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ZIP code

51647

in Northboro, IowaPopulation 172

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

50.52/ 100

Ranked #15,516 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 48%)

Ranked #619 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 33%)

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.

Housing-cost burden

68.3%

in the top 0.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.

Full methodology ›

Poverty rate

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Full methodology ›

Nitrate in drinking water

12.5%

in the top 2.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US97th
Definition & 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 ›

Fiber broadband

99.3%

in the top 4.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST86th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a community health center

28.6 mi

in the top 4.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST89th
US96th
Definition & 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 ›

Radon

3.3 pCi/L

in the top 7.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST41st
US93rd
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 ›

Transportation noise

0.00%

in the bottom 4.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST5th
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 ›

Median household income

$23,633

in the bottom 0.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.

Full methodology ›

Energy-cost burden

5.0%

in the top 8.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST80th
US91st
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.

A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a nursing home

8 mi

in the top 16% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US84th
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.

Full methodology ›

The read

Northboro, Iowa (ZIP 51647), on the composite measure, lands in the top 48% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,516th) and the bottom 33% of Iowa (619th).

continue reading

Where the data leans one way, another reading answers it: poverty lands at the national minimum, fiber broadband resides in the top 4.1% nationally, and modeled transportation noise lies in the bottom 4.9% nationally. Unemployment settles at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled loud transportation noise stands at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. On the other hand, housing-cost burden is in the top 0.8% nationally, and modeled nitrate rests in the top 2.8% nationally. Distance to a community health center sits in the top 4.5% nationally, and modeled radon registers in the top 7.2% nationally. Household income lands in the bottom 0.8% nationally.

In everyday language, nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 51630, 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 78%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 78%

8%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 40%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 49%

11%

Disability

healthier than 51%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 56%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 38%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 23%

16%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 4%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 60%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 62%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 71%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 68%

8%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 53%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 24%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 21%

16%

Disability

healthier than 31%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 8%

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 adults31.4%28.1–34.6
High blood pressure among adults40.2%36.4–44.1
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.7%9.8–11.8
Current asthma among adults10.0%8.9–11.1
Coronary heart disease among adults8.6%7.6–9.6
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.2%7.0–9.6
Depression among adults19.9%17.1–22.7
Diagnosed diabetes among adults13.1%11.3–14.9
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened38.3%34.5–42.3
Obesity among adults40.7%34.1–47.6
Stroke among adults4.1%3.7–4.6
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years12.5%10.5–14.6
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years6.4%5.0–8.0
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure81.3%78.8–83.6
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults79.5%76.4–82.2
Cholesterol screening among adults86.7%84.9–88.3
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years69.6%64.7–74.2
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults66.6%63.5–69.6
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years77.0%69.3–83.5
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults18.3%15.6–21.2
Current cigarette smoking among adults15.8%12.9–18.7
No leisure-time physical activity among adults26.4%22.1–31.1
Short sleep duration among adults31.7%26.7–37.2
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults19.0%16.2–22.0
Frequent mental distress among adults15.7%13.9–17.6
Frequent physical distress among adults14.1%12.3–16.0
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults13.5%11.7–15.4
Any disability among adults31.0%27.0–35.3
Hearing disability among adults9.6%8.5–10.7
Independent living disability among adults7.9%6.8–9.0
Mobility disability among adults15.2%12.9–17.5
Self-care disability among adults3.9%3.4–4.5
Vision disability among adults4.7%4.1–5.3
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults23.0%20.0–26.4
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults11.0%9.0–13.3
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults9.4%7.4–11.6
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults8.5%7.1–10.1
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults6.4%5.5–7.3
Loneliness among adults30.0%25.9–34.3
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults6.0%5.1–7.0
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate0.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931
Uninsured 18–640.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931
No HS diploma (25+)1.9%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932
Bachelor's or higher (25+)28.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50520.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932
Households without a vehicle2.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931
Broadband subscription89.1%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)68.3%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32218.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931
Homeownership rate92.1%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 population0.0%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932
Single-parent households75.7%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928
Population 65+55.2%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932
Median age70.5 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931
Median household income$23,633$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911
Median home value—$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
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IA median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth80.9 yr ± 1.8578.9 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 1.85 years of 80.9, 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