 50234: 17.5% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
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 50234
| Period | ZIP 50234 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1940 | 1976 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1940 | 1977 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1950 | 1979 | 1969 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1965 | 1983 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Change | +25 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in ZIP 50234 is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1965, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates.
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 50234
| Period | ZIP 50234 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $710 | $808 | $669 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $467 | $899 | $732 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $583 | $986 | $821 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $499 | $1,210 | $1,020 | $1,571 |
| Change | −$211 | +$402 | +$351 | +$606 |
Rent in ZIP 50234 runs $499 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 12.5% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 50234
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 50234
| Period | ZIP 50234 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.9% | 33.6% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.4% | 35.5% | 27.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.5% | 37.1% | 29.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.6% | 40.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +5.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a third of adults 25 and older in ZIP 50234 (34.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the wider Des Moines area (40.3%).
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 50234
| Period | ZIP 50234 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.7% | 91.9% | 90.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.3% | 92.8% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.7% | 92.7% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.6% | 92.9% | 93.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +1.0 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in ZIP 50234: 97.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
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 50234
| Period | ZIP 50234 | Des Moines area | Iowa | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.4% | 4.8% | 5.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.4% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.4% | 3.8% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.1% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in ZIP 50234 has been low: just 1.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
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 50234 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 50234 | 2.35 | 46.0 | 11.9% | 10.7% | 17.5% | 1965 | $499 | 34.6% | 97.6% | 1.1% |
| ZIP 50162 | 2.40 | 40.9 | 11.8% | 21.9% | 7.4% | 1961 | $738 | 24.5% | 96.7% | 3.9% |
| ZIP 50055 | 2.64 | 42.3 | 8.6% | 13.4% | 9.7% | 1964 | $820 | 31.4% | 96.9% | 2.0% |
| ZIP 50028 | 2.66 | 36.4 | 13.7% | 18.3% | 11.3% | 1971 | $896 | 23.1% | 93.8% | 1.8% |
| ZIP 50247 | 2.37 | 43.3 | 8.8% | 16.8% | 8.8% | 1957 | $851 | 32.3% | 94.4% | 1.3% |
| ZIP 50056 | 2.29 | 42.2 | 5.9% | 16.4% | 10.6% | 1959 | $906 | 22.8% | 96.3% | 4.6% |
| ZIP 50161 | 2.73 | 39.2 | 3.2% | 9.9% | 8.4% | 1983 | $1,032 | 38.1% | 93.8% | 2.0% |
| ZIP 50120 | 2.29 | 48.5 | 2.3% | 11.3% | 5.5% | 1961 | $734 | 26.2% | 97.9% | 5.6% |
| ZIP 50141 | 2.56 | 47.7 | 5.1% | 9.8% | 6.6% | 1960 | $728 | 25.7% | 96.2% | 5.7% |
| ZIP 50201 | 2.33 | 41.0 | 9.6% | 25.4% | 8.4% | 1971 | $979 | 31.1% | 95.4% | 2.0% |
| ZIP 50078 | 2.68 | 35.8 | 30.3% | 2.3% | 3.1% | 1938 | $1,125 | 28.0% | 98.6% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 94104, CA · 16420, PA · 16674, PA · 16826, PA · 16832, PA · 17862, PA · 18327, PA · 26202, WV · 29065, SC · 83554, ID
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 50234. 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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