ZIP Code · IA

ZIP 52556

Part of Fairfield, IA

Pop. 11,448·Jefferson County·56th most expensive ZIP in Iowa

Median rent (all units)

$743/mo

Year-over-Year

Stable

Month-over-Month

+2.6%

vs US Median

-$1,189

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 52556 · $743

More affordable than 100% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$560

1 BR

$560

2 BR

$735

3 BR

$883

4 BR+

$971

Research median

$735/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: September 25, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($59,243) is $1,481 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($1,440).

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 52556. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$8,916/yr

At $743/mo median

Location

CityFairfield

StateIA

CountyJefferson County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (0.0% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.0% YoY, +2.6% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 52556 (Fairfield, IA) is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income below the national average, 48% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

11,448

Median income

$59,243

Median age

45.2

Renters

36.4%

Age distribution

16.7%

22.8%

19%

30.2%

Under 1816.7%

18–3422.8%

35–5419%

55–6411.3%

65+30.2%

Gender

51.5%

48.5%

Male51.5%

Female48.5%

Race & ethnicity

82.9%

White82.9%

Black2.2%

Hispanic5.1%

Asian9.5%

Education (25+)

20.5%

28%

48%

No HS diploma3.4%

HS diploma20.5%

Some college28%

Bachelor's+48%

Housing tenure

63.6%

36.4%

Owner63.6%

Renter36.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 52556 in Fairfield, IA has changed in 5 years

Income

$46,747 → $59,243

up 26.7%

Population

11,862 → 11,448

down 3.5%

Renter share

38.8% → 36.4%

-2.4 pts

Bachelor's+

43.7% → 48%

+4.3 pts

Median age

42.5 → 45.2

+2.7 yrs

Census figures show median household income at $59,243 today, compared with $46,747 five years earlier. Headcount in the area went from 11,862 to 11,448 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.5% change. About 36.4% of households rent today, against 38.8% in 2021. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 43.7% to 48%.

Community

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Local insights

Tips for renters in ZIP 52556

About renting in ZIP 52556

Last updated: September 25, 2026

ZIP code 52556 covers Fairfield, IA. The median rent here is $743/mo as of September 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $560/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $735/mo.

At 15% of local median household income ($59,243/yr), ZIP 52556 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rent prices have stayed steady over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 52556?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $30,000/year (about $14/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $743/mo in ZIP 52556. The local median household income is $59,243/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.