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ZipVitals

ZIP code

50213

in Osceola, IowaPopulation 7,489

44.44/ 100

Ranked #22,981 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 28%)

Ranked #891 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 3.4%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Elder-services access

0.27 per 1,000 residents

in the top 5.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST89th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.

Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.

Full methodology ›

Radon

3.2 pCi/L

in the top 7.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST37th
US92nd
Definition & 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 ›

Households without a vehicle

14.7%

in the top 7.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The share of households with no vehicle available.

Full methodology ›

Loud transportation noise

1.9%

in the top 7.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US92nd
Definition & 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 ›

Transportation noise

10.6%

in the top 7.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US92nd
Definition & 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 ›

Lead in tap water

5.8 ppb

in the top 8.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

US92nd
Definition & source ›

The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.

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 ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 8.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US91st
Definition & 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 ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$0

in the top 10.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US89th
Definition & 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 ›

Obesity

43.2%

in the top 8.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.

Full methodology ›

Grocery access

0.14 per 1,000 residents

in the top 13.3% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST95th
US87th
Definition & source ›

The number of full supermarkets inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.

Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”

Full methodology ›

The read

Overall, Osceola, Iowa (ZIP 50213) places in the bottom 28% nationally (22,981st) and the bottom 3.4% of Iowa (891st).

continue reading

The data opens on a genuinely even set of readings: elder services settles in the top 5.1% nationally. Distance to an emergency room sits at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. On the other side, modeled radon lies in the top 7.7% nationally, households without a vehicle rests in the top 7.6% nationally, and modeled loud transportation noise resides in the top 7.8% nationally. Modeled transportation noise is in the top 7.8% nationally, lead in tap water lands in the top 8.2% nationally, and modeled disaster risk stands in the top 8.6% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss registers in the top 10.9% nationally, and arsenic settles in the top 11.2% nationally.

Beside the areas that surround it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For readers new to these terms, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Mental Health

healthier than 58%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 55%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 31%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 30%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 12%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 29%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 19%

11%

Disability

healthier than 24%

7%

Lifting this score

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 49%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 13%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 33%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 11%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 4%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 10%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 13%

8%

Disability

healthier than 2%

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 ›

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.

  • Below what income predicts

    The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes

    Estimated life expectancy is 76.0 ± 1.9 years. A median household income of $73,026 predicts 78.8 years — 2.9 years below.

    Ranked #3,929 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.

  • Below its nearby ZIPs

    The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors

    Estimated life expectancy is 76.0 ± 1.9 years. The 50 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 79.7 years — 3.8 years below them.

    Ranked #2,890 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.

Nearby & similar ZIPs

Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults29.9%26.6–33.5
High blood pressure among adults38.3%34.2–42.6
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.1%8.2–10.0
Current asthma among adults10.3%9.0–11.6
Coronary heart disease among adults8.6%7.7–9.7
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults9.7%8.4–11.2
Depression among adults20.7%17.6–24.3
Diagnosed diabetes among adults14.4%12.4–16.5
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened37.8%33.5–42.3
Obesity among adults43.2%35.5–51.5
Stroke among adults4.4%3.9–4.9
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years18.6%15.4–22.1
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years12.8%10.7–15.5
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure79.4%76.5–81.8
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults76.9%73.1–80.4
Cholesterol screening among adults82.2%79.8–84.3
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years63.3%58.1–68.2
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults59.2%55.4–62.7
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years76.3%68.6–82.9
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults18.2%15.0–21.6
Current cigarette smoking among adults19.0%16.2–22.0
No leisure-time physical activity among adults33.1%27.9–38.5
Short sleep duration among adults32.3%26.3–38.9
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults24.8%21.4–28.4
Frequent mental distress among adults17.6%15.5–19.8
Frequent physical distress among adults16.0%14.0–18.3
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults17.0%14.8–19.2
Any disability among adults35.2%30.6–40.1
Hearing disability among adults9.6%8.5–10.9
Independent living disability among adults10.2%8.9–11.6
Mobility disability among adults17.6%15.1–20.3
Self-care disability among adults5.1%4.4–5.7
Vision disability among adults6.7%5.9–7.6
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults24.9%21.1–28.9
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults19.1%15.9–22.4
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults17.2%14.4–20.3
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults13.5%11.4–15.8
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults9.6%8.2–11.1
Loneliness among adults33.2%28.1–38.6
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults9.1%7.8–10.6
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate7.3%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931
Uninsured 18–645.1%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931
No HS diploma (25+)12.2%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932
Bachelor's or higher (25+)15.6%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50520.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932
Unemployment rate (16+)4.8%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932
Households without a vehicle14.7%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931
Broadband subscription88.1%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)27.0%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32218.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931
Homeownership rate68.8%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32282.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.3%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931
Foreign-born population7.5%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932
Single-parent households56.5%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928
Population 65+20.2%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932
Median age38.1 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931
Median household income$73,026$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911
Median home value$165,500$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892
Median gross rent$939$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$825 ($614–$1,113) n=771
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IA median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth76.0 yr ± 0.9578.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30880.0 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 0.95 years of 76.0, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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