ZIP code
51501
in Council Bluffs, IowaPopulation 34,618
43.31/ 100
Ranked #24,093 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 25%)
Ranked #902 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 2.2%)
Ranked #107 of 113 Omaha, NE-IA ZIPs (bottom 5.4%)
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.
Lithium in drinking water
110 µg/L
in the top 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Subsidized affordable housing
789 units
in the top 2.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
19.7%
in the top 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
20.8%
in the top 3.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST77thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a Superfund site
0.4 mi
in the bottom 5.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST2ndUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Loud transportation noise
1.6%
in the top 10.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS90thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
27.5%
in the top 11.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS89thDefinition & 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 ›Loneliness
36.2%
in the top 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS84thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 51501, one of several in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 25% nationally (24,093rd) and the bottom 2.2% of Iowa (902nd).
What the numbers press hardest on defines much of the story here: lithium in drinking water sits in the top 2.2% nationally, modeled transportation noise registers in the top 2.6% nationally, and modeled expected annual loss lands in the top 2.9% nationally. Modeled binge drinking resides in the top 3.7% nationally, modeled disaster risk lies in the top 4.8% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site settles in the bottom 5.3% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise stands in the top 10.3% nationally, and floodplain exposure is in the top 11.4% nationally. On the encouraging side, subsidized affordable housing rests in the top 2.2% nationally. Distance to a community health center sits at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. 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. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 51503, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Omaha, NE-IA metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 83%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 55%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 47%
16%
Disability
healthier than 40%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 2%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 24%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 6%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 35%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 20%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 95%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 59%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 58%
16%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.3%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 3%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the bottom 1.0%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 2%
8%
Disability
healthier than 12%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 4%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 87%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 23%
16%
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.00%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 13%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 4%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 3%
8%
Disability
healthier than 7%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 13%
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 ›
Findings that name this ZIP
3 of our published findings list this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 75.6 ± 1.1 years. A median household income of $59,843 predicts 78.1 years — 2.4 years below.
Ranked #3,356 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 75.6 ± 1.1 years. The 44 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 78.6 years — 3.0 years below them.
Ranked #2,397 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 1.7 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 55.2 — 54 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #14,756 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
51503
Iowashares a border
Score 52.55
Closest healthier
51526
Iowashares a border
Score 55.81
Similar health profile
50313
Iowa98% similar profile
Score 43.99
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 | 26.3% | 23.6–28.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 34.9% | 31.4–38.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.8% | 7.1–8.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.6–12.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.9% | 6.2–7.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.5% | 7.7–9.4 |
| Depression among adults | 22.9% | 19.8–26.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.1% | 10.6–13.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.9% | 32.4–39.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.2% | 35.7–46.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–3.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.2% | 12.6–18.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.3% | 8.9–11.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.2% | 74.3–79.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 75.7% | 72.3–78.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 81.4% | 79.4–83.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.6% | 59.0–68.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.6% | 55.2–62.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.0% | 68.2–81.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 20.8% | 17.7–23.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 20.0% | 17.6–22.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.3% | 26.5–34.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.3% | 31.3–41.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.9% | 19.5–24.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.7% | 16.7–20.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.7% | 13.1–16.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.7% | 14.9–18.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.5% | 29.8–36.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.8% | 6.9–8.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.4% | 8.5–10.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.3% | 13.6–17.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.4% | 4.1–4.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.6% | 5.2–6.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.7% | 23.4–30.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.6% | 16.3–21.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 16.2% | 14.2–18.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.2% | 11.4–15.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.4% | 8.4–10.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 36.2% | 31.9–40.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.9–10.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 14.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 16.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.0% | 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 | 84.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 29.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 45.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 16.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 38.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $59,843 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $152,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $1,059 | $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 | 75.6 yr ± 0.57 | 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 0.57 years of 75.6, 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