Population & age
- Total population
- 305
- Median age
- 28.7
Chester, IA (52134)
Howard County · Population 305
Fresh.Data current as of Apr 24, 2026
Chester, IA (ZIP 52134) sits in Howard County. The page draws on 1 federal data feed retrieved Apr 24. Top health signal: Obesity comes in above the national average at 41.4%. No NCES schools are mapped to this ZIP in the current dataset. 3 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $19,475. IRS data shows average household income (AGI) of $73,567, well above the ~$45K national average per return. Local establishments report average pay of $17,582 per worker (Census ZBP) — below the US average. BLS QCEW reports average annual pay of $48,223 per worker, roughly 26% below the US average. FEMA has issued 23 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1968 — a high-frequency exposure profile. Annual average temperature is just 45.0°F per NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals — a notably cold-weather climate. 37.8% of residents in this county are flagged low-access by USDA's 2025 Food Environment Atlas — a notable supermarket-access gap. IRS migration data (2022-2023) shows a net loss of 157 residents (88 households) — the ZIP's primary county is shrinking. Healthcare access is the area's quieter strength; school options sit on the lighter side, so families may find themselves looking at districts a few ZIPs over. Notable: median household income $70,461, fair market rent of $1,000 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $161,927, up 0.1% over the past year. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
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Demographics
Race & ethnicity
- White
- 95.4%
- Black
- 0.0%
- Asian
- 4.3%
- Hispanic / Latino
- 0.3%
- Other / multi-racial
- 0.3%
Income & housing
- Median household income
- $70,461
- Median home value
- $203,100
Education
- Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)
- 7.7%
Employment
- Unemployment rate
- 7.6%
Housing
- Owner-occupied
- 109(96.5%)
- Renter-occupied
- 4(3.5%)
- Vacant units
- 38
- Built (median)
- 1938
Commute
- Public transit
- 0(0.0%)
- Work from home
- 14(8.8%)
- Avg commute
- 29.8 min
Economic wellbeing
- Below poverty line
- 27(8.9%)
- Uninsured
- 0(0.0%)
Digital access
- Broadband access
- 101(89.4%)
- No broadband
- 12(10.6%)
Language & nativity
- Foreign-born
- 14(4.6%)
- Non-English at home
- 22(8.0%)
Fair Market Rent
Fresh.HUD SAFMR · May 1, 2026Studio
$730
/month
1 Bed
$850
/month
2 Bed
$1,000
/month
3 Bed
$1,330
/month
4 Bed
$1,490
/month
HUD Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of standard-quality rental housing in this area. FY2026 data.
Home values
Typical home value
$161,927
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) · as of March 2026
Year-over-year change
+0.1%
vs. March 2025
Source: Zillow Research, ZHVI All Homes (SFR, Condo/Co-op) Time Series (zillow.com/research/data). Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) is copyrighted by Zillow, Inc.
New housing construction
New housing units permitted
8
Across 8 permitted buildings. Total construction value: $2.9M.
Single-family
8
100% of total units
Multifamily (2+ unit)
0
0% of total units
Single-family value
$2.9M
construction value
Multifamily value
$0
construction value
Based on county-level data (2024).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (census.gov/construction/bps). Public domain. BPS reports annual residential building permits from local permit-issuing jurisdictions, aggregated to county. A permit reflects intent to build, not a completed unit — actual construction lags by 6-24 months for multifamily projects.
Income & tax statistics
Tax returns filed
120
Average AGI
$73,567
Avg property tax
—
EITC participation
—
Income distribution
- $1 – $25,00025.0% · 30
- $25,000 – $50,00025.0% · 30
- $50,000 – $75,00033.3% · 40
- $75,000 – $100,0000.0% · 0
- $100,000 – $200,00016.7% · 20
- $200,000 or more0.0% · 0
Avg mortgage interest
—
Avg charitable contribution
—
Avg capital gains
—
Avg total income tax
—
Source: IRS Statistics of Income — Individual Income Tax Statistics by ZIP Code (irs.gov). Public domain. Dollar columns reported in thousands by the IRS; figures here display real dollars. Total ZCTA AGI for the area was $8.8M across all reported brackets.
Business & employment
Business establishments
9
Total employment
55
Annual payroll
$967K
Average annual pay
$17,582
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Business Patterns (census.gov). Public domain. ZBP covers establishments with paid employees; Census suppresses employment and payroll values when fewer employers operate in a ZIP than would protect their confidentiality.
Employment & wages
Average annual pay
$48,223
Average weekly wage
$927
Total employment
4,402
Total establishments
341
That is roughly 26% below the US national average of $65,470 per worker.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (bls.gov/cew). Public domain. QCEW is derived from state unemployment-insurance filings and covers ~95% of US jobs. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches; small-employer cells are suppressed by BLS to protect employer confidentiality.
Unemployment
Unemployment rate
3.2%
That is 0.8 percentage points below the US national unemployment rate of about 4.0%.
Labor force
5,306
Employed
5,136
Unemployed
170
Based on Howard County, IA data (2024).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (bls.gov/lau). Public domain. LAUS publishes monthly and annual labor-force estimates for every US county. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches.
Federal Disaster Declarations
Federally Declared Disasters
23
Date Range
1968–2024
Most Recent Declaration
SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND TORNADOES
Severe Storm — declared June 24, 2024 (DR-4796)
Incident period: June 16, 2024 – July 23, 2024
Top Incident Types
- Severe Storm11 (48%)
- Flood8 (35%)
- Biological2 (9%)
- Hurricane1 (4%)
- Tornado1 (4%)
Individual Assistance
8
Direct help to disaster survivors
Households Program
4
Housing & temporary lodging support
Public Assistance
23
Repair of public facilities & roads
Hazard Mitigation
14
Funding to reduce future disaster risk
FEMA declares disasters at the county level; counts here include every federally declared disaster touching any county that overlaps this ZIP. Statewide declarations and pre-1964 records without county granularity are excluded. Program flags reflect which FEMA assistance categories were activated (Individual Assistance, Households, Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation). Source: fema.gov/openfema. Public domain.
Climate
30-year averages (1991-2020) from the nearest GHCN-D weather station. Temperature and precipitation values reflect typical annual conditions, not any single year.
Avg. temperature
45°F
34° – 56°
Annual precipitation
38"
Annual snowfall
40.3"
Heating · cooling days
7,839 · 590.3
Annual base 65°F
Nearest station: CRESCO 1 NE, IA US, 16.4 miles from the centroid of Chester, IA (ZIP 52134)
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals (ncei.noaa.gov). Public domain.
Community health profile
Years of potential life lost (per 100K)
6,255
That is roughly 1,945 years per 100,000 below the national county median (~8,200).
Premature death is the headline composite outcome CHR reports — age-adjusted, all-cause, before age 75.
Fair or poor health
16%
of adults self-report
Poor physical health days
3.8
avg per adult per month
Poor mental health days
5.0
avg per adult per month
Uninsured
6.8%
of residents under 65
Primary care MDs
53
per 100,000 residents
Preventable hospital stays
2,292
per 100K Medicare enrollees
Food environment (0-10)
8.3
10 = best access & security
Exercise access
76%
residents near a facility
Flu vaccinated
42%
of Medicare enrollees
Low birth weight (under 2,500 g) accounts for 6.3% of live births in this county — an early-life health input that downstream outcomes track against.
Based on Howard data (2025 CHR release).
Source: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (countyhealthrankings.org). Annual release. Underlying source datasets vary by measure (CDC BRFSS, NCHS Vital Statistics, AHA, USDA Food Environment Atlas, and others). Figures are county-level and assigned to every ZIP whose primary county matches.
Food access
Food access status
Significant food access concerns
37.8% of Howard County, IA residents live more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket.
Grocery stores
—
per 1,000 residents
Supercenters & clubs
—
per 1,000 residents
SNAP-authorized stores
1.06
accepting food benefits
Fast-food restaurants
0.44
per 1,000 residents
Among low-income residents, 10.2% are low-access — those without a supermarket within 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural).
Per-1,000 figures show how many of each store type exist in Howard County, IA for every 1,000 residents. Higher grocery and supercenter density usually means easier access to fresh food; higher convenience-store-only density (with low grocery rate) often signals a food swamp.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Environment Atlas (ers.usda.gov). County-level metrics fanned to ZIP via the primary county in the Census ZCTA-county relationship file. Variable years differ per family (stores ~2020, low-access ~2019).
Who’s moving in and out
Net migration (2022-2023)
▼−157 people
−88 households • −$6.6M net AGI flow
Moved in
215households
340 people • $9.6M AGI
Moved out
303households
497 people • $16.1M AGI
Where new residents came from
- Winneshiek County, IA — 28 households
- Chickasaw County, IA — 22 households
Where departing residents went
- Winneshiek County, IA — 39 households
- Chickasaw County, IA — 20 households
- Mitchell County, IA — 20 households
Incoming households reported an average AGI of $44,437 versus departing households' $53,267.
Source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income, Migration Data (irs.gov). Public domain. Migration is measured by year-over-year changes in the address on individual tax returns; figures are county-level totals attributed to ZIPs whose primary county matches. Foreign migration contributes to inflow/outflow totals but does not appear in the top-county lists. Small flows are suppressed by IRS to protect taxpayer confidentiality.
Taxes & benefits in Iowa
State-level rules that apply to every resident of ZIP 52134. Numbers reflect the most recent published year per source.
Tax rates
Income tax
Yes
graduated
Sales tax (combined)
6.94%
State 6.00% · avg local 0.94%
Property tax (effective)
1.54%
Median $1,695/year
Tax burden rank
37 of 50
11.00% of personal income
For ZIP 52134: Applied to this ZIP's typical home value of $161,927, that works out to roughly $2,500/year in property tax.
Paid family leave
Program
No program
No program
Safety net
SNAP eligibility
160% FPL
Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (raises gross income limit above federal 130% floor). Asset limit $15,000.
Sources: Tax Foundation (state tax rates & brackets), Bipartisan Policy Center (paid family leave), USDA FNS (SNAP categorical eligibility).
Other ZIPs near 52134
Nearby ZIPs by distance
55951 (Le Roy, 5.7 mi) · 52155 (Lime Springs, 6.7 mi) · 50466 (Riceville, 9.1 mi) · 55961 (Ostrander, 10 mi) · 50455 (Mcintire, 12.5 mi) · 55977 (Taopi, 13.6 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
Data sources used on this page
All data on this page is sourced from federal government datasets · Not AI-generated · Methodology
Health profile
Crude prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES, derived from BRFSS small-area modeling. Population-level figures only.
Obesity
41.4%
8.4pp above the 33.0% national rate.
High Blood Pressure
39.3%
7.3pp above the 32.0% national rate.
Depression
21.6%
Tracks close to the 22.0% national rate.
Annual Checkup
77.4%
Tracks close to the 76.0% national rate.
Health Insurance
8.7%
4.3pp below the 13.0% national rate.
Diabetes
14.0%
3.0pp above the 11.0% national rate.
Colleges & universities nearby
Colleges in this area
3
Median in-state tuition
$19,475
Median earnings (10 yr)
$52,766
- 4-Year
Upper Iowa University
Fayette, IA · 52142
- In-state tuition
- $19,475
- Out-of-state tuition
- $19,475
- Acceptance rate
- 96.5%
- Graduation rate
- 38.0%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $52,766
- Median student debt
- $25,000
- 2-Year
Northeast Iowa Community College
Calmar, IA · 52132
- In-state tuition
- $6,780
- Out-of-state tuition
- $7,770
- Acceptance rate
- —
- Graduation rate
- 49.6%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $41,306
- Median student debt
- $12,000
- 4-Year
Luther College
Decorah, IA · 52101
- In-state tuition
- $52,120
- Out-of-state tuition
- $52,120
- Acceptance rate
- 71.5%
- Graduation rate
- 73.0%
- Median earnings (10 yr)
- $59,850
- Median student debt
- $27,000
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov). Public domain data. Earnings figures reflect median earnings 10 years after entry for federally-aided students.
What these numbers say together
Chester, IA (ZIP 52134) sits in Howard County. The page draws on 1 federal data feed retrieved Apr 24. Top health signal: Obesity comes in above the national average at 41.4%. No NCES schools are mapped to this ZIP in the current dataset. 3 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $19,475. IRS data shows average household income (AGI) of $73,567, well above the ~$45K national average per return. Local establishments report average pay of $17,582 per worker (Census ZBP) — below the US average. BLS QCEW reports average annual pay of $48,223 per worker, roughly 26% below the US average. FEMA has issued 23 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1968 — a high-frequency exposure profile. Annual average temperature is just 45.0°F per NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals — a notably cold-weather climate. 37.8% of residents in this county are flagged low-access by USDA's 2025 Food Environment Atlas — a notable supermarket-access gap. IRS migration data (2022-2023) shows a net loss of 157 residents (88 households) — the ZIP's primary county is shrinking. Healthcare access is the area's quieter strength; school options sit on the lighter side, so families may find themselves looking at districts a few ZIPs over. Notable: median household income $70,461, fair market rent of $1,000 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $161,927, up 0.1% over the past year. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
The two domains pull in different directions. Healthcare access reads strong, but the on-paper school count is on the lighter side — that’s less a quality signal and more a density one. Households here often look at districts a few ZIPs over for school choice while keeping their providers local.
One concrete reading worth keeping: Depression prevalence sits near the national rate at 21.6%. Each figure on this page links to the original federal dataset with its retrieval date — this synthesis is a reading, not a substitute for the underlying records.
Frequently Asked Questions — ZIP 52134
What is the obesity rate in ZIP 52134?
41.4%, which is 8.4 percentage points above the national average of 33.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the depression rate in ZIP 52134?
21.6%, which is 0.4 percentage points below the national average of 22.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the high blood pressure rate in ZIP 52134?
39.3%, which is 7.3 percentage points above the national average of 32.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
What is the population of ZIP 52134?
305 people live in ZIP 52134, with a median age of 28.7 (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the median household income in ZIP 52134?
$70,461 per year (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
Is ZIP 52134 mostly renters or homeowners?
In ZIP 52134, 96.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 3.5% are renter-occupied (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
How do people commute in ZIP 52134?
In ZIP 52134, 8.8% of workers work from home. Public transit is used by 0.0% of commuters (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the poverty rate in ZIP 52134?
8.9% of the population in ZIP 52134 lives below the federal poverty line (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What percentage of households in ZIP 52134 have broadband internet?
89.4% of households in ZIP 52134 have broadband internet access (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
What is the typical home value in ZIP 52134?
The typical home value in ZIP 52134 is $161,927, up 0.1% from a year ago (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
Are home values rising or falling in ZIP 52134?
Home values are up 0.1% over the past year (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
What is the average household income in ZIP 52134?
The average Adjusted Gross Income reported on tax returns from ZIP 52134 (Chester, IA) is $73,567 per return (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
How much do homeowners pay in property tax in ZIP 52134?
Tax returns from ZIP 52134 report an average of $0 per return in real-estate tax deductions (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What percentage of residents in ZIP 52134 earn over $200,000?
0.0% of tax returns from ZIP 52134 (Chester, IA) report Adjusted Gross Income of $200,000 or more (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
How many businesses are in ZIP 52134?
As of 2022, 9 business establishments operated in ZIP 52134 employing 55 workers (Census ZIP Business Patterns, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What is the average salary in ZIP 52134?
The average annual pay across all local establishments in ZIP 52134 is $17,582, based on Census ZIP Business Patterns 2022 data (retrieved May 3, 2026).
How vulnerable is ZIP 52134 to disasters and public health emergencies?
According to the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (2022), ZIP 52134 ranks in the 61th percentile nationally for social vulnerability — a high vulnerability profile (retrieved May 3, 2026).
What is the biggest vulnerability factor in ZIP 52134?
Housing Type & Transportation is the highest-scoring CDC SVI theme for ZIP 52134, ranking in the 74th percentile nationally (CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022, retrieved May 3, 2026).
How many federally declared disasters has ZIP 52134 experienced?
FEMA has recorded 23 federal disaster declarations affecting ZIP 52134 between 1968–2024 (FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What kinds of disasters most often hit ZIP 52134?
Severe Storm is the most common federally declared disaster type affecting ZIP 52134, accounting for 11 of 23 declarations (48%, FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What was the most recent disaster declared for ZIP 52134?
The most recent FEMA disaster declaration affecting ZIP 52134 was "SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND TORNADOES" — a severe storm declared in 2024 (DR-4796) (FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
What colleges are near ZIP 52134?
3 colleges and universities are listed near ZIP 52134 by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, including Upper Iowa University, Northeast Iowa Community College, and Luther College (retrieved May 2, 2026).
What is the average tuition at colleges near ZIP 52134?
Median in-state tuition across 3 nearby institutions is $19,475 (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What do graduates earn from colleges near ZIP 52134?
Graduates of nearby colleges earn a median of $52,766 ten years after entry (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
What is the climate like in ZIP 52134?
ZIP 52134 has an average annual temperature of 45.0°F and 38.0" of annual precipitation based on the CRESCO 1 NE, IA US weather station 16.4 miles from the ZIP centroid (NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, retrieved May 8, 2026).
What taxes apply in ZIP 52134?
Iowa has a graduated income tax with a top rate of unspecified. Combined sales tax: 6.94% (Tax Foundation 2025).
Does Iowa have paid family leave?
Iowa has no state paid family leave program (Bipartisan Policy Center 2026).
What data is available for ZIP 52134?
This page covers health outcomes from CDC PLACES (40 metrics), demographics from the Census ACS 5-Year (2022), home values from the Zillow Home Value Index, colleges from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (3 institutions), income & tax statistics from the IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022), local business & employment from Census ZIP Business Patterns (2022), social vulnerability scores from the CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022), federal disaster declarations from FEMA OpenFEMA (23 on record), climate normals from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020), and state-level tax rates from the Tax Foundation. Data is refreshed on Mubboo's standard schedule.
How current is this data?
Health data retrieved Apr 24, 2026 from CDC PLACES. Demographics retrieved Apr 30, 2026 from Census ACS 5-Year (2022). Home values retrieved May 1, 2026 from Zillow Research. College data retrieved May 2, 2026 from U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard. Income & tax statistics retrieved May 2, 2026 from IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022). Business & employment retrieved May 3, 2026 from Census ZBP (2022). Social vulnerability scores retrieved May 3, 2026 from CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022). Federal disaster declarations retrieved May 3, 2026 from FEMA OpenFEMA (23 on record). Climate normals retrieved May 8, 2026 from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020). State-level tax rates retrieved 2026-05-05 15:58:22.284+00 from the Tax Foundation.
Other ZIPs near 52134
Nearby ZIPs by distance
55951 (Le Roy, 5.7 mi) · 52155 (Lime Springs, 6.7 mi) · 50466 (Riceville, 9.1 mi) · 55961 (Ostrander, 10 mi) · 50455 (Mcintire, 12.5 mi) · 55977 (Taopi, 13.6 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
More Info topics
Have a specific question about ZIP 52134?
Ask Mubboo — launching Q4 2026.
Data refreshed via Mubboo's ETL pipeline; oldest source on this page retrieved Apr 24, 2026.
Social Vulnerability Index
Overall SVI
61st percentile
High Vulnerability
Based on 1 census tract, population 309
Vulnerability Themes
Households Without Vehicle
10
Limited English Speakers
4
Persons with Disability
30
Without HS Diploma
20
Without Health Insurance
55
Adults Age 65+
65
The Social Vulnerability Index uses U.S. Census data to identify communities most at risk during public health emergencies and natural disasters. Higher percentiles indicate greater vulnerability. Tract-level scores are aggregated to this ZCTA via Census 2020 ZCTA→Tract crosswalk, weighted by land-area share. Source: atsdr.cdc.gov. Public domain.