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Sanborn city, IA

ZIP Code 51248 — Sanborn city, IA Demographics & Data

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 5-Year Estimates. Page data updated 2026-08-02.

Middle ClassLow Snow Area

Map, Quick Facts & Location

Quick Facts

Local time
Population
1,643
Median Income
$60,809
-19% vs US avg
Home Value
$154,400
-56% vs US avg
Median Rent
$669
-42% vs US avg
Median Age
43.2 yrs
+11% vs US avg
Area Code
Congress
Top Ancestry
DutchGermanIrish
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Location
Coordinates
43.2055, -95.6579
Elevation
1,551 ft
Land Area
82.8 sq mi
Water Area
0.0 sq mi

At a glance

Population
1,643
Density
N/A
Median income
$60,809
-19% vs US avg
Home value
$154,400
-56% vs US avg
Median rent
$669
-42% vs US avg
Timezone

Overview of ZIP Code 51248

TribalTribal Nation community
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What to know about ZIP 51248

ZIP code 51248 covers Sanborn, IA in O'Brien County with a population of about 1,643.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 43.2 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area code 712; U.S. House district IA-4; the SIOUX CITY media market.

Local search focus: Tribal

Sanborn, IA is tagged as a Tribal Nation community context (place names indicate a tribal nation community). Local search often includes tribal government offices, public safety, and Indian Health Service (IHS) / wellness topics alongside standard ZIP demographics.

Income and economy in Sanborn, IA

Median household income in ZIP 51248 is about $60,809 — about 19% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 13.5%; unemployment rate near 2.1%; 21.9% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 11.8 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Retail trade; about 4.9% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 10.3 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Housing and affordability in ZIP 51248

Median home value is about $154,400 — about 56% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $669 (about 42% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 77.4% (about 12.0 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 51248 in Sanborn, IA, a household would need roughly $43,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $992. That sits below the local median household income ($60,809), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

Climate risk and migration signals

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Sanborn city, IA as Very Low (composite score 16.4), which is relatively lower than many U.S. communities. The strongest component scores on US5 are flood (18.5) and wildfire (12.7). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Sanborn city, IA show little to no average snow and around 32.1 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 94 for ZIP 51248 (Sanborn city, IA) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.

Nearby (from this ZIP)

Airport FSD (60.4 miles (97.2 km)) · Northwest Iowa Community College (11.3 miles (18.2 km)) · Pipestone National Monument (65.0 miles (104.7 km)) · VA: Spirit Lake VA Clinic (31.4 miles (50.6 km))

Full lists and map pins are in the Infrastructure section below.