ZIP code
50174
in Murray, IowaPopulation 1,259
44.79/ 100
Ranked #22,626 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 29%)
Ranked #885 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 4.1%)
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 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST63rdUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Fatal road crashes
0 per 100,000 residents per year
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Energy-cost burden
5.4%
in the top 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Fiber broadband
96.3%
in the top 9.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST73rdUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Crowded housing
5.9%
in the top 11.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS89thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Obesity
42.9%
in the top 9.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
23.7%
in the top 12.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
7.9%
in the top 12.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS88thDefinition & 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 ›Loud transportation noise
1.3%
in the top 14.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS86thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 15% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS85thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Murray, Iowa (ZIP 50174), in overall standing, comes out in the bottom 29% nationally (22,626th) and the bottom 4.1% of Iowa (885th).
A few readings account for most of this area's strain: modeled radon lies in the top 3.6% nationally, modeled energy burden registers in the top 5.4% nationally, and crowded housing is in the top 11.1% nationally. Modeled obesity lies in the top 9.4% nationally, poverty registers in the top 12.3% nationally, and modeled transportation noise is in the top 12.4% nationally. Modeled binge drinking lies in the top 11.2% nationally, and arsenic registers in the top 13.1% nationally. On the better side, fatal road crashes is at the national minimum, and fiber broadband lies in the top 9.0% nationally.
Defined simply, for reference, 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. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 50108, 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.
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 51%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 31%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 10%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 22%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 20%
11%
Disability
healthier than 34%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 25%
5%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 63%
5%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 13%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 4%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 28%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 11%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 11%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 7%
8%
Disability
healthier than 6%
7%
“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
50108
Iowashares a border
Score 45.07
Closest healthier
50149
Iowashares a border
Score 51.40
Similar health profile
50558
Iowa97% similar profile
Score 44.33
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 | 31.2% | 27.9–35.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.9% | 34.8–43.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.6% | 8.6–10.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.3–11.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.4% | 7.4–9.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.9% | 8.5–11.3 |
| Depression among adults | 21.7% | 18.5–25.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.8% | 12.0–16.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.3% | 34.1–42.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 42.9% | 35.1–51.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.3% | 3.9–4.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.9% | 12.1–18.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.0% | 6.5–9.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.0% | 77.1–82.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.7% | 74.0–81.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.6% | 81.5–85.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.7% | 59.6–69.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 62.3% | 58.5–65.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.1% | 70.0–83.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.0% | 15.8–22.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.5% | 16.7–22.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.0% | 25.4–35.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.4% | 26.2–38.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.3% | 19.3–25.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.7% | 15.7–19.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.6% | 13.7–17.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.9% | 13.9–18.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.3% | 29.0–38.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.1% | 8.1–10.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.7% | 14.4–19.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.1–5.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.7% | 5.0–6.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.4% | 20.0–27.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.1% | 12.6–18.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 14.4% | 12.1–17.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.7% | 9.1–12.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.0% | 7.0–9.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.9% | 27.1–37.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 6.8–9.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 23.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 12.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 83.7% | 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 | 87.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 5.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 47.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 11.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 26.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $67,250 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $132,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $850 | $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 | 77.8 yr ± 1.34 | 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 1.34 years of 77.8, 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