Census tract · Polk County
Census Tract 51.01, Polk County, Iowa
Census Tract 51.01, GEOID 19153005101, in Polk County, Iowa, entirely within Des Moines. 7,131 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±883); the 2020 Census counted 7,040.
Residents, 2020-2024
7,131
±883 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 7,040
Median household income
$56,461
±$10,787 (90% margin)
Polk County: $83,576
Median home value
$317,700
±$59,898 (90% margin)
Polk County: $262,100
Median gross rent
$1,236
±$109 (90% margin)
Polk County: $1,149
Where is Census Tract 51.01?
Census Tract 51.01 is one of 112 census tracts in Polk County, Iowa. It covers 1.70 square miles of land, 4,141 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 19153005101, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Des Moines | 100% |
9 census tracts border Census Tract 51.01: Tract 27 ($49,112), Tract 32 ($126,480), Tract 40.01 ($63,603), Tract 41 ($78,393), Tract 42 ($57,703), Tract 49, Tract 50 ($46,583), Tract 51.02 ($62,027) and Tract 52 ($56,832). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 51.01?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 51.01's population at 7,131 (±883) in 5,200 households; the 2020 Census counted 7,040 residents and 5,640 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 51.01 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 7,131 ±883 | 212,421 |
| Households | 5,200 ±583 | 90,105 |
| Average household size | 1.32 ±0.10 | 2.30 |
| Housing units | 6,013 ±432 | 97,604 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 51.01?
The median resident of Census Tract 51.01 is 28.4 years old. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 66.8%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 19.1%.
| Measure | Tract 51.01 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.4 ±0.7 | 34.6 |
| Under 18 years | 5.3% ±4.8 pts | 23.2% |
| 65 years and over | 8.7% ±3.9 pts | 12.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.2% ±4.2 pts | 16.3% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 66.8% ±9.5 pts | 61.0% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 19.1% ±9.2 pts | 11.1% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.7% ±1.7 pts | 6.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.1% ±2.4 pts | 4.5% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.4% |
| Born outside the United States | 2.8% ±2.1 pts | 14.2% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.2% ±4.8 pts | 21.9% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.8% ±1.7 pts | 5.0% |
| With a disability | 16.0% ±5.7 pts | 14.3% |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.5% ±4.4 pts | 7.2% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.1% ±5.2 pts | 87.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 62.4% ±8.9 pts | 29.7% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 24.0% ±8.0 pts | 9.3% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 57.6% ±9.6 pts | 84.3% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 51.01 earn?
Half of the 5,200 households in Census Tract 51.01 earn less than $56,461 a year (±$10,787), against $83,576 across Polk County: 93rd highest of the county's 109 tracts with a reliable estimate. 22.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 51.01 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,461 ±$10,787 | $65,932 |
| Mean household income | $77,237 ±$11,796 | $86,645 |
| Per capita income | $56,952 ±$8,265 | $37,863 |
| People below the poverty line | 22.3% ±8.7 pts | 15.0% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 57.2% ±51.3 pts | 22.1% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.5% ±5.6 pts | 15.8% |
| Households with a computer | 98.0% ±1.8 pts | 96.0% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 87.5% ±7.7 pts | 89.8% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 51.01?
Owners occupy 9.2% of Census Tract 51.01's occupied homes and renters 90.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $317,700 by its owner (±$59,898). The median renter pays $1,236 a month including utilities, and 27.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 51.01 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $317,700 ±$59,898 | $194,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,236 ±$109 | $1,090 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 27.9% ±9.5 pts | 37.3% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,005 ±$311 | $1,485 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 9.2% ±3.6 pts | 60.5% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 90.8% ±3.6 pts | 39.5% |
| Housing units | 6,013 ±432 | 97,604 |
| Single-family detached homes | 2.8% ±2.5 pts | 61.6% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 2.6% |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.7% ±3.5 pts | 0.9% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 35.7% ±8.3 pts | 8.3% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 28.4% ±7.4 pts | 26.7% |
| Households with no vehicle | 21.4% ±7.8 pts | 9.0% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 51.01 get to work?
60.8% of Census Tract 51.01's workers drive alone and 22.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 11.7 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 51.01 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 81.1% ±5.1 pts | 71.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% ±3.8 pts | 5.6% |
| Drove alone to work | 60.8% ±8.6 pts | 70.9% |
| Carpooled | 5.4% ±4.7 pts | 11.0% |
| Public transportation | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.8% |
| Walked | 10.0% ±4.2 pts | 2.4% |
| Worked from home | 22.2% ±7.5 pts | 13.1% |
| Mean travel time to work | 11.7 min ±1.5 | 19.5 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 51.01 compare with the other tracts in Polk County?
Among Polk County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 51.01 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Polk County | In Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 9th of 111 | 3rd of 59 |
| Residents per square mile | 31st of 112 | 24th of 60 |
| Median household income | 93rd of 109 | 44th of 58 |
| Per capita income | 22nd of 111 | 7th of 59 |
| Median home value | 30th of 109 | 6th of 57 |
| Median gross rent | 35th of 107 | 15th of 59 |
| Poverty rate | 14th of 68 | 13th of 43 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14th of 111 | 5th of 59 |
| Median age | 105th of 111 | 54th of 59 |
| Owner-occupied share | 111th of 111 | 59th of 59 |
The tracts next to it on Polk County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 42 | 90th | $57,703±$10,982 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 111.14 | 91st | $57,222±$21,803 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 52 | 92nd | $56,832±$3,991 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 51.01 | 93rd | $56,461±$10,787 |
| Tract 47.01 | 94th | $56,138±$7,528 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 111.11 | 95th | $55,500±$20,746 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 17 | 96th | $55,278±$25,913 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 51.01?
1 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 51.01 on this page carries a coefficient of variation over 40% and is marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections