ZIP code
50048
in Casey, IowaPopulation 562
49.93/ 100
Ranked #16,341 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 49%)
Ranked #672 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 27%)
Ranked #77 of 85 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ZIPs (bottom 9.5%)
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.
Mental-health provider access
1.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Elder-services access
1.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›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 ›Radon
3.7 pCi/L
in the top 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST63rdUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a community health center
36.2 mi
in the top 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
9.5%
in the bottom 8.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST21stUS8thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
24.9%
in the top 11.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS89thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
5.0%
in the top 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST78thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Crowded housing
4.0%
in the top 19% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS81stDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$54,688
in the bottom 21% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST10thUS21stDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, Casey, Iowa (ZIP 50048) lands in the bottom 49% nationally (16,341st) and the bottom 27% of Iowa (672nd).
The burdens that read clearest in the data come first: modeled radon resides in the top 3.6% nationally, and distance to a community health center lands in the top 2.8% nationally. Poverty registers in the top 11.0% nationally, and modeled energy burden sits in the top 9.6% nationally. Modeled binge drinking rests in the top 12.7% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Better still, mental-health providers stands in the top 0.2% nationally, elder services settles in the top 0.5% nationally, and outpatient lies in the top 1.2% nationally. Modeled pfas resides in the bottom 8.0% nationally.
Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, mental-health providers runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of terms, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 50115, 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 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
Preventive Care
healthier than 71%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 76%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 61%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 45%
21%
Disability
healthier than 51%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 24%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 39%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 32%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 2%
5%
Lifting this score
Mental Health
healthier than 60%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 69%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 58%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 39%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 22%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 40%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 35%
11%
Disability
healthier than 31%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 3%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 88%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 96%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 51%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 10%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 7%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 37%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 14%
11%
Disability
healthier than 11%
7%
Healthcare Access
in the bottom 0.00%
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
50002
Iowashares a border
Score 46.35
Closest healthier
50115
Iowashares a border
Score 52.43
Similar health profile
51530
Iowa99% similar profile
Score 49.73
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 | 30.4% | 27.5–33.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.9% | 35.2–42.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.3–11.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.1% | 9.1–11.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.0% | 7.3–8.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.4–9.3 |
| Depression among adults | 19.8% | 17.2–22.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.0% | 11.6–14.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.6% | 34.7–42.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.0% | 32.6–45.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.0% | 3.7–4.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.9% | 8.3–11.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.7% | 5.6–7.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.6% | 78.1–82.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.0% | 74.9–80.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.0% | 84.4–87.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.8% | 62.7–70.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 67.8% | 64.8–70.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.0% | 72.0–83.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.8% | 16.1–21.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.8% | 14.7–19.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.3% | 24.5–32.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.9% | 27.9–38.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.5% | 17.3–21.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.1% | 14.4–17.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.3% | 12.8–15.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.7% | 12.2–15.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.8% | 27.3–34.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.1% | 8.2–10.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.3–9.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.1% | 13.4–17.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.8% | 20.1–25.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.9% | 10.2–13.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.3% | 8.8–12.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.7–10.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.8–7.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.6% | 26.7–34.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.4% | 5.6–7.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 24.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 22.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 83.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 18.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 4.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 4.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 59.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 25.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 42.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $54,688 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $101,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $814 | $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 | 80.5 yr ± 1.09 | 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 1.09 years of 80.5, 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