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ZIP code

50426

in Carpenter, IowaPopulation 81

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

55.68/ 100

Ranked #8,652 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 27%)

Ranked #211 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 23%)

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.

Fiber broadband

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.

Full methodology ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$0

in the bottom 2.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST2nd
US2nd
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 ›

Binge drinking

20.6%

in the top 4.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST71st
US96th
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 ›

Tree cover

0.00%

at the national minimum

Higher is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.

Full methodology ›

Distance to an emergency room

20.6 mi

in the top 5.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the bottom 5.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST4th
US5th
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 ›

Distance to a community health center

19.8 mi

in the top 8.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST75th
US92nd
Definition & 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 ›

Housing insecurity

7.3%

in the bottom 9.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST12th
US9th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Floodplain exposure

0.91%

in the bottom 11.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST3rd
US12th
Definition & 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 ›

Walkability

60 intersections/sq mi

in the top 18% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST93rd
US82nd
Definition & source ›

The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.

Full methodology ›

The read

In overall standing, Carpenter, Iowa (ZIP 50426) comes out in the top 27% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,652nd) and the top 23% of Iowa (211th).

continue reading

The profile opens balanced, with readings on either hand: fiber broadband settles at the national maximum, modeled expected annual loss registers in the bottom 2.1% nationally, and modeled disaster risk stands in the bottom 5.4% nationally. Unemployment lands at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled housing insecurity is in the bottom 9.5% nationally, and short sleep resides in the bottom 11.5% nationally. By contrast, modeled binge drinking rests in the top 4.2% nationally, and tree cover lies at the national minimum. Distance to an emergency room sits in the top 5.1% nationally, and distance to a community health center settles in the top 8.3% nationally.

In plain 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. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 50464, about 8.8 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

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 62%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 84%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 84%

8%

Disability

healthier than 68%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 88%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 52%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 55%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 46%

11%

Holding it back

Healthcare Access

healthier than 7%

5%

Lifting this score

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 69%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 87%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 79%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 65%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 89%

8%

Disability

healthier than 64%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 54%

21%

Holding it back

Healthcare Access

healthier than 19%

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 adults30.5%26.7–34.2
High blood pressure among adults38.0%33.4–42.4
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.4%9.3–11.7
Current asthma among adults9.8%8.5–11.1
Coronary heart disease among adults7.2%6.1–8.4
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults7.8%6.1–9.6
Depression among adults19.2%16.1–22.4
Diagnosed diabetes among adults12.1%10.1–14.2
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened38.3%33.8–42.7
Obesity among adults40.3%32.3–48.6
Stroke among adults3.6%3.0–4.2
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years8.8%7.0–10.8
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years5.8%4.1–8.2
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure80.7%77.9–83.4
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults78.7%75.1–82.1
Cholesterol screening among adults86.2%83.7–88.6
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years69.9%64.9–74.4
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults69.7%66.5–72.8
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years80.0%72.7–85.9
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults20.6%17.2–24.3
Current cigarette smoking among adults15.2%11.4–18.9
No leisure-time physical activity among adults24.9%19.4–30.8
Short sleep duration among adults30.4%24.4–36.8
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults17.4%13.8–21.3
Frequent mental distress among adults15.2%12.8–17.4
Frequent physical distress among adults13.4%11.1–15.7
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults12.7%10.3–15.2
Any disability among adults27.9%22.7–33.5
Hearing disability among adults7.9%6.7–9.1
Independent living disability among adults7.2%5.9–8.7
Mobility disability among adults13.9%11.1–16.8
Self-care disability among adults3.6%2.9–4.4
Vision disability among adults4.1%3.3–5.0
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults21.7%17.8–25.9
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults9.6%6.9–12.7
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults7.9%5.5–10.6
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults7.3%5.5–9.2
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults5.6%4.4–6.9
Loneliness among adults30.0%25.2–35.6
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults5.2%4.1–6.3
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate8.6%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931
Uninsured 18–640.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931
No HS diploma (25+)16.9%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932
Bachelor's or higher (25+)14.1%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 vehicle1.9%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931
Broadband subscription88.7%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)15.1%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32218.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931
Homeownership rate84.9%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32282.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931
Foreign-born population1.2%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932
Single-parent households75.0%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928
Population 65+22.2%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932
Median age51.9 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931
Median household income$74,107$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911
Median home value$63,900$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892
Median gross rent$767$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 birth81.9 yr ± 1.2478.9 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 1.24 years of 81.9, 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