ZIP code
50027
in Barnes City, IowaPopulation 148
50.32/ 100
Ranked #15,808 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 49%)
Ranked #636 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 31%)
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.
Radon
3.4 pCi/L
in the top 5.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST48thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
5.1%
in the bottom 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS5thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
0.02%
in the bottom 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
23.6%
in the top 12.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
57.7%
in the bottom 14.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST3rdUS14thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$52,976
in the bottom 18% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS18thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20 per million
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS25thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Barnes City, Iowa (ZIP 50027) ranks in the top 49% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,808th) and the bottom 31% of Iowa (636th).
Taken together, the profile's clearest strengths surface right away: housing-cost burden lies in the bottom 5.2% nationally, and modeled transportation noise resides in the bottom 6.0% nationally. Unemployment lands at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled loud transportation noise registers at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Crowded housing sits at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Against that, modeled radon rests in the top 5.8% nationally. Fiber broadband is at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled arsenic stands in the top 11.8% nationally, and poverty settles in the top 12.4% nationally. Homeownership lies in the bottom 14.0% nationally.
In plainer terms, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 50171, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 76%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 64%
8%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 43%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 49%
14%
Disability
healthier than 52%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 26%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 31%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 40%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 16%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 73%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 55%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 43%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 35%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 27%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 34%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 20%
8%
Disability
healthier than 31%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 21%
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
50104
Iowashares a border
Score 44.82
Closest healthier
50171
Iowashares a border
Score 52.80
Similar health profile
50475
Iowa96% similar profile
Score 50.61
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 | 31.2% | 27.8–34.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.7% | 34.6–42.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.2–11.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.2% | 7.3–9.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.5% | 7.3–9.9 |
| Depression among adults | 21.2% | 18.1–24.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.7% | 11.0–14.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.2% | 34.0–42.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.4% | 32.3–46.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.0% | 8.0–12.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.8% | 5.5–8.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.6% | 78.0–83.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.2% | 74.9–81.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.5% | 83.7–87.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.9% | 63.9–73.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 70.6% | 67.3–73.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.4% | 71.8–84.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.4% | 15.4–21.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.0% | 14.2–19.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.9% | 24.2–33.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.1% | 27.1–39.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.8% | 16.9–22.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.6% | 14.6–18.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.4% | 12.5–16.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.1% | 12.2–16.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.0% | 26.8–35.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.0% | 8.0–10.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.1–9.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.1% | 13.0–17.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.4–4.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.1–5.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.5% | 19.9–27.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.9% | 9.6–14.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.5% | 8.4–12.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.1% | 7.6–10.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.8% | 5.8–7.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.4% | 26.8–36.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.4% | 5.4–7.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 23.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 24.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 6.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 85.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 5.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 57.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 50.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 28.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 60.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $52,976 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $85,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $824 | $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 | 80.6 yr ± 1.87 | 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 1.87 years of 80.6, 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