ZIP code
50543
in Gowrie, IowaPopulation 1,420
53.30/ 100
Ranked #11,635 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 36%)
Ranked #387 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 42%)
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
4 pCi/L
in the top 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST78thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Outpatient-care access
1.5 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient clinics 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 ›Recreation access
2.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
20.6%
in the top 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST71stUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Child-care access
0.74 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of child day-care services 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 ›Fiber broadband
98.9%
in the top 5.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST83rdUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
0.02%
in the bottom 12.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST4thUS12thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20 per million
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS25thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
0.00%
in the bottom 36% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS36thDefinition & 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 ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Gowrie, Iowa (ZIP 50543) ranks in the top 36% healthiest ZIPs nationally (11,635th) and the top 42% of Iowa (387th).
The measures split the difference for this area: outpatient is in the top 0.8% nationally, and recreation stands in the top 1.2% nationally. Childcare settles in the top 4.7% nationally, and fiber broadband lies in the top 5.1% nationally. Distance to a Superfund site resides in the top 11.8% nationally. Crowded housing lands at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Against that, modeled radon registers in the top 1.9% nationally, binge drinking sits in the top 4.2% nationally, and arsenic rests in the top 11.8% nationally. Modeled tree cover is in the bottom 12.2% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, outpatient runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, 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. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 50566, about 3.0 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
Preventive Care
healthier than 73%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 76%
8%
Disability
healthier than 67%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 56%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 57%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 56%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 33%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 21%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 24%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 60%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 72%
16%
Disability
healthier than 61%
7%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 50%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 46%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 60%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 52%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Risk Behavior
healthier than 12%
11%
“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
50050
Iowashares a border
Score 47.84
Closest healthier
50566
Iowaabout 3.0 mi away
Score 53.57
Similar health profile
16329
Pennsylvania98% similar profile
Score 52.68
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 | 29.5% | 26.3–32.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.8% | 33.9–41.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.8% | 8.9–10.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.9% | 8.8–11.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.1% | 6.3–8.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.3% | 6.2–8.5 |
| Depression among adults | 20.1% | 17.2–23.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.9% | 10.3–13.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.5% | 32.6–40.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.6% | 33.9–47.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.2–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.5% | 8.3–12.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.3% | 5.1–7.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.4% | 76.6–81.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.1% | 75.7–82.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.7% | 83.6–87.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.5% | 61.4–71.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 68.2% | 64.6–71.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.9% | 71.6–84.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 20.6% | 17.3–24.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.3% | 12.6–18.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.4% | 21.9–31.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.1% | 29.8–42.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.6% | 15.0–20.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.9% | 13.9–17.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.0% | 11.3–14.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.1% | 11.3–15.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.9% | 24.0–32.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.2% | 7.2–9.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.4–8.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.5% | 11.5–15.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.5% | 3.1–4.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.8–4.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.8% | 19.3–26.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.7% | 8.6–12.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.5% | 6.8–10.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.1% | 6.7–9.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.0% | 5.1–7.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.5% | 27.7–37.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.7% | 4.8–6.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 5.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 1.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 31.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 16.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 83.5% | 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 | 0.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 47.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 22.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 40.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $91,563 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $155,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $698 | $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 | 77.8 yr ± 1.23 | 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 1.23 years of 77.8, 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