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ZIP code

50242

in Searsboro, IowaPopulation 326

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

56.63/ 100

Ranked #7,611 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 24%)

Ranked #155 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 17%)

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.

PFAS in drinking water

5.3%

in the bottom 1.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST3rd
US1st
Definition & source ›

The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.

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 ›

Radon

3.5 pCi/L

in the top 4.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST54th
US95th
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 ›

Poverty rate

30.4%

in the top 6.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Full methodology ›

Short sleep

29.1%

in the bottom 6.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST8th
US6th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.

Full methodology ›

Binge drinking

19.7%

in the top 7.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST49th
US93rd
Definition & 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 ›

Slow internet speeds

1.1%

in the top 10.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US90th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.

Full methodology ›

Colon-cancer screening

72.2%

in the top 9.9% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST92nd
US90th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.

Full methodology ›

Homeownership rate

61.9%

in the bottom 18% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST4th
US18th
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.

Full methodology ›

Air-toxics cancer risk

20 per million

in the bottom 25% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US25th
Definition & 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 ›

The read

Searsboro, Iowa (ZIP 50242), by its overall standing, sits in the top 24% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,611th) and the top 17% of Iowa (155th).

continue reading

Both sides of the picture show up plainly in this area's numbers: modeled pfas settles in the bottom 1.4% nationally, and short sleep registers in the bottom 6.2% nationally. Unemployment stands at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled colon screening lands in the top 9.9% nationally, and transportation is in the bottom 13.7% nationally. By contrast, modeled radon resides in the top 4.9% nationally, and poverty rests in the top 6.7% nationally. Modeled binge drinking lies in the top 7.4% nationally, and slow internet speeds sits in the top 10.5% nationally. Modeled arsenic settles in the top 10.7% nationally.

Defined in plain terms, pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. 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. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 50219, about 2.5 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.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 67%

21%

Preventive Care

healthier than 85%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 63%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 77%

8%

Disability

healthier than 78%

7%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 42%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 42%

14%

Holding it back

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 38%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 14%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 78%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 63%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 84%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 89%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 63%

8%

Disability

healthier than 82%

7%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 53%

16%

Holding it back

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 18%

5%

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.

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 adults27.7%24.3–31.1
High blood pressure among adults35.1%30.8–39.2
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.6%8.6–10.7
Current asthma among adults9.6%8.4–10.8
Coronary heart disease among adults6.8%6.0–7.8
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults6.6%5.7–7.7
Depression among adults20.6%17.4–24.1
Diagnosed diabetes among adults10.8%9.2–12.5
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened36.5%32.3–40.7
Obesity among adults40.3%32.3–48.0
Stroke among adults3.3%2.9–3.7
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years7.8%6.2–9.8
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years6.1%4.9–7.5
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure79.3%76.3–81.9
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults77.6%73.8–80.9
Cholesterol screening among adults86.2%84.1–88.1
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years72.2%67.1–76.7
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults74.3%71.2–77.3
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years79.8%72.7–85.9
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults19.7%16.4–23.2
Current cigarette smoking among adults14.3%11.9–17.2
No leisure-time physical activity among adults23.6%19.3–28.2
Short sleep duration among adults29.1%23.2–35.5
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults16.2%13.7–19.0
Frequent mental distress among adults15.4%13.6–17.6
Frequent physical distress among adults12.2%10.6–14.0
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults12.5%10.9–14.4
Any disability among adults27.1%23.0–31.4
Hearing disability among adults7.9%6.9–8.9
Independent living disability among adults6.6%5.7–7.6
Mobility disability among adults12.0%10.2–14.0
Self-care disability among adults3.0%2.6–3.5
Vision disability among adults3.7%3.3–4.2
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults23.7%20.1–27.6
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults9.4%7.6–11.6
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults7.3%5.8–9.2
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults7.8%6.4–9.3
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults5.5%4.7–6.4
Loneliness among adults31.5%26.8–36.5
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults5.1%4.3–6.0
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate30.4%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931
Uninsured 18–6414.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931
No HS diploma (25+)5.2%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932
Bachelor's or higher (25+)18.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50520.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932
Households without a vehicle4.1%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931
Broadband subscription89.8%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)15.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32218.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931
Homeownership rate61.9%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32282.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931
Crowded housing (>1 per room)1.4%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931
Foreign-born population0.0%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932
Single-parent households45.5%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928
Population 65+18.1%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932
Median age38.4 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931
Median household income$67,104$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911
Median home value$225,000$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892
Median gross rent$856$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 birth82.1 yr ± 2.0378.9 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 2.03 years of 82.1, 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