ZIP code
50272
in Williamson, IowaPopulation 190
46.75/ 100
Ranked #20,461 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 36%)
Ranked #836 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 9.4%)
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.
Energy-cost burden
6.3%
in the top 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 3.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Floodplain exposure
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Poverty rate
35.8%
in the top 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
20.5%
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST69thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS6thDefinition & 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 ›Radon
3.1 pCi/L
in the top 9.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST30thUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Walkability
85 intersections/sq mi
in the top 12.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS87thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 13.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS13thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
8.5%
in the top 13.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS86thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Williamson, Iowa (ZIP 50272) ranks in the bottom 36% nationally (20,461st) and the bottom 9.4% of Iowa (836th).
Neither strongly one way nor the other, the measures sit mixed: modeled expected annual loss rests in the bottom 3.0% nationally, and floodplain exposure is at the national minimum. Modeled disaster risk stands in the bottom 5.6% nationally, and walkability settles in the top 12.8% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden lies in the bottom 13.3% nationally. Against that, modeled energy burden resides in the top 2.2% nationally, poverty lands in the top 4.2% nationally, and modeled binge drinking registers in the top 4.5% nationally. Modeled radon sits in the top 9.4% nationally. Fiber broadband rests at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, walkability runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, 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. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 50139, about 3.6 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.
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 69%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 46%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 47%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 48%
8%
Disability
healthier than 49%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 6%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 38%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 15%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 38%
5%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 87%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 75%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 41%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 57%
14%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 1%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 10%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 6%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 6%
8%
Disability
healthier than 25%
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
50049
Iowashares a border
Score 45.56
Closest healthier
50139
Iowaabout 3.6 mi away
Score 54.80
Similar health profile
16057
Pennsylvania98% similar profile
Score 43.66
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 | 29.0% | 25.5–32.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.0% | 32.5–41.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.6% | 7.6–9.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.4% | 9.1–11.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.5% | 6.4–8.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.6% | 7.0–10.5 |
| Depression among adults | 21.9% | 18.3–25.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.1% | 11.0–15.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.1% | 32.7–41.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.0% | 31.9–48.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.2–4.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.5% | 14.1–21.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.2% | 5.2–9.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.9% | 75.7–81.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.5% | 73.5–81.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.9% | 80.0–85.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.2% | 60.8–71.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 59.4% | 55.4–63.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.4% | 69.2–83.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 20.5% | 16.9–24.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.4% | 14.7–22.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.9% | 21.5–32.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.3% | 28.3–42.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.9% | 17.1–25.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.9% | 15.4–20.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.7% | 12.5–17.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.6% | 12.9–18.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.6% | 25.4–36.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.0% | 6.9–9.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.0–10.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.6% | 11.9–17.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.5–5.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.1–6.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.7% | 19.9–28.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.4% | 10.1–17.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 8.8–15.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.8% | 7.8–12.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 6.1–9.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.8% | 26.5–37.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.0% | 5.8–8.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 35.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 13.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 12.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 0.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 91.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 19.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.2% | 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 | 10.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 56.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 20.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 43.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $45,000 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | — | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $631 | $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 | 76.2 yr ± 1.64 | 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 1.64 years of 76.2, 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