ZIP code
50611
in Bristow, IowaPopulation 364
48.18/ 100
Ranked #18,711 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 42%)
Ranked #773 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 16%)
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.
PFAS in drinking water
6.6%
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Transportation noise
0.05%
in the bottom 7.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST12thUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Walkability
2.2 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 8.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST4thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Lead in tap water
5.5 ppb
in the top 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
US91stDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
9.4%
in the bottom 8.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
19.2%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST36thUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Home broadband subscription
77.9%
in the bottom 13.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST10thUS13thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
12.7 mi
in the top 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS84thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Crowded housing
4.0%
in the top 18% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS82ndDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
42.5%
in the top 21% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS79thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›The read
Bristow, Iowa (ZIP 50611), by its overall standing, sits in the bottom 42% nationally (18,711th) and the bottom 16% of Iowa (773rd).
Both sides of the picture show up plainly in this area's numbers: modeled pfas rests in the bottom 2.8% nationally, and transportation noise lies in the bottom 7.3% nationally. Unemployment sits at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Housing-cost burden settles in the bottom 8.7% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise registers at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. By contrast, walkability stands in the bottom 8.5% nationally, and lead in tap water lands in the top 8.6% nationally. Modeled radon is in the top 11.1% nationally, and binge drinking resides in the top 9.8% nationally. Home broadband subscription rests in the bottom 13.4% nationally.
Defined in plain terms, 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. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 50602, 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.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 72%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 76%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 69%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 66%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 22%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 29%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 20%
11%
Disability
healthier than 37%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 22%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 81%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 54%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 55%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 4%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 31%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 10%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 34%
8%
Disability
healthier than 9%
7%
“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
50602
Iowashares a border
Score 52.65
Closest healthier
50636
Iowashares a border
Score 52.09
Similar health profile
16631
Pennsylvania99% similar profile
Score 47.01
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 | 34.8% | 31.1–38.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.5% | 38.0–47.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.6% | 9.6–11.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.9% | 7.8–10.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.1% | 8.7–11.6 |
| Depression among adults | 20.8% | 17.7–24.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.6% | 12.6–16.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.0% | 36.4–45.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 42.0% | 34.0–50.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.5% | 4.0–5.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.9% | 11.4–16.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.0% | 5.7–8.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.4% | 78.5–84.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.1% | 76.6–83.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.5% | 84.6–88.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.4% | 61.5–71.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.5% | 61.1–68.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.3% | 72.7–85.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.2% | 15.9–22.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.9% | 16.0–22.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.9% | 26.0–36.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.2% | 26.6–38.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.3% | 19.2–25.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.3% | 14.4–18.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.8% | 13.8–18.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.4% | 12.6–16.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.7% | 27.4–36.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.9% | 7.8–10.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.4% | 14.9–20.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.6% | 4.1–5.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.8–6.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.2% | 19.6–26.9 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.5% | 11.1–16.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 12.6% | 10.3–14.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.6% | 8.0–11.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.2–8.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.9% | 25.1–34.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.0% | 5.9–8.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 0.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 24.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 8.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 77.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 9.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 91.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 4.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 41.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 25.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 46.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $84,250 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $93,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $358 | $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 | 79.4 yr ± 1.09 | 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 1.09 years of 79.4, 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