ZIP code
50166
in Milo, IowaPopulation 2,023
56.58/ 100
Ranked #7,673 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 24%)
Ranked #161 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 17%)
Ranked #39 of 85 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ZIPs (top 46%)
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.
Radon
3.7 pCi/L
in the top 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST62ndUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
21.6%
in the top 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Poverty rate
2.0%
in the bottom 6.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Walkability
1.9 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 7.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS7thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
16.7%
in the top 8.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST78thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
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 ›Independent-living disability
6.3%
in the bottom 12.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS12thDefinition & 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 ›Fair or poor health
15.2%
in the bottom 14.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS15thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$107,279
in the top 14.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS85thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
21 days/year
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS78thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
3.0%
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS25thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Cross-source signals
Combined exposures in this ZIP
More than one environmental exposure stands out in this ZIP. Each is established independently and shown on its own above; they are grouped here for context — not because one causes the other.
This area ranks among the highest 10% of US ZIP codes for both modeled radon and modeled groundwater arsenic.
See the full radon & arsenic analysis →
The read
In its overall standing, Milo, Iowa (ZIP 50166) lands in the top 24% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,673rd) and the top 17% of Iowa (161st).
Reading the numbers as a whole, the picture lands somewhere in between: poverty is in the bottom 6.9% nationally, and modeled transportation noise sits in the bottom 10.6% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise lands at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Homeownership lies in the top 12.0% nationally, and modeled housing insecurity stands in the bottom 12.3% nationally. On the other side, modeled radon rests in the top 3.8% nationally, and binge drinking registers in the top 2.3% nationally. Walkability resides in the bottom 7.0% nationally, and modeled arsenic settles in the top 8.5% nationally. Fiber broadband is at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs.
Put simply, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. On the overall standing, ZIP 50001, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.
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 72%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 72%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 77%
8%
Disability
healthier than 83%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 57%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 44%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 29%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 17%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 85%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 72%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 61%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 62%
8%
Disability
healthier than 89%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 63%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 42%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 43%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 45%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Disability
healthier than 61%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 90%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 52%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 57%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 40%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 55%
8%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 35%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 37%
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
50001
Iowashares a border
Score 58.41
Closest healthier
50125
Iowashares a border
Score 57.38
Similar health profile
50444
Iowa99% similar profile
Score 56.47
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 | 27.1% | 23.9–30.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.7% | 29.7–37.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.2% | 8.4–10.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.7% | 8.5–10.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.1% | 5.4–6.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.2% | 5.4–7.0 |
| Depression among adults | 20.4% | 17.3–23.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.2% | 8.8–11.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.4% | 32.3–40.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.4% | 32.5–46.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.0% | 2.7–3.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.8% | 7.9–12.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.9% | 4.8–7.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.5% | 75.4–81.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.2% | 73.5–80.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.0% | 84.0–87.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.4% | 63.5–73.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 69.5% | 66.2–72.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.5% | 71.2–84.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 21.6% | 18.1–25.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.6% | 11.4–16.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.8% | 18.8–27.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.3% | 26.5–38.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.2% | 13.0–17.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.6% | 13.6–17.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.9% | 10.4–13.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.4% | 10.7–14.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 25.9% | 22.1–30.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.1% | 6.2–7.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.3% | 5.5–7.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.3% | 9.7–13.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.9% | 2.5–3.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.5% | 3.1–3.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.5% | 19.1–26.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.3–10.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.1% | 5.6–8.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.6% | 6.3–9.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.4% | 4.6–6.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.9% | 26.2–35.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.2% | 4.4–6.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 2.0% | 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+) | 4.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 17.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 19.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 92.8% | 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 | 5.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 50.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 13.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 38.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $107,279 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $252,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $775 | $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 | 80.0 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 80.0, 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