ZIP code
50327
in Pleasant Hill, IowaPopulation 13,177
53.90/ 100
Ranked #10,824 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 34%)
Ranked #343 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 37%)
Ranked #62 of 85 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA ZIPs (bottom 27%)
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
3.5 pCi/L
in the top 4.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST55thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
19.7%
in the top 7.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST49thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Subsidized affordable housing
259 units
in the top 9.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
1.7%
in the bottom 7.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Unemployment rate
9.2%
in the top 11.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS89thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
5.5 mi
in the bottom 23% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST9thUS23rdDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Grocery access
0.085 per 1,000 residents
in the top 24% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS76thDefinition & 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 ›Park land
1.3%
in the top 30% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS70thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›The read
Pleasant Hill, Iowa (ZIP 50327), overall, ranks in the top 34% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,824th) and the top 37% of Iowa (343rd).
Taken together, the data gives a genuinely mixed reading: subsidized affordable housing lands in the top 9.6% nationally, and modeled energy burden lies in the bottom 7.3% nationally. Distance to a nursing home stands at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Modeled tooth loss rests in the bottom 15% nationally, and elder services registers in the top 18% nationally. On the other side, modeled radon resides in the top 4.7% nationally, and binge drinking settles in the top 7.4% nationally. Unemployment is in the top 11.4% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility sits at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Modeled loud transportation noise lands in the top 16% nationally.
Measured against the nearby ZIPs, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. ZIP 50009, just across the boundary, comes out healthier overall.
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 65%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 90%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 67%
13%
Disability
healthier than 71%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 64%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 44%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 53%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 43%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 4%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 74%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 97%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 61%
11%
Disability
healthier than 70%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 89%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 1%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 30%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 9%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 24%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 76%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 79%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 33%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 4%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 26%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 26%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 14%
8%
Disability
healthier than 29%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
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 ›
Findings that name this ZIP
One of our published findings lists 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.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 4.2 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 65.1 — 61 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #15,510 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
50009
Iowashares a border
Score 55.40
Closest healthier
50047
Iowashares a border
Score 54.29
Similar health profile
45050
Ohio94% similar profile
Score 56.48
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 | 29.6% | 27.1–32.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 34.7% | 32.0–37.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.9% | 8.1–9.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.7% | 6.0–7.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.0% | 6.2–8.0 |
| Depression among adults | 22.1% | 19.7–24.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.5% | 10.1–13.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.3% | 34.5–40.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.8% | 34.2–41.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 3.0–3.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.4% | 6.9–10.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.8% | 5.7–8.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.8% | 76.0–81.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.0% | 74.4–79.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.1% | 83.4–86.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.0% | 64.2–71.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 68.2% | 65.4–70.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.7% | 73.2–83.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.7% | 17.3–22.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.5% | 12.4–16.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.2% | 22.2–28.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.9% | 29.4–36.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.4% | 16.2–20.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.2% | 15.3–19.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.8% | 12.2–15.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.5% | 11.9–15.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.4% | 25.5–31.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.4–8.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.9% | 11.2–14.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.3% | 3.0–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.7–4.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.1% | 20.7–25.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.9% | 10.3–13.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.1% | 8.6–11.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.7% | 8.4–11.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.8–7.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.8% | 30.0–36.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.7–7.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 5.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 1.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 35.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 9.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 94.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 55.2% | 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 | 40.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $98,333 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $314,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $1,226 | $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 | 80.7 yr ± 1.14 | 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 1.14 years of 80.7, 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