ZIP Codes of Howard County, IA

Population & People
Population & People
Total Population
10,901
Household Income
Household Income
Median Income
$65,915
Housing
Housing
Total Housing Units
4,956
Business & Economy
Business & Economy
Total Businesses
297
Employment
Employment
Employment Rate
63.38%
Education
Education
Bachelor's Degree+
19.62%
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates · rolled up across the 6 ZIPs in this county.
Data Last Updated: June 1, 2026
ZIP Codes:6 ZIP Codes (5 Standard, 1 PO Box, 0 Unique) [See All]
Area Codes:563 / 641
Timezone:Central (GMT -06:00)
Local Time:2:11:52 PM
Population:10,901 [See All]
FIPS:19089
Land Area:582 sq mi
Water Area:0 sq mi
Coordinates:43.3542, -92.3085
Quick Link:
https://www.zip-codes.com/county/ia-howard.asp
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Iowa's #69 most populous county
10,901 residents across 6 ZIPs — #69 of 99 Iowa counties.

Standout ZIPs in this County


Most Populous
Cresco · 5,840 people
53.6% of county total
Highest Income
Protivin · $78,194 median
1.2× county average
Largest Land Area
Cresco · 205.9 sq mi
Spans the most ground
Fastest Growth
Riceville · 6.3% (10-yr)
1,856 → 1,972 residents
Most Educated
Cresco · 21.5% bachelor's+
907 of 4,217 adults 25+

Things worth knowing about Howard County


10,901 residents live across 6 ZIPs covering 582 sq mi, served by 6 distinct USPS-recognized cities.

Population moved from 11,028 to 10,901 from 2014 to 2024 — a -1.2% change. 3 ZIPs gained residents, 3 lost.

The county's wealthiest ZIP 52163 (Protivin, $78,194 median) and poorest ZIP 50466 (Riceville, $56,728) are 25.7 miles apart — a 1.4× income gap across local geography.

Median home values vary 1.8× across this county — from $115,000 in 52163 (Protivin) to $209,800 in 50466 (Riceville).

Density varies 102× across the county — from 7 people/sq mi in 52134 (Chester) to 758 in 52163 (Protivin).

Educational attainment ranges from 10.8% bachelor's+ in 52155 (Lime Springs) to 32.8% in 52163 (Protivin) — the breadth of educational profiles across the area.

Within Iowa, this is the #69 most populous of 99 counties and ranks #86 for median household income .

Weighted by population, the typical household earns about $66,732 across the county — reflecting what a typical resident sees, not a simple ZIP average.

19.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher (1,444 of 7,358 reporting).

5 Standard delivery, 1 PO Box only, 0 single-entity Unique ZIPs serve this county.

Stories about Howard County


Big & sparse

A frontier county — vast land area with only a few residents per square mile. Daily life looks very different here than in the country's denser counties.

Total area
582
square miles
Avg density
18.7
people per sq mi
Population
10,901
across 6 ZIPs
Cresco
205.9 sq mi
5,840 residents
Riceville
137.1 sq mi
1,972 residents
Elma
108.2 sq mi
1,423 residents

All ZIP Codes in Howard County


ZIPCityTypePopulationMedian IncomeArea (sq mi)10-yr Growth
52136CrescoStandard5,840$70,778205.9-3.6%
50466RicevilleStandard1,972$56,728137.16.3%
50628ElmaStandard1,423$68,750108.23.3%
52155Lime SpringsStandard1,110$57,917100.8-1.2%
52163ProtivinPO Box333$78,1940.439.3%
52134ChesterStandard223$63,12529.9-40.7%

Adjacent & Nearby Counties