ZIP code
50629
in Fairbank, IowaPopulation 2,082
54.00/ 100
Ranked #10,694 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 33%)
Ranked #335 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 36%)
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.
Binge drinking
21.6%
in the top 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Radon
3.3 pCi/L
in the top 7.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST40thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Civic-institution access
0.87 per 1,000 residents
in the top 5.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of civic and social organizations 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 ›Poverty rate
2.5%
in the bottom 8.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 13.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS86thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
21.4%
in the top 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS84thDefinition & 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 ›Median household income
$103,106
in the top 17% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS83rdDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
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 ›The read
By its overall health score, Fairbank, Iowa (ZIP 50629) lands in the top 33% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,694th) and the top 36% of Iowa (335th).
The measures split the difference for this area: civic settles in the top 5.4% nationally, and poverty lies in the bottom 8.2% nationally. Recreation resides in the top 11.7% nationally, and childcare lands in the top 14.0% nationally. Modeled mammography registers in the top 11.7% nationally. Against that, modeled binge drinking sits in the top 2.3% nationally, radon rests in the top 7.2% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden is in the top 13.7% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility stands at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Distance to a community health center settles in the top 16% nationally.
To translate a couple of terms, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 50626, 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 65%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 71%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 69%
8%
Disability
healthier than 71%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 59%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 51%
14%
Holding it back
Risk Behavior
healthier than 24%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 36%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 17%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 74%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 75%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 74%
14%
Disability
healthier than 69%
7%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 40%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 18%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 33%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 16%
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.
Nearby
50626
Iowashares a border
Score 56.54
Closest healthier
50644
Iowashares a border
Score 56.04
Similar health profile
52747
Iowa97% similar profile
Score 55.50
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 | 27.7% | 25.4–30.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.0% | 32.1–37.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.3% | 8.7–10.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.1% | 9.2–11.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.6% | 6.1–7.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.2% | 6.4–8.0 |
| Depression among adults | 20.7% | 18.3–23.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.9% | 9.8–12.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.0% | 33.2–39.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.7% | 32.7–43.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 3.1–3.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.9% | 10.3–13.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.6% | 5.5–7.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.2% | 76.1–80.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.6% | 75.0–80.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.9% | 83.4–86.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.1% | 66.0–72.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 67.0% | 64.5–69.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.9% | 75.1–83.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 21.6% | 19.2–24.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.0% | 14.0–18.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.6% | 21.6–27.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.9% | 29.9–38.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.4% | 15.6–19.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.4% | 14.9–17.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.0% | 11.8–14.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.6% | 12.2–15.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.9% | 25.1–31.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.9–8.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.6–8.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.8% | 11.4–14.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.3% | 3.0–3.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.6% | 21.0–26.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.6% | 9.1–12.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.6% | 7.4–10.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.5% | 7.4–9.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.0% | 5.4–6.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.3% | 27.9–34.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.7% | 5.0–6.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 2.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 13.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 24.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 14.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 87.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 59.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 16.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 44.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $103,106 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $207,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $686 | $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 | 78.8 yr ± 0.78 | 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 0.78 years of 78.8, 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