ZIP code
50028
in Baxter, IowaPopulation 1,981
56.09/ 100
Ranked #8,179 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 26%)
Ranked #189 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 20%)
Ranked #47 of 85 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ZIPs (bottom 45%)
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.
Outpatient-care access
1.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient 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 ›Fatal road crashes
0 per 100,000 residents per year
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Civic-institution access
1.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of civic and social organizations 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 ›Binge drinking
20.7%
in the top 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST74thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Radon
3.3 pCi/L
in the top 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST45thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Child-care access
0.62 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST88thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of child day-care services 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20.4 per million
in the bottom 44% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS44thDefinition & 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 the composite measure, Baxter, Iowa (ZIP 50028) stands in the top 26% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,179th) and the top 20% of Iowa (189th).
Several signals sit on each side of the ledger here: outpatient is in the top 1.2% nationally, and fatal road crashes registers at the national minimum. Civic lies in the top 2.8% nationally, and childcare is in the top 6.7% nationally. Modeled short sleep registers in the bottom 10.5% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise lies at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Working the other way, modeled binge drinking is in the top 3.9% nationally, radon registers in the top 6.3% nationally, and arsenic lies in the top 10.6% nationally. Distance to a community health center is in the top 13.9% nationally.
For clarity, 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. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. ZIP 50055, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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 Des Moines-West Des Moines, 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 69%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 70%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 73%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 66%
8%
Disability
healthier than 76%
7%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 49%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 37%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 14%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 81%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 84%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 71%
11%
Disability
healthier than 77%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 63%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 55%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 46%
13%
Holding it back
Mental Health
healthier than 25%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 38%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 85%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 93%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 43%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 50%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 44%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 40%
11%
Holding it back
Mental Health
healthier than 27%
8%
Disability
healthier than 36%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 30%
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
50055
Iowashares a border
Score 56.76
Closest healthier
50162
Iowashares a border
Score 57.17
Similar health profile
54021
Wisconsin99% similar profile
Score 58.95
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 | 27.3% | 24.1–30.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 34.9% | 30.8–38.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.9% | 8.0–9.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.1% | 8.9–11.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.4% | 5.6–7.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.9% | 5.9–8.0 |
| Depression among adults | 21.1% | 18.0–24.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.0% | 9.5–12.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.8% | 31.7–39.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.0% | 31.3–44.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.2% | 2.8–3.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.2% | 7.4–11.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.9% | 4.6–7.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.4% | 74.3–80.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.3% | 74.7–81.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.4% | 83.3–87.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.6% | 63.8–73.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 71.9% | 68.7–74.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.8% | 70.6–83.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 20.7% | 17.4–24.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.6% | 13.0–18.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.1% | 18.9–27.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.2% | 24.7–36.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.9% | 14.3–19.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.5% | 14.4–18.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.8% | 11.0–14.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.3% | 11.5–15.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.5% | 23.4–31.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.1% | 6.2–8.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.0% | 6.0–8.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.4% | 10.5–14.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.3% | 2.8–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.5% | 19.1–26.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.2% | 8.2–12.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.5% | 6.8–10.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.4% | 6.9–10.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.0% | 5.1–7.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.6% | 25.2–34.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.8% | 4.9–6.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 3.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 85.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 49.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 18.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 39.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $72,022 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $206,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $900 | $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 | 77.0 yr ± 1.40 | 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 1.40 years of 77.0, 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