ZIP code
50131
in Johnston, IowaPopulation 24,583
62.19/ 100
Ranked #3,400 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 10.7%)
Ranked #34 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 3.7%)
Ranked #16 of 85 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ZIPs (top 19%)
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.
Air-toxics cancer risk
45 per million
in the top 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
21.3%
in the top 2.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
1.4%
in the bottom 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS4thDefinition & 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 ›Mobility disability
8.9%
in the bottom 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
5.4%
in the bottom 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
5.4%
in the bottom 3.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Stroke
2.4%
in the bottom 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
2.4 per 100,000 residents per year
in the bottom 8.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS8thDefinition & 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 ›Food insecurity
8.3%
in the bottom 8.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›The read
Johnston, Iowa (ZIP 50131), overall, ranks in the top 10.7% healthiest ZIPs nationally (3,400th) and the top 3.7% of Iowa (34th).
This area's measures are easy to read as a mixed set: modeled energy burden registers in the bottom 3.9% nationally, mobility disability resides in the bottom 5.3% nationally, and independent living disability settles in the bottom 4.8% nationally. Modeled tooth loss is in the bottom 3.0% nationally, modeled stroke sits in the bottom 5.4% nationally, and fatal road crashes lands in the bottom 8.4% nationally. Modeled food insecurity lies in the bottom 8.7% nationally. Set against that, modeled air-toxics cancer risk stands in the top 1.5% nationally, and binge drinking rests in the top 2.7% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden registers in the top 4.5% nationally.
Measured against the nearby ZIPs, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. ZIP 50023, 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. 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 90%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 92%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 76%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 70%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 76%
8%
Disability
healthier than 95%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 74%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 13%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 21%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 97%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 98%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 95%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 61%
8%
Disability
healthier than 98%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 92%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 56%
13%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 13%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 4%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 85%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 88%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 87%
11%
Disability
healthier than 83%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 83%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 51%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 53%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 21%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 6%
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 ›
Findings that name this ZIP
2 of our published findings list this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 13.4; chronic-disease standing 89.8 — 76 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #16,942 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Highest-risk tenth
Air toxics and the years between the two ends of the risk scale
Modeled air-toxics cancer risk is 45.0 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 81.0 ± 1.6 years.
Ranked #289 of the 4,173 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by modeled air-toxics risk, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
50023
Iowashares a border
Score 62.96
Closest healthier
50109
Iowashares a border
Score 62.85
Similar health profile
62236
Illinois98% similar profile
Score 59.88
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 | 24.6% | 22.4–26.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 29.4% | 26.9–32.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.0% | 7.3–8.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.6% | 4.0–5.3 |
| Depression among adults | 20.9% | 18.5–23.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 8.7% | 7.6–9.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.3% | 31.6–37.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 34.0% | 30.6–37.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.4% | 2.2–2.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 5.4% | 4.4–6.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 4.9% | 4.1–5.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.2% | 73.3–78.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.7% | 74.0–79.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.3% | 84.6–87.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.6% | 63.8–71.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 73.8% | 71.3–76.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.2% | 74.8–84.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 21.3% | 18.8–23.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.2% | 8.8–11.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 19.2% | 16.9–21.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.2% | 27.8–34.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 13.4% | 11.9–15.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.3% | 13.7–17.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 10.7% | 9.5–12.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 10.9% | 9.7–12.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 22.2% | 19.9–24.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 5.5% | 4.9–6.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.8–6.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 8.9% | 7.8–10.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.3% | 2.1–2.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 2.9% | 2.7–3.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.1% | 19.0–23.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 7.2–9.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 6.5% | 5.5–7.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 6.5–8.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.1% | 4.5–5.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.5% | 28.8–34.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.0% | 4.4–5.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 1.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 57.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 9.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 44.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 15.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 37.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $106,551 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $369,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $1,338 | $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 | 81.0 yr ± 0.81 | 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 0.81 years of 81.0, 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