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ZipVitals

ZIP code

50519

in Bode, IowaPopulation 765

47.99/ 100

Ranked #18,929 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 41%)

Ranked #781 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 15%)

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.

Radon

4 pCi/L

in the top 1.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST79th
US98th
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 ›

Recreation access

1.6 per 1,000 residents

in the top 2.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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.

Full methodology ›

Arsenic in groundwater

20.7%

in the top 6.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST84th
US94th
Definition & source ›

The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.

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 ›

Housing-cost burden

8.6%

in the bottom 7.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST9th
US8th
Definition & source ›

The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a community health center

20.2 mi

in the top 8.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST76th
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 ›

PFAS in drinking water

9.9%

in the bottom 8.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST24th
US9th
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 ›

Physician access

1.6 per 1,000 residents

in the top 10.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST96th
US90th
Definition & source ›

The number of physicians’ offices located 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.

Full methodology ›

Binge drinking

19.3%

in the top 9.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST39th
US91st
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 ›

Distance to a Superfund site

52.3 mi

in the top 11.4% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST91st
US89th
Definition & 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 ›

Energy-cost burden

5.0%

in the top 9.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST80th
US91st
Definition & 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 ›

Cross-source signals

Combined exposures in this ZIP

More than one environmental exposure stands out in this ZIP. Each is established independently and shown on its own above; they are grouped here for context — not because one causes the other.

  • USGS models a high likelihood that groundwater arsenic here exceeds 10 µg/L — the level EPA sets as the limit for public water systems — and this area's modeled radon runs above EPA's 4 pCi/L action level.

    See the full radon & arsenic analysis →

The read

Bode, Iowa (ZIP 50519), overall, ranks in the bottom 41% nationally (18,929th) and the bottom 15% of Iowa (781st).

continue reading

Reading the numbers as a whole, the picture lands somewhere in between: recreation stands in the top 2.8% nationally, housing-cost burden rests in the bottom 7.9% nationally, and modeled pfas registers in the bottom 8.9% nationally. Physicians resides in the top 10.2% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site settles in the top 11.4% nationally. On the other side, modeled radon is in the top 1.8% nationally, and arsenic sits in the top 6.2% nationally. Distance to a community health center lands in the top 8.1% nationally. Fiber broadband lies at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled binge drinking stands in the top 9.3% nationally.

Defined simply, 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. 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. ZIP 50511, 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.

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

Compare within

Lifting this score

Preventive Care

healthier than 69%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 70%

8%

About typical

Disability

healthier than 48%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 50%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 37%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 23%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 22%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 21%

11%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 8%

5%

Nothing measured is lifting this score.

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 23%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 20%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 28%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 35%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 13%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 37%

8%

Disability

healthier than 23%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 38%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 23%

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 adults31.0%28.1–34.0
High blood pressure among adults39.1%35.5–42.8
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.0%9.2–10.9
Current asthma among adults10.2%9.1–11.3
Coronary heart disease among adults8.3%7.5–9.2
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.9%7.8–10.2
Depression among adults20.4%17.7–23.3
Diagnosed diabetes among adults13.7%12.0–15.4
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened38.3%34.7–41.9
Obesity among adults42.0%35.3–49.0
Stroke among adults4.1%3.7–4.5
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years12.9%10.9–15.1
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.5%6.1–9.2
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure80.3%77.8–82.5
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults78.6%75.7–81.4
Cholesterol screening among adults85.5%83.7–87.0
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years67.6%63.7–71.5
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults64.2%61.0–67.3
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years79.1%73.8–83.9
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults19.3%16.6–22.2
Current cigarette smoking among adults17.9%15.4–20.8
No leisure-time physical activity among adults27.4%23.3–31.7
Short sleep duration among adults34.8%29.7–40.3
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults20.4%17.8–23.2
Frequent mental distress among adults16.5%14.7–18.3
Frequent physical distress among adults14.6%13.0–16.4
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults14.1%12.5–15.9
Any disability among adults31.0%27.4–34.9
Hearing disability among adults9.0%8.1–10.0
Independent living disability among adults8.3%7.3–9.3
Mobility disability among adults15.3%13.3–17.4
Self-care disability among adults4.2%3.8–4.8
Vision disability among adults5.0%4.4–5.6
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults22.7%19.8–25.8
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults13.1%11.0–15.4
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults11.9%10.0–14.0
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults9.6%8.3–11.1
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults7.1%6.2–8.1
Loneliness among adults29.9%25.8–33.9
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults7.0%6.1–8.0
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate8.2%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931
Uninsured 18–6417.9%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931
No HS diploma (25+)8.9%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932
Bachelor's or higher (25+)27.2%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50520.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932
Unemployment rate (16+)3.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932
Households without a vehicle6.7%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931
Broadband subscription91.1%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)8.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32218.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931
Homeownership rate78.7%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32282.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.2%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931
Foreign-born population3.8%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932
Single-parent households52.5%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928
Population 65+21.6%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932
Median age43.2 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931
Median household income$72,083$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911
Median home value$123,600$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892
Median gross rent$637$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 birth80.8 yr ± 1.4778.9 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 1.47 years of 80.8, 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