ZIP code
51521
in Avoca, IowaPopulation 1,953
49.64/ 100
Ranked #16,738 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 48%)
Ranked #696 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 25%)
Ranked #99 of 113 Omaha, NE-IA ZIPs (bottom 12.4%)
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.
Radon
4.5 pCi/L
in the top 0.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Mental-health provider access
0.45 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics 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 ›Grocery access
0.45 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Outpatient-care access
0.91 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient clinics 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 ›Nitrate in drinking water
2.4%
in the top 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams 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 ›Distance to a community health center
20.1 mi
in the top 8.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST76thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
19.5%
in the top 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST44thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Fatal road crashes
30.7 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 12.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS87thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
7.2%
in the bottom 9.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 15% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS15thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Overall, Avoca, Iowa (ZIP 51521) places in the bottom 48% nationally (16,738th) and the bottom 25% of Iowa (696th).
The measures that define this area's challenges come through directly: modeled radon settles in the top 0.8% nationally, and nitrate sits in the top 5.4% nationally. Distance to a community health center lies in the top 8.2% nationally, and modeled binge drinking rests in the top 8.3% nationally. Fatal road crashes resides in the top 12.7% nationally. On the stronger side, mental-health providers is in the top 1.0% nationally, grocery lands in the top 1.8% nationally, and outpatient stands in the top 2.3% nationally. Childcare registers in the top 12.9% nationally, and modeled tooth loss settles in the bottom 9.2% nationally.
For readers new to these terms, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 51537, 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
Preventive Care
healthier than 64%
13%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 51%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 55%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 59%
8%
Disability
healthier than 49%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 19%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 34%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 10%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 69%
16%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 51%
21%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 23%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 25%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 21%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 14%
8%
Disability
healthier than 25%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 13%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 28%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 45%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 13%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 28%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 10%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 7%
8%
Disability
healthier than 11%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 38%
5%
Healthcare Access
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
51536
Iowashares a border
Score 48.72
Closest healthier
51537
Iowashares a border
Score 51.21
Similar health profile
52208
Iowa86% similar profile
Score 50.79
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 | 29.7% | 26.9–32.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.2% | 33.8–40.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.2–11.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.4% | 9.2–11.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.8% | 6.9–8.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.4% | 7.1–9.8 |
| Depression among adults | 21.8% | 18.9–24.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.1% | 10.5–13.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.3% | 34.7–41.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.1% | 33.1–43.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.9% | 3.5–4.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 7.2% | 6.0–8.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.0% | 5.5–8.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.0% | 78.5–83.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.5% | 75.4–81.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.0% | 82.9–86.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.6% | 63.4–71.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.4% | 60.3–66.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.2% | 71.2–82.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.5% | 16.8–22.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.7% | 13.9–19.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.6% | 23.5–32.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.3% | 29.8–39.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.3% | 16.4–22.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.7% | 14.7–18.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.0% | 12.2–15.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.3% | 12.3–16.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.6% | 28.5–36.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.0% | 7.9–10.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.3–9.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.5% | 13.3–17.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.4–4.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.2–5.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.3% | 20.9–27.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.7% | 10.4–15.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.6% | 8.4–12.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.5–10.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.9% | 5.8–7.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.2% | 30.1–38.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.2% | 5.2–7.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 5.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 28.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 81.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 18.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.3% | 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 | 61.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 26.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 45.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $73,769 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $202,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $860 | $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 | 78.4 yr ± 0.86 | 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 0.86 years of 78.4, 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