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Where 51531 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 51531 into a pocket calculator and turn it upside down: IESIS — not quite a word, sorry.
- ➕ As a number, 51,531 = 3 × 89 × 193. Its digits add up to 15, a total 1,657 other ZIP codes share.
- 💾In binary, the way a computer stores it:
1100100101001011 - 🏠 Its numerical neighbours: 51530 (Earling, IA, 22 mi away) and 51532 (Elliott, IA, 31 mi away).
- 🔄 Backwards, 51531 becomes 13515, which is not a ZIP code at all.
- 👥 18 other ZIP codes are made of exactly the same digits (11355, 11553, 13155, 15135, 15315, 15351, …). The farthest-flung twin is 11553 in Uniondale, NY, 1,117 miles away.
- 🧭 Farther north than 72% of all ZIP codes, and farther west than 69%.
- 🎯220 miles northeast of the geographic center of the Lower 48, near Lebanon, Kansas.
- 🌏 Dig straight through the Earth from 51531 and you would come out at 41.59°S, 84.91°E — 889 miles from Port-aux-Français, French Southern Territories, the nearest big city to that spot.
- ☀Longest day of the year: 15h 12m of daylight. Shortest: 9h 09m.
- 📏 At 27.3 square miles of land, 51531 is bigger than 44% of ZIP codes — room for about 21 Central Parks.
- Working out the sun…
- Checking the USGS…
Source: USGS.
People and housing
| Population | 889This ZIP889 |
|---|---|
| Households | 389This ZIP389 |
| Housing units | 461This ZIP461 |
| Median age | 46.0This ZIP46.0Iowa38.6US 38.9 |
| Median household income | $59,199This ZIP$59,199Iowa$75,059US $80,734 |
| Median home value | $131,500This ZIP$131,500Iowa$208,000US $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $668This ZIP$668Iowa$972US $1,413 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.6%This ZIP28.6% |
| Mean commute | 20.2 minThis ZIP20.2 min |
| Population density | 32.6 / sq miThis ZIP32.6 / sq mi |
Business and tax activity
| Business establishments | 29This ZIP29 |
|---|---|
| Employees | 450This ZIP450 |
| Annual payroll | $41,142,000This ZIP$41,142,000 |
| Tax returns filed | 380This ZIP380 |
| Total adjusted gross income | $28,100,000This ZIP$28,100,000 |
Land area
| Land area | 27.26 sq miThis ZIP27.26 sq mi |
|---|---|
| Water area | 0.00 sq mi |
Counties 51531 spans
A ZIP code is a mail route and ignores county lines. Shares are by overlapping land area.
| County | Share of this ZIP |
|---|---|
| Shelby County | 78.5% |
| Audubon County | 21.4% |
Other place names in 51531
Census places whose land this ZIP code overlaps. The Postal Service may accept other city names in an address, too.
ZIP codes near 51531
| ZIP | City | Distance |
|---|---|---|
51543 | Kimballton, IA | 4.9 mi |
51552 | Marne, IA | 7.1 mi |
50042 | Brayton, IA | 10.2 mi |
51577 | Walnut, IA | 10.4 mi |
51447 | Kirkman, IA | 10.7 mi |
51537 | Harlan, IA | 11.6 mi |
50022 | Atlantic, IA | 12.6 mi |
50076 | Exira, IA | 12.7 mi |
51446 | Irwin, IA | 14.1 mi |
50025 | Audubon, IA | 14.5 mi |
Find every ZIP code within 10 miles of 51531 →
Questions about this ZIP code
Where is ZIP code 51531?
51531 is in Elk Horn, Iowa, in Shelby County. Its published point location is 41.5875, -95.0884.
What county is 51531 in?
51531 spans 2 counties: Shelby County and Audubon County. Most of it falls in Shelby County, measured by overlapping land area — the county holding the most land in a ZIP code is not always the one holding the most residents.
What area code is 51531?
Elk Horn uses area code 712, from NANPA's telephone records.
What time zone is 51531 in?
51531 uses America/Chicago.
How many people live in 51531?
About 889 people live in ZIP code 51531, in 389 households, at 32.6 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 51531?
$59,199 a year, against $75,059 across Iowa.
What ZIP codes are near 51531?
The closest are 51543 (4.9 mi), 51552 (7.1 mi), 50042 (10.2 mi), 51577 (10.4 mi) and 51447 (10.7 mi).
Is 51531 a PO Box ZIP code?
51531 is a standard ZIP code. A normal ZIP code with street delivery.
Download or cite
Cite this page
zipcodes.pro. “51531 ZIP Code — Elk Horn, Iowa (Shelby County).” Data release 2026-10-12. Retrieved 2026-10-20. https://zipcodes.pro/zip/51531
Machine-readable version of these facts:
curl https://zipcodes.pro/zip/51531.jsonUnderlying data is public domain or openly licensed — sources, vintages and licences.