ZIP code
51244
in Matlock, IowaPopulation 144
55.38/ 100
Ranked #8,996 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 28%)
Ranked #239 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 26%)
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.
Fiber broadband
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
32.7%
in the top 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS97thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
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 ›Short sleep
27.4%
in the bottom 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 3.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS4thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
0.00%
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
1.4%
in the bottom 5.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
96.6%
in the top 6.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
19.6%
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST47thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›The read
Overall, Matlock, Iowa (ZIP 51244) places in the top 28% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,996th) and the top 26% of Iowa (239th).
The measures land in both directions, and neither dominates: fiber broadband lands at the national maximum, and modeled transportation noise stands at the national minimum. Modeled short sleep registers in the bottom 2.1% nationally, and expected annual loss settles in the bottom 3.3% nationally. Modeled disaster risk sits in the bottom 3.9% nationally, poverty lies in the bottom 5.8% nationally, and homeownership rests in the top 6.8% nationally. Unemployment resides at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Pulling the other way, modeled arsenic is in the top 2.6% nationally, and tree cover lands at the national minimum.
For readers new to these terms, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 51234, about 0.4 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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 66%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 74%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 66%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 65%
8%
Disability
healthier than 70%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 62%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 59%
21%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 39%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 12%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 65%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 81%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 92%
11%
Disability
healthier than 68%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 69%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 59%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 50%
13%
Holding it back
Mental Health
healthier than 24%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 32%
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
51201
Iowashares a border
Score 51.03
Closest healthier
51234
Iowaabout 0.4 mi away
Score 55.52
Similar health profile
52334
Iowa99% similar profile
Score 59.00
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 | 27.8% | 24.3–31.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.8% | 32.6–41.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.6% | 8.5–10.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.4% | 9.1–11.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.5% | 5.6–7.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.3% | 5.9–8.9 |
| Depression among adults | 21.4% | 18.2–25.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.4% | 9.5–13.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.4% | 34.2–42.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.0% | 28.7–42.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.4% | 2.9–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.3% | 11.7–17.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.5% | 3.9–7.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.3% | 76.1–82.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.0% | 75.6–82.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.9% | 83.5–88.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.3% | 62.8–71.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 70.1% | 67.0–73.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.3% | 70.3–83.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.6% | 16.5–23.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.8% | 11.4–18.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.3% | 19.4–29.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 27.4% | 22.8–32.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.7% | 13.6–20.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.3% | 14.0–18.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.4% | 11.3–15.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.4% | 11.0–15.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.2% | 22.7–32.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.2–8.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.4% | 6.1–8.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.1% | 10.7–15.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.5% | 2.9–4.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.4–4.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.9% | 18.9–27.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.8% | 7.2–12.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.6% | 5.5–10.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.7% | 5.9–9.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.8% | 4.7–7.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.7% | 27.7–38.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.3% | 4.2–6.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 1.4% | 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+) | 6.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 20.0% | 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 | 3.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 16.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 96.6% | 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 | 1.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 82.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 14.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 49.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $83,365 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $95,000 | $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
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 82.3 yr ± 1.21 | 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 1.21 years of 82.3, 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