ZIP code
50218
in Patterson, IowaPopulation 346
58.88/ 100
Ranked #5,684 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 18%)
Ranked #88 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 9.6%)
Ranked #28 of 85 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ZIPs (top 33%)
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.
Binge drinking
22.8%
in the top 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 3.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS4thDefinition & 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 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Food insecurity
8.1%
in the bottom 7.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
29.7%
in the bottom 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
7.2%
in the bottom 8.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
30.7%
in the top 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a community health center
17.6 mi
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST71stUS90thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
9.7%
in the bottom 8.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
5.2%
in the bottom 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›The read
Patterson, Iowa (ZIP 50218), on the composite measure, lands in the top 18% healthiest ZIPs nationally (5,684th) and the top 9.6% of Iowa (88th).
The profile cuts both ways, and the readings bear that out: modeled expected annual loss is in the bottom 3.7% nationally, and disaster risk rests in the bottom 4.9% nationally. Unemployment sits at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled food insecurity registers in the bottom 7.8% nationally. Households without a vehicle lands at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled short sleep resides in the bottom 8.3% nationally, and housing insecurity lies in the bottom 8.8% nationally. Working the other way, modeled binge drinking settles in the top 1.3% nationally, and floodplain exposure stands in the top 9.7% nationally. Distance to a community health center is in the top 9.8% nationally.
In everyday language, 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. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 50261, about 2.2 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. 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 86%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 88%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 68%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 73%
8%
Disability
healthier than 89%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 51%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 58%
11%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 20%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 8%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 96%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 63%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 98%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 84%
11%
Disability
healthier than 95%
7%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 48%
8%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 33%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 4%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 24%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 81%
21%
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.00%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 63%
11%
Disability
healthier than 77%
7%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 43%
8%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 26%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 29%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 5%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 18%
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
50229
Iowashares a border
Score 56.93
Closest healthier
50261
Iowaabout 2.2 mi away
Score 63.20
Similar health profile
62477
Illinois96% similar profile
Score 54.23
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 | 23.6% | 20.6–26.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 29.9% | 26.2–33.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.5% | 7.5–9.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.7% | 8.5–10.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.4% | 4.6–6.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.1% | 4.2–6.2 |
| Depression among adults | 20.5% | 17.3–23.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 8.8% | 7.4–10.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 33.5% | 29.6–37.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.3% | 28.1–42.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.6% | 2.3–3.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.9% | 7.1–11.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.4% | 3.9–7.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.3% | 72.1–78.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.7% | 72.5–80.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.4% | 82.8–87.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.5% | 58.7–68.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 75.6% | 72.5–78.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.6% | 73.5–86.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 22.8% | 19.0–26.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.3% | 9.5–15.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 20.3% | 16.3–24.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 29.7% | 24.1–36.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 13.8% | 11.4–16.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.0% | 13.8–18.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 10.9% | 9.3–12.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.2% | 10.2–14.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 24.1% | 20.2–28.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.5% | 5.6–7.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.0–7.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 9.7% | 7.9–11.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.5% | 2.1–2.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.1% | 2.6–3.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.6% | 18.7–26.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.1% | 6.0–10.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 6.0% | 4.4–8.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 5.6–9.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.2% | 4.2–6.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.1% | 27.0–37.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 4.8% | 3.8–5.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 6.9% | 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 | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 13.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 88.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.2% | 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 | 20.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 11.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 36.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $82,969 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $111,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 81.9 yr ± 1.33 | 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 1.33 years of 81.9, 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