ZIP code
51301
in Spencer, IowaPopulation 12,638
53.42/ 100
Ranked #11,479 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 36%)
Ranked #383 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
4.7 pCi/L
in the top 0.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Elder-services access
0.16 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST85thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›Physician access
1.7 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of physicians’ offices 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 ›Subsidized affordable housing
194 units
in the top 12.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Lithium in drinking water
11 µg/L
in the bottom 13.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS13thDefinition & source ›
The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.
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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 15.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS85thDefinition & 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS83rdDefinition & 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 ›Grocery access
0.079 per 1,000 residents
in the top 25% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS75thDefinition & source ›
The number of full supermarkets 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. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”
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
On the composite measure, Spencer, Iowa (ZIP 51301) stands in the top 36% healthiest ZIPs nationally (11,479th) and the top 42% of Iowa (383rd).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: distance to an emergency room is at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Elder services registers in the top 9.4% nationally, and physicians lies in the top 9.8% nationally. Modeled short sleep is in the bottom 10.5% nationally. Distance to a community health center registers at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Subsidized affordable housing lies in the top 12.2% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site is in the top 13.3% nationally. By contrast, modeled radon registers in the top 0.5% nationally, fine-particle lies in the top 12.9% nationally, and binge drinking is in the top 11.9% nationally.
Set beside the wider area around it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. ZIP 51333, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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 60%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 66%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 76%
8%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 55%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 49%
11%
Disability
healthier than 55%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 18%
14%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 77%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 71%
11%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 58%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 60%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 20%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 27%
13%
Disability
healthier than 38%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 29%
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
51333
Iowashares a border
Score 54.35
Closest healthier
51343
Iowashares a border
Score 53.75
Similar health profile
30013
Georgia95% similar profile
Score 53.17
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 | 29.8% | 26.4–33.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.2% | 33.0–41.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.2–11.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.0% | 8.8–11.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.7% | 6.9–8.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.1% | 7.0–9.1 |
| Depression among adults | 20.1% | 16.9–23.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.4% | 10.7–14.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.9% | 31.7–40.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.5% | 28.2–43.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.9% | 3.5–4.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.8% | 8.6–13.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.1% | 5.9–8.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.0% | 77.3–82.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.2% | 74.7–81.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.3% | 83.4–87.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.1% | 62.0–71.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 67.6% | 63.9–70.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.0% | 69.4–83.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.9% | 15.8–22.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.7% | 13.4–18.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.3% | 23.0–32.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.2% | 24.4–36.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.7% | 16.1–21.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.9% | 14.1–18.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.8% | 12.1–15.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.5% | 11.9–15.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.2% | 26.1–34.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.8% | 7.9–9.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.0% | 7.0–9.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.0% | 12.9–17.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.1% | 19.7–26.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.8% | 9.9–13.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.5% | 8.8–12.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.5–10.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.8–7.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.1% | 26.4–36.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.3% | 5.4–7.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 29.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 24.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 53.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 22.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 41.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $63,402 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $188,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $807 | $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 ± 0.73 | 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 0.73 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