ZIP code
50057
in Columbia, IowaPopulation 327
53.66/ 100
Ranked #11,144 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 35%)
Ranked #359 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 39%)
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.
Crowded housing
21.3%
in the top 1.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
21.7%
in the top 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Lithium in drinking water
120 µg/L
in the top 1.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS98thDefinition & source ›
The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Radon
3.3 pCi/L
in the top 6.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST43rdUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Median household income
$118,882
in the top 10.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 13.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS13thDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
7.4 mi
in the top 19% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS81stDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
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, Columbia, Iowa (ZIP 50057) ranks in the top 35% healthiest ZIPs nationally (11,144th) and the top 39% of Iowa (359th).
Strengths and concerns sit side by side across the measures here: home broadband subscription is at the national maximum. Unemployment stands at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Households without a vehicle settles at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled short sleep lies in the bottom 11.0% nationally, and household income resides in the top 10.0% nationally. On the other hand, crowded housing lands in the top 1.1% nationally, modeled binge drinking registers in the top 2.1% nationally, and lithium in drinking water sits in the top 1.8% nationally. Modeled radon rests in the top 6.6% nationally. Fiber broadband is at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, crowded housing runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 50138, 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 68%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 67%
13%
Disability
healthier than 76%
7%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 40%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 60%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 51%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 37%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 25%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 20%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 78%
21%
Disability
healthier than 79%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 44%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 54%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 51%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 35%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 29%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 15%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 39%
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
50049
Iowashares a border
Score 45.56
Closest healthier
50138
Iowashares a border
Score 54.24
Similar health profile
51559
Iowa99% similar profile
Score 54.81
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 | 27.0% | 23.6–30.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 34.9% | 30.7–39.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.8% | 7.8–9.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.7% | 8.5–11.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.3% | 5.3–7.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.0% | 5.6–8.5 |
| Depression among adults | 21.7% | 18.4–25.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.1% | 9.3–13.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.3% | 31.2–39.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.7% | 34.2–49.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.1% | 2.6–3.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.2% | 8.9–13.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.4% | 4.6–8.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.6% | 73.3–79.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.8% | 73.0–80.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.8% | 81.0–86.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 71.7% | 66.8–76.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 69.8% | 66.4–73.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.8% | 70.6–84.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 21.7% | 18.3–25.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.8% | 12.2–19.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.4% | 18.4–28.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.3% | 24.6–36.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.4% | 14.0–21.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.7% | 14.3–19.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.6% | 10.6–14.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.5% | 11.3–16.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.7% | 23.8–33.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.9% | 5.9–8.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.0% | 5.8–8.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.3% | 9.9–14.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.2% | 2.6–3.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.2–4.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.8% | 18.8–27.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.7% | 8.0–13.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 6.5–11.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.2% | 6.4–10.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.2% | 5.1–7.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.8% | 25.8–35.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.8% | 4.6–6.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 0.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 12.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 21.7% | 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 | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 100.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 25.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 87.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 21.3% | 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 | 72.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 6.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 47.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $118,882 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $221,300 | $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 | 79.7 yr ± 1.28 | 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 1.28 years of 79.7, 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