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Where 51242 is
Approximate ZIP boundary (Census ZCTA 2020). ZIP codes are mail routes, not areas, so the shape shown is the Census tabulation area that approximates it.
- 🔢 Type 51242 into a pocket calculator and turn it upside down: ZhZIS — not quite a word, sorry.
- ➕ As a number, 51,242 = 2 × 25621. Its digits add up to 14, a total 1,416 other ZIP codes share.
- 💾In binary, the way a computer stores it:
1100100000101010 - 🏠 Its numerical neighbours: 51241 (Larchwood, IA, 6 mi away) and 51243 (Little Rock, IA, 22 mi away).
- 🔄 Backwards, 51242 becomes 24215 — and that is a real ZIP code: Andover, VA, 843 miles away.
- 👥 32 other ZIP codes are made of exactly the same digits (12245, 12452, 12524, 12542, 14225, 14522, …). The farthest-flung twin is 12524 in Fishkill, NY, 1,148 miles away.
- 🧭 Farther north than 85% of all ZIP codes, and farther west than 72%.
- 🎯275 miles northeast of the geographic center of the Lower 48, near Lebanon, Kansas.
- 🌏 Dig straight through the Earth from 51242 and you would come out at 43.43°S, 83.66°E — 758 miles from Port-aux-Français, French Southern Territories, the nearest big city to that spot.
- ☀Longest day of the year: 15h 25m of daylight. Shortest: 8h 57m.
- 📏 At 5.4 square miles of land, 51242 is bigger than 20% of ZIP codes — room for about 4.1 Central Parks.
- Working out the sun…
- Checking the USGS…
Source: USGS.
People and housing
| Population | 379This ZIP379 |
|---|---|
| Households | 127This ZIP127 |
| Housing units | 132This ZIP132 |
| Median age | 38.1This ZIP38.1Iowa38.6US 38.9 |
| Median household income | $95,625This ZIP$95,625Iowa$75,059US $80,734 |
| Median home value | $190,900This ZIP$190,900Iowa$208,000US $332,700 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.5%This ZIP20.5% |
| Mean commute | 17.7 minThis ZIP17.7 min |
| Population density | 69.6 / sq miThis ZIP69.6 / sq mi |
Business and tax activity
| Business establishments | 16This ZIP16 |
|---|---|
| Employees | 191This ZIP191 |
| Annual payroll | $9,973,000This ZIP$9,973,000 |
Land area
| Land area | 5.45 sq miThis ZIP5.45 sq mi |
|---|---|
| Water area | 0.00 sq mi |
Other place names in 51242
Census places whose land this ZIP code overlaps. The Postal Service may accept other city names in an address, too.
ZIP codes near 51242
| ZIP | City | Distance |
|---|---|---|
51230 | Alvord, IA | 5.3 mi |
51241 | Larchwood, IA | 6.3 mi |
56138 | Hills, MN | 7.5 mi |
56173 | Steen, MN | 8.0 mi |
51246 | Rock Rapids, IA | 8.7 mi |
51240 | Inwood, IA | 10.4 mi |
51235 | Doon, IA | 11.3 mi |
57068 | Valley Springs, SD | 12.6 mi |
56116 | Beaver Creek, MN | 13.4 mi |
56146 | Kanaranzi, MN | 15.6 mi |
Find every ZIP code within 10 miles of 51242 →
Questions about this ZIP code
Where is ZIP code 51242?
51242 is in Lester, Iowa, in Lyon County. Its published point location is 43.4323, -96.3381.
What county is 51242 in?
51242 lies in Lyon County.
What area code is 51242?
Lester uses area code 712, from NANPA's telephone records.
What time zone is 51242 in?
51242 uses America/Chicago.
How many people live in 51242?
About 379 people live in ZIP code 51242, in 127 households, at 69.6 people per square mile. These are American Community Survey 5-year estimates for the ZIP Code Tabulation Area, not a headcount.
What is the median household income in 51242?
$95,625 a year, against $75,059 across Iowa.
What ZIP codes are near 51242?
The closest are 51230 (5.3 mi), 51241 (6.3 mi), 56138 (7.5 mi), 56173 (8 mi) and 51246 (8.7 mi).
Is 51242 a PO Box ZIP code?
51242 is a standard ZIP code. A normal ZIP code with street delivery.
Download or cite
Cite this page
zipcodes.pro. “51242 ZIP Code — Lester, Iowa (Lyon County).” Data release 2026-10-12. Retrieved 2026-10-20. https://zipcodes.pro/zip/51242
Machine-readable version of these facts:
curl https://zipcodes.pro/zip/51242.jsonUnderlying data is public domain or openly licensed — sources, vintages and licences.