ZIP code
50051
in Clemons, IowaPopulation 224
53.05/ 100
Ranked #12,011 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 37%)
Ranked #406 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 44%)
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.
PFAS in drinking water
4.1%
in the bottom 0.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Transportation noise
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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
0.45%
in the bottom 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS5thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Radon
3.2 pCi/L
in the top 7.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST37thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Fiber broadband
97.6%
in the top 7.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST78thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
19.4%
in the top 8.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST41stUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Obesity
43.6%
in the top 7.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
93.5%
in the top 10.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS89thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Walkability
2.5 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 10.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST10thUS11thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
14.6 mi
in the top 11.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›The read
Clemons, Iowa (ZIP 50051), overall, ranks in the top 37% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,011th) and the top 44% of Iowa (406th).
This area's measures are easy to read as a mixed set: modeled pfas stands in the bottom 0.5% nationally, modeled transportation noise rests at the national minimum, and poverty registers in the bottom 4.8% nationally. Fiber broadband resides in the top 7.3% nationally. Households without a vehicle settles at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Homeownership is in the top 10.8% nationally. Set against that, modeled radon sits in the top 7.8% nationally, and binge drinking lands in the top 8.8% nationally. Modeled obesity lies in the top 7.2% nationally, and walkability stands in the bottom 10.9% nationally.
Defined simply, 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. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. ZIP 50005, just across the boundary, comes out healthier overall.
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 81%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 67%
8%
Disability
healthier than 62%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 46%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 53%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 58%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 46%
11%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 39%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 18%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 67%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 83%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 72%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 65%
11%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 40%
21%
Disability
healthier than 53%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Mental Health
healthier than 28%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 19%
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
50005
Iowashares a border
Score 55.74
Closest healthier
50206
Iowashares a border
Score 53.79
Similar health profile
52356
Iowa98% similar profile
Score 51.91
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 | 30.0% | 26.6–33.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.9% | 32.0–40.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.3% | 9.3–11.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.2% | 8.9–11.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.4% | 6.4–8.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.7% | 6.4–9.0 |
| Depression among adults | 21.6% | 18.4–25.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.9% | 10.2–13.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.4% | 33.4–41.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 43.6% | 37.1–50.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.2–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.9% | 12.2–17.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.6% | 5.1–8.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.9% | 76.9–82.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.7% | 77.5–83.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.7% | 84.7–88.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.2% | 64.9–73.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 68.6% | 65.5–71.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.0% | 71.7–83.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.4% | 16.3–22.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.1% | 12.2–18.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.6% | 21.3–30.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.0% | 27.6–36.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.1% | 15.2–21.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.0% | 13.9–18.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.6% | 11.8–15.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.3% | 11.3–15.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.5% | 25.4–33.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.4–9.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.5–8.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.1% | 11.8–16.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.6% | 3.0–4.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.7–5.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.8% | 17.7–24.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.8% | 8.5–13.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.7% | 7.4–12.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.6% | 7.0–10.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.0% | 5.1–7.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.8% | 25.4–33.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.1% | 5.0–7.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 0.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 2.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 13.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 96.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 20.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 93.5% | 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 | 0.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 82.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 38.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 61.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $60,000 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $207,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 78.3 yr ± 1.16 | 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 1.16 years of 78.3, 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