Zip code 51527: Defiance, Iowa

Q: What city is zip code 51527?

51527 is assigned to Defiance, Iowa. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.

Q: What county is 51527 in?

51527 is mostly in Shelby County, but it extends into 1 other county.

Q: What is the population of 51527?

About 362 people live in 51527, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Q: What is the median household income in 51527?

The median household income in 51527 is $64,750.

Q: What zip codes are near 51527?

The closest zip codes to 51527 are 51530, 51454, 51446, 51578, 51528.

Residential delivery areaShelby CountyCentral Time

Population

362

Small sample: rough estimates

Median household income

$65K

U.S. $81K

Median home value

$123K

U.S. $333K

Median rent

$689/mo

U.S. $1,413

Median age

37.4

U.S. 38.9

Land area

42 sq mi

9 people/sq mi

Boundary is the Census Bureau's ZIP Code Tabulation Area, which closely tracks the postal delivery area.

About 51527

51527 is a rural zip code in Defiance, Iowa (Shelby County), covering 42 sq mi of land. About 362 people live here, or 9 per square mile. The median resident is 37.4 years old, compared with 38.9 nationally. With so few residents, the Census figures below are rough estimates with wide margins of error.

The median household earns $64,750 a year, 20% below the national median of $80,734. 8% of residents live below the poverty line (U.S.: 12.5%). A typical home is valued at $123,400, or 1.9 years of median household income (U.S.: 4.1 years), which makes homes relatively affordable for local earners. 89% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners, and renters pay a median of $689 a month.

23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S.: 36%). Commuters average 17.1 minutes each way, and 7% of workers work from home. The most common jobs among working residents are in transportation and moving goods; sales; and production and manufacturing. 18% of them are self-employed (U.S.: 10%).

How 51527 compares

Sorted from highest to lowest national percentile

Only about 362 people live here, so these survey estimates have wide margins of error.

Residents 65 and older29.8%
97th
U.S. 17.2% · IA 18.1%102nd of 911 in IA
Self-employed workers18.4%
96th
U.S. 10% · IA 10.2%228th of 911 in IA
Homeownership rate88.6%
94th
StrengthU.S. 65.2% · IA 71.7%208th of 909 in IA
Rent-burdened renters63.2%
90th
WeaknessU.S. 51.1% · IA 43.9%81st of 882 in IA
Income inequality (Gini)0.482
82nd
WeaknessU.S. 0.483 · IA 0.44485th of 908 in IA
Per capita income$47,289
67th
U.S. $44,673 · IA $40,877146th of 911 in IA
Broadband access94%
66th
U.S. 91% · IA 88.9%145th of 909 in IA
Veterans6.6%
61st
U.S. 6.2% · IA 6.5%494th of 911 in IA
Uninsured rate6.9%
51st
U.S. 8.4% · IA 5%166th of 911 in IA
Median earnings per worker$48,636
51st
U.S. $49,666 · IA $47,712393rd of 910 in IA
Median age37.4
37th
U.S. 38.9 · IA 38.6723rd of 911 in IA
Residents under 1820.7%
37th
U.S. 22% · IA 22.9%613th of 911 in IA
Government workers12.1%
37th
U.S. 14.5% · IA 14.5%534th of 911 in IA
Poverty rate8%
32nd
U.S. 12.5% · IA 11.1%492nd of 909 in IA
Median household income$64,750
28th
U.S. $80,734 · IA $75,059644th of 896 in IA
Bachelor's degree or higher22.5%
27th
U.S. 35.7% · IA 31.4%392nd of 911 in IA
Foreign-born residents3%
18th
U.S. 14.1% · IA 5.9%233rd of 911 in IA
Work from home6.8%
15th
U.S. 15.1% · IA 11.3%580th of 911 in IA
Diversity index15.3
8th
U.S. 61.4 · IA 31.4381st of 911 in IA
Median home value$123,400
6th
U.S. $332,700 · IA $208,000644th of 881 in IA
Housing vacancy2.4%
6th
U.S. 10.1% · IA 8.5%803rd of 909 in IA
Tech workers0.5%
6th
U.S. 3.8% · IA 2.9%528th of 911 in IA
Average commute17.1 min
4th
StrengthU.S. 26.4 min · IA 19.8 min782nd of 902 in IA
Median gross rent$689
3rd
U.S. $1,413 · IA $972593rd of 771 in IA
Healthcare workers4.2%
2nd
U.S. 9.7% · IA 9.2%787th of 911 in IA
Population362
1st
U.S. 334,922,499 · IA 3,210,507762nd of 911 in IA
Population density9/sq mi
1st
U.S. 95/sq mi · IA 58/sq mi803rd of 911 in IA
Unemployment rate0.5%
1st
StrengthU.S. 5.2% · IA 3.6%746th of 911 in IA

Measure	51527	Shelby	IA	U.S.	National percentile	Rank in IA
Residents 65 and older	29.8%	23.1%	18.1%	17.2%	97th	102nd of 911
Self-employed workers	18.4%	15.1%	10.2%	10%	96th	228th of 911
Homeownership rateStrength	88.6%	77.8%	71.7%	65.2%	94th	208th of 909
Rent-burdened rentersWeakness	63.2%	51.1%	43.9%	51.1%	90th	81st of 882
Income inequality (Gini)Weakness	0.482	0.447	0.444	0.483	82nd	85th of 908
Per capita income	$47,289	$40,510	$40,877	$44,673	67th	146th of 911
Broadband access	94%	88.3%	88.9%	91%	66th	145th of 909
Veterans	6.6%	8.6%	6.5%	6.2%	61st	494th of 911
Uninsured rate	6.9%	2.3%	5%	8.4%	51st	166th of 911
Median earnings per worker	$48,636	$48,259	$47,712	$49,666	51st	393rd of 910
Median age	37.4	44.3	38.6	38.9	37th	723rd of 911
Residents under 18	20.7%	22.9%	22.9%	22%	37th	613th of 911
Government workers	12.1%	15.4%	14.5%	14.5%	37th	534th of 911
Poverty rate	8%	7.6%	11.1%	12.5%	32nd	492nd of 909
Median household income	$64,750	$72,738	$75,059	$80,734	28th	644th of 896
Bachelor's degree or higher	22.5%	24.1%	31.4%	35.7%	27th	392nd of 911
Foreign-born residents	3%	1.6%	5.9%	14.1%	18th	233rd of 911
Work from home	6.8%	12.8%	11.3%	15.1%	15th	580th of 911
Diversity index	15.3	16.4	31.4	61.4	8th	381st of 911
Median home value	$123,400	$164,000	$208,000	$332,700	6th	644th of 881
Housing vacancy	2.4%	10.3%	8.5%	10.1%	6th	803rd of 909
Tech workers	0.5%	1.4%	2.9%	3.8%	6th	528th of 911
Average commuteStrength	17.1 min	18.5 min	19.8 min	26.4 min	4th	782nd of 902
Median gross rent	$689	$783	$972	$1,413	3rd	593rd of 771
Healthcare workers	4.2%	9.1%	9.2%	9.7%	2nd	787th of 911
Population	362	11,778	3,210,507	334,922,499	1st	762nd of 911
Population density	9/sq mi	20/sq mi	58/sq mi	95/sq mi	1st	803rd of 911
Unemployment rateStrength	0.5%	3.2%	3.6%	5.2%	1st	746th of 911

The percentile is the share of Americans who live in a zip code with a lower value, so the 50th percentile is typical. Rank 1 is the highest value in the state. Both include zip codes with at least 100 residents. Strengths and weaknesses mark measures in the best or worst fifth nationally, where higher or lower is clearly better (income, poverty, education, commute, broadband, insurance and similar). Measures like age or density are left unmarked.

People

Age

Under 5

16%

5–17

18–24

22%

25–34

35–44

45–54

12%

55–64

22%

65–74

75+

Median age

37.4

Under 18

20.7%

65 and over

29.8%

Race and ethnicity

White92%
Black0%
Hispanic7%
Asian0%
Native American0%
Pacific Islander0%
Other0%
Multiracial0.8%

Diversity index

15.3

U.S. 61.4

Foreign-born

U.S. 14.1%

Born in state

76.2%

Language spoken at home (households)

English only

87%

Spanish

Other Indo-European

Asian / Pacific

Other

Households

Households: 166
Average household size: 2.2
Family households: 71.1%
Married couples: 65.7%
Living alone: 28.9%
Veterans (of adults): 6.6%
Male / female: 52% / 48%

Income and poverty

Household income distribution

<$25k

12%

$25–50k

22%

$50–75k

18%

$75–100k

10%

$100–150k

16%

$150–200k

$200k+

13%

Median household income

51527

$64,750

Shelby Co.

$72,738

Iowa

$75,059

United States

$80,734

Per capita income

$47,289

U.S. $44,673

Poverty rate

U.S. 12.5%

Households earning $150K+

22.3%

U.S. 23%

Income inequality (Gini)

0.482

U.S. 0.483

Housing

Median home value

51527

$123,400

Shelby Co.

$164,000

Iowa

$208,000

United States

$332,700

Median gross rent

51527

$689

Shelby Co.

$783

Iowa

$972

United States

$1,413

Types of housing

Single-family

94%

2–4 units

0.6%

5–19 units

0.6%

20+ units

Mobile home

Boat, RV, van

Housing units: 170
Owner-occupied: 88.6%
Vacant: 2.4%
Median year built: 1963
Median rooms: 7
Renters paying 30%+ of income: 63.2%
Renters paying 50%+ of income: 0%
Home value to income: 1.9× (U.S. 4.1×)

Work and commute

How people get to work

Drove alone

75%

Carpooled

Transit

Walked

Bicycle

Worked from home

Other

Commute time (one way)

<10 min

32%

10–19

42%

20–29

12%

30–44

45–59

60+

Average commute

17.1 min

U.S. 26.4 min

Unemployment

0.5%

U.S. 5.2%

In labor force

65%

U.S. 63.5%

Jobs and careers

What employed residents do, wherever they work

Occupations

Transportation and moving

25%

Sales

14%

Production

11%

Office and admin

Construction and repair

Management

Legal and social services

Cleaning and personal care

Healthcare

Education

Food service

Business and finance

Police and fire

Farming, fishing and forestry

Computer and math

0.5%

Engineering and science

Arts, media and sports

Industries

Manufacturing

14%

Finance, insurance and real estate

14%

Professional and technical services

10%

Transportation, warehousing and utilities

10%

Construction

Agriculture and mining

Health care and social assistance

Education

Retail

Admin, support and management

Other services

Wholesale

Arts and recreation

Information

Restaurants and hotels

Public administration

Median earnings per worker

$48,636

U.S. $49,666

Self-employed

18.4%

U.S. 10%

Government workers

12.1%

U.S. 14.5%

Nonprofit workers

3.7%

U.S. 8.8%

Median earnings by type of work

Type of work	51527	U.S.
Management, business, science and arts	$60,833	$74,888
Service	$22,292	$26,804
Sales and office	$53,000	$40,476
Construction and maintenance	$220,577	$49,199
Production and transportation	$31,458	$39,989

Education, internet and health coverage

Highest education (adults 25+)

No diploma

High school

38%

Some college

20%

Associate's

14%

Bachelor's

10%

Graduate

13%

High school graduate or higher: 94.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 22.5%
Graduate or professional degree: 13%
Households with broadband: 94%
Cable, fiber or DSL: 81.3%
No internet access: 3%
Without health insurance: 6.9%
Limited-English households: 0%

Geography

City (USPS): Defiance
State: Iowa
County: Shelby County
Center point: 41.8398° N, 95.3365° W
Land area: 42 sq mi
Water area: under 0.1 sq mi
Time zone: Central Time (UTC-6, UTC-5 in summer)
Zip type: Residential delivery area

51527 spans 2 counties

Shelby County83% of land
Crawford County17% of land

Zip codes near 51527

Search by radius

Zip	City	Distance	Population	IncomeMedian income	Home value
51530	Earling, IA	6 mi	809	$73,750	$163,800
51454	Manilla, IA	8.1 mi	1,254	$100,625	$167,400
51446	Irwin, IA	8.6 mi	499	$62,750	$91,400
51578	Westphalia, IA	8.8 mi	116	$77,292	$97,600
51528	Dow City, IA	9.7 mi	674	$63,173	$117,900
51520	Arion, IA	11 mi	243	$60,843	$146,600
51447	Kirkman, IA	11 mi	113	$68,214	$141,700
51432	Aspinwall, IA	11 mi	45	$61,250	$85,000
51562	Panama, IA	11 mi	506	$81,250	$159,000
51537	Harlan, IA	13 mi	6,382	$65,000	$166,800
51442	Denison, IA	13 mi	9,692	$66,767	$159,400
51455	Manning, IA	15 mi	2,279	$76,786	$132,200

Questions about 51527

What city is zip code 51527?

51527 is assigned to Defiance, Iowa. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.

What county is 51527 in?

51527 is mostly in Shelby County, but it extends into 1 other county.

What is the population of 51527?

About 362 people live in 51527, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

What time zone is 51527 in?

51527 is in Central Time.

What is the median household income in 51527?

The median household income in 51527 is $64,750.

What zip codes are near 51527?

The closest zip codes to 51527 are 51530, 51454, 51446, 51578, 51528.

Demographic figures are 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 51527, from the U.S. Census Bureau. Small areas have wide margins of error. How we build these numbers.