ZIP Code 50851 — Lenox city, IA Demographics & Data

ZIP code 50851 covers Lenox, IA in Taylor County with a population of about 2,145.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 41.4 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area code 641; U.S. House district IA-3; the DES MOINES - AMES media market.

Median household income in ZIP 50851 is about $67,847 — about 10% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 10.5%; unemployment rate near 1.1%; 18.2% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 15.5 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Manufacturing, Agriculture, and Healthcare; about 6.4% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 8.8 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $115,500 — about 67% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $496 (about 57% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 77.6% (about 12.2 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 50851 in Lenox, IA, a household would need roughly $32,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $742. That sits below the local median household income ($67,847), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Lenox city, IA as Very Low (composite score 38.5), which is relatively lower than many U.S. communities. The strongest component scores on US5 are wildfire (36.5) and flood (20.9). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Lenox city, IA show little to no average snow and around 37.9 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 123 for ZIP 50851 (Lenox city, IA) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.