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ZIP code

50836

in Blockton, IowaPopulation 304

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

51.17/ 100

Ranked #14,572 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 45%)

Ranked #553 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 40%)

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

3.8 pCi/L

in the top 3.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST68th
US97th
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 ›

Distance to an emergency room

22 mi

in the top 4.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.

Full methodology ›

Transportation noise

0.01%

in the bottom 5.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST7th
US5th
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 ›

Distance to a Superfund site

54.7 mi

in the top 10.4% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST93rd
US90th
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 ›

Hearing disability

10.3%

in the top 15% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US85th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Industrial-pollution burden

in the bottom 17% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST3rd
US17th
Definition & 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 ›

Slow internet speeds

0.52%

in the top 20% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST93rd
US80th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.

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 ›

Binge drinking

17.9%

in the top 20% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST10th
US80th
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 ›

High blood pressure

42.5%

in the top 21% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US79th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.

Full methodology ›

The read

Blockton, Iowa (ZIP 50836), by its composite score, sits in the top 45% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,572nd) and the bottom 40% of Iowa (553rd).

continue reading

The measures fall on both sides for this area, fairly evenly: modeled transportation noise lands in the bottom 5.4% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site stands in the top 10.4% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise registers at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Modeled housing insecurity settles in the bottom 13.3% nationally. Crowded housing sits at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Homeownership lies in the top 16% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled radon rests in the top 3.1% nationally, and distance to an emergency room resides in the top 4.3% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Modeled hearing disability lands in the top 15% nationally.

For anyone unfamiliar, 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. 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. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 50835, 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 84%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 84%

8%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 46%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 45%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 46%

11%

Disability

healthier than 45%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 43%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 26%

21%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 25%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 67%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 79%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 64%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 88%

8%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 57%

16%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 59%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 7%

21%

Disability

healthier than 18%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 25%

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 adults34.3%31.3–37.4
High blood pressure among adults42.5%38.9–46.1
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults11.8%10.9–12.8
Current asthma among adults9.8%8.8–10.8
Coronary heart disease among adults9.1%8.2–10.1
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults9.2%8.1–10.5
Depression among adults19.7%17.2–22.4
Diagnosed diabetes among adults14.0%12.3–15.8
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened41.1%37.3–44.8
Obesity among adults40.2%33.7–46.9
Stroke among adults4.5%4.0–5.0
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years10.8%8.9–12.8
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years6.7%5.5–8.2
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure82.9%80.8–84.8
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults80.3%77.8–82.8
Cholesterol screening among adults86.8%85.5–88.2
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years70.6%66.6–74.2
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults67.1%64.0–69.8
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years77.4%70.9–82.9
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults17.9%15.7–20.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults15.7%13.5–18.0
No leisure-time physical activity among adults28.1%24.0–32.4
Short sleep duration among adults32.2%27.1–37.6
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults20.1%17.6–22.9
Frequent mental distress among adults14.9%13.4–16.5
Frequent physical distress among adults14.8%13.2–16.6
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults13.1%11.7–14.8
Any disability among adults32.8%29.0–36.7
Hearing disability among adults10.3%9.3–11.4
Independent living disability among adults8.1%7.2–9.1
Mobility disability among adults16.9%14.8–19.2
Self-care disability among adults4.0%3.6–4.6
Vision disability among adults4.9%4.3–5.5
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults22.7%19.9–25.9
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.5%8.8–12.3
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults8.9%7.5–10.5
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults7.7%6.6–8.9
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults5.9%5.2–6.7
Loneliness among adults30.9%27.0–35.2
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults5.4%4.7–6.2
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate5.6%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931
Uninsured 18–649.6%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931
No HS diploma (25+)1.3%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932
Bachelor's or higher (25+)19.2%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50520.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932
Unemployment rate (16+)1.1%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932
Households without a vehicle1.4%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931
Broadband subscription93.7%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)21.1%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32218.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931
Homeownership rate90.8%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 population1.6%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932
Single-parent households67.3%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928
Population 65+21.1%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932
Median age50.7 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931
Median household income$81,500$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911
Median home value$152,500$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892
Median gross rent$830$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 birth76.5 yr ± 1.0878.9 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 1.08 years of 76.5, 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