ZIP code
50010
in Ames, IowaPopulation 33,799
59.95/ 100
Ranked #4,905 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 15%)
Ranked #67 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 7.3%)
Ranked #7 of 19 Ames, IA ZIPs (top 37%)
Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.
What defines this ZIP
Metrics where this ZIP sits in the tails of the national distribution — the ones that most set it apart. Select any tile for its definition and methodology.
Binge drinking
22.6%
in the top 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›Slow internet speeds
5.2%
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Transit access
6 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The number of public-transit stops inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
27.8%
in the bottom 2.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
8.5%
in the bottom 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Mental-health provider access
0.15 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
27.3%
in the bottom 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
7.8%
in the bottom 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Stroke
2.3%
in the bottom 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
4.6%
in the bottom 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, ZIP 50010, one of several in Ames, Iowa ranks in the top 15% healthiest ZIPs nationally (4,905th) and the top 7.3% of Iowa (67th).
Neither strongly one way nor the other, the measures sit mixed: transit rests in the top 3.6% nationally, and modeled short sleep is in the bottom 2.7% nationally. Distance to an emergency room stands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled mobility disability settles in the bottom 4.2% nationally, mental-health providers lies in the top 6.5% nationally, and modeled high blood pressure resides in the bottom 5.0% nationally. Modeled diabetes lands in the bottom 3.8% nationally, and stroke registers in the bottom 4.3% nationally. Against that, modeled binge drinking sits in the top 1.4% nationally, and slow internet speeds rests in the top 2.4% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, slow internet speeds runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 50046, just across the boundary.
What’s driving this score
Nine domains make up the ZipVitals Score — here is how this ZIP does on each, and how much each one counts. Compare it against the US, this state and the Ames, IA metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 94%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 63%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 70%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 61%
8%
Disability
healthier than 85%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 77%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 47%
13%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 20%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 35%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 99%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 78%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 95%
11%
Disability
healthier than 92%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 93%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 23%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 10%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 16%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 14%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 89%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 78%
11%
Disability
healthier than 61%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 94%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 50%
16%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 28%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 11%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 17%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 6%
5%
“Share” is how much of this ZIP’s score the domain accounts for. Percentages are rounded; higher is healthier in every domain. How the score works, and who it compares you with ›
Findings that name this ZIP
2 of our published findings list this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Above what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 81.3 ± 1.6 years. A median household income of $65,398 predicts 78.4 years — 2.9 years above.
Ranked #488 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 19.8; chronic-disease standing 94.2 (top 10%) — 74 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #16,775 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
50012
Iowashares a border
Score 54.87
Closest healthier
50046
Iowashares a border
Score 63.43
Similar health profile
02142
Massachusetts99% similar profile
Score 67.66
How these were chosen: only ZIPs with a published Score appear — a nearby ZIP with too little data to score won’t. Nearby means closest by distance between ZIP boundaries, which can cross state lines. A similar health profile is a close match across the nine Score domains, not similar demographics. Distances are measured between ZIP boundaries — ZIPs that touch share a border. How distance is measured
Evidence
Every measure this page draws on, by source. Collapsed by default — the full data stays in the page for search engines either way.
Health OutcomesCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Arthritis among adults | 19.4% | 17.2–21.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 27.3% | 24.2–30.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.0% | 6.4–7.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.8% | 8.7–11.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.6% | 4.1–5.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.6% | 4.1–5.1 |
| Depression among adults | 21.3% | 18.3–24.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 7.8% | 6.8–8.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 32.2% | 28.8–35.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 31.4% | 26.1–36.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.3% | 2.1–2.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 6.7% | 5.4–8.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.6% | 5.6–7.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 69.6% | 67.0–71.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 75.6% | 71.9–78.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 78.8% | 76.5–80.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 73.2% | 68.9–77.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 68.7% | 65.5–71.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.5% | 73.8–85.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 22.6% | 19.1–25.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.8% | 9.3–12.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 20.3% | 17.3–23.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 27.8% | 23.0–32.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 14.8% | 12.9–16.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.9% | 15.0–18.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 10.1% | 8.9–11.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.3% | 12.6–16.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 25.8% | 22.5–29.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 5.8% | 5.1–6.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.3–8.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.4–9.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.5% | 2.2–2.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.5–4.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.0% | 18.0–24.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.6% | 10.8–14.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.3% | 8.8–11.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 7.9–10.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 7.3–9.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.2% | 29.9–38.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.7–7.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 2.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 62.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 80.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 30.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 53.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 11.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 54.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 15.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 28.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $65,398 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $253,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $973 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $825 ($614–$1,113) n=771 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.3 yr ± 0.81 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 80.0 yr (77.2–83.4) n=917 |
About the ± — it’s this estimate’s give-or-take (statisticians call it the standard error). The true life expectancy for this ZIP most likely falls within 0.81 years of 81.3, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.
More ZIPs to explore ▾More ZIPs to explore ▴
How these lists were built: they draw only from ZIPs that have a published Score, so ZIPs with too little data to score are not listed. Distance-based lists use distance between ZIP boundaries with no state filter, so an out-of-state ZIP can appear. Statistically similar means a close match across the nine Score domains, not a demographic match: the measure is the cosine similarity between two ZIPs’ domain scores, taken over the domains both ZIPs have data for and only where that overlap covers at least six of the nine — and where no ZIP clears that minimum-overlap floor, that list is left out rather than filled with a weak match. How distance is measured