ZIP code
50078
in Ferguson, IowaPopulation 85
56.67/ 100
Ranked #7,574 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 24%)
Ranked #152 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 16%)
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.
Fiber broadband
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS6thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
17.5%
in the top 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
6.9%
in the bottom 6.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
5.1%
in the bottom 8.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Mammography
81%
in the top 6.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Loneliness
28.4%
in the bottom 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS10thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
8.5%
in the bottom 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›The read
Ferguson, Iowa (ZIP 50078) ranks in the top 24% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,574th) and the top 16% of Iowa (152nd).
A profile of give and take, with clear readings each way: fiber broadband registers at the national maximum, and modeled transportation noise lies at the national minimum. Modeled expected annual loss is in the bottom 2.8% nationally, and disaster risk registers in the bottom 5.6% nationally. Modeled housing insecurity lies in the bottom 6.7% nationally. Unemployment is at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled transportation registers in the bottom 8.7% nationally, mammography lies in the top 6.7% nationally, and loneliness is in the bottom 9.6% nationally. On the other side, households without a vehicle registers in the top 5.6% nationally.
Against its neighbors, walkability runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 50120, about 3.8 miles away.
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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 90%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 92%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 63%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 89%
8%
Disability
healthier than 73%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 41%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 53%
16%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 28%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 29%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 66%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 98%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 96%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 89%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 97%
8%
Disability
healthier than 73%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 63%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 29%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 8%
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
50106
Iowashares a border
Score 55.32
Closest healthier
50120
Iowaabout 3.8 mi away
Score 58.13
Similar health profile
51008
Iowa99% similar profile
Score 56.13
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 | 31.3% | 28.0–35.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.1% | 34.2–42.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.3% | 10.1–12.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.5% | 8.3–10.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.8% | 6.7–9.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.3% | 5.8–9.1 |
| Depression among adults | 19.1% | 16.2–22.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.8% | 10.9–15.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.0% | 35.7–44.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 42.4% | 36.2–49.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.2–4.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.4% | 11.7–17.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.7% | 4.2–7.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.5% | 78.5–84.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.9% | 78.8–84.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.4% | 86.4–90.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.3% | 63.8–72.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 72.9% | 70.0–75.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 81.0% | 75.2–85.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.2% | 16.1–22.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.3% | 10.4–16.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.8% | 19.4–29.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.8% | 26.6–35.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.9% | 13.9–20.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.0% | 12.2–16.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.2% | 11.3–15.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.6% | 9.8–13.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.2% | 24.0–33.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.4–10.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.6% | 5.5–7.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.6% | 11.1–16.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.3% | 2.8–4.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.3–4.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.7% | 17.3–24.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.5% | 6.4–10.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 6.7% | 4.9–8.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 6.9% | 5.4–8.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.1% | 4.2–6.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 28.4% | 24.3–32.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 4.8% | 3.9–5.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.0% | 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+) | 11.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 14.8% | 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 | 17.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 77.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 30.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.5% | 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 | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 52.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 35.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 43.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $52,500 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $75,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $1,125 | $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 | 84.5 yr ± 2.85 | 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 2.85 years of 84.5, 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