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ZIP code

50520

in Bradgate, IowaPopulation 114

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

46.35/ 100

Ranked #20,929 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 35%)

Ranked #846 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 8.3%)

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.

Transportation noise

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.

Full methodology ›

Radon

3.5 pCi/L

in the top 5.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST52nd
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 ›

Housing-cost burden

3.8%

in the bottom 4.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST2nd
US5th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Homeownership rate

98.1%

in the top 5.7% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US94th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Distance to a Superfund site

62.4 mi

in the top 8.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US92nd
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 ›

Distance to a community health center

19 mi

in the top 8.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST74th
US91st
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 ›

Outer-floodplain exposure

2.2%

in the top 13.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
US86th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.

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 ›

Obesity

42.4%

in the top 11.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
US89th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.

Full methodology ›

Hearing disability

9.9%

in the top 20% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
US80th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.

Full methodology ›

Coronary heart disease

9.1%

in the top 19% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US81st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.

Full methodology ›

The read

On balance, and by the composite measure, Bradgate, Iowa (ZIP 50520) ranks in the bottom 35% nationally (20,929th) and the bottom 8.3% of Iowa (846th).

continue reading

The measures split the difference for this area: modeled transportation noise registers at the national minimum, and housing-cost burden sits in the bottom 4.6% nationally. Homeownership rests in the top 5.7% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site is in the top 8.2% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise stands at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Against that, modeled radon settles in the top 5.2% nationally, and distance to a community health center lies in the top 8.9% nationally. Fiber broadband resides at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled binge drinking lands in the top 10.5% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure registers in the top 13.9% nationally.

In plainer terms, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 50541, just across the boundary.

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 68%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 69%

8%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 42%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 53%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 25%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 25%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 17%

11%

Disability

healthier than 32%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 8%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 63%

14%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 45%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 6%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 25%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 33%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 8%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 33%

8%

Disability

healthier than 5%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 24%

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 adults32.5%28.8–36.3
High blood pressure among adults40.7%36.1–45.1
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.2%9.2–11.4
Current asthma among adults10.3%8.9–11.6
Coronary heart disease among adults9.1%7.9–10.4
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults9.9%8.3–11.8
Depression among adults20.3%17.1–23.7
Diagnosed diabetes among adults14.3%12.1–16.6
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened38.9%34.3–43.2
Obesity among adults42.4%34.2–50.3
Stroke among adults4.5%4.0–5.2
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years16.8%13.8–20.3
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.3%5.7–9.4
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure80.5%77.5–83.0
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults78.3%74.9–81.3
Cholesterol screening among adults85.1%83.0–87.1
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years70.6%65.3–75.6
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults61.7%58.1–65.2
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years78.0%70.6–84.6
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults19.1%15.9–22.3
Current cigarette smoking among adults19.1%15.6–22.6
No leisure-time physical activity among adults28.9%23.7–34.2
Short sleep duration among adults34.6%28.5–41.5
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults22.0%18.3–25.8
Frequent mental distress among adults16.7%14.6–18.9
Frequent physical distress among adults15.7%13.4–18.0
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults15.0%12.8–17.4
Any disability among adults33.4%28.4–38.3
Hearing disability among adults9.9%8.7–11.2
Independent living disability among adults9.3%7.8–10.8
Mobility disability among adults17.3%14.4–20.3
Self-care disability among adults4.9%4.2–5.8
Vision disability among adults5.7%4.8–6.6
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults23.4%19.7–27.2
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults13.9%11.0–17.3
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults13.0%10.2–16.2
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.0%8.2–12.0
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults7.6%6.4–9.0
Loneliness among adults30.6%25.5–35.6
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults7.4%6.2–8.7
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate12.3%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931
Uninsured 18–641.6%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931
No HS diploma (25+)8.8%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932
Bachelor's or higher (25+)7.8%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50520.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932
Unemployment rate (16+)1.5%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 subscription80.8%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)3.8%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32218.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931
Homeownership rate98.1%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 population6.1%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932
Single-parent households86.8%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928
Population 65+33.3%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932
Median age55.0 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931
Median household income$73,750$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911
Median home value$44,300$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892
Median gross rent—$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 birth81.8 yr ± 2.2178.9 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 2.21 years of 81.8, 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