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ZIP code

51650

in Riverton, IowaPopulation 197

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

49.23/ 100

Ranked #17,349 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 46%)

Ranked #725 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 21%)

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.

Radon

3.8 pCi/L

in the top 2.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST69th
US97th
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 4.7% 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 ›

Distance to a community health center

24.8 mi

in the top 5.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST84th
US94th
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 ›

Floodplain exposure

34.1%

in the top 8.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US92nd
Definition & 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 ›

Home broadband subscription

73.3%

in the bottom 8.4% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST4th
US8th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

Nitrate in drinking water

0.05%

in the top 8.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST86th
US92nd
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 ›

Dry extreme heat

26.2 days/year

in the top 18% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US82nd
Definition & source ›

The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.

Full methodology ›

Median household income

$49,063

in the bottom 13.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST5th
US13th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Hearing disability

10.0%

in the top 19% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US81st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.

Full methodology ›

Unemployment rate

7.1%

in the top 20% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
US80th
Definition & source ›

The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.

Full methodology ›

The read

Riverton, Iowa (ZIP 51650), on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 46% nationally (17,349th) and the bottom 21% of Iowa (725th).

continue reading

The main burdens in the data show plainly and lead the picture: modeled radon sits in the top 2.9% nationally, distance to a community health center registers in the top 5.8% nationally, and floodplain exposure lands in the top 8.3% nationally. Home broadband subscription resides in the bottom 8.4% nationally, and modeled nitrate lies in the top 8.4% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility settles at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. More positively, modeled transportation noise stands in the bottom 4.7% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise is at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Housing-cost burden rests in the bottom 13.2% nationally. Crowded housing sits at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs.

In everyday language, 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 hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 51639, 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 84%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 83%

8%

About typical

Risk Behavior

healthier than 51%

11%

Disability

healthier than 50%

7%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 32%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 25%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 28%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 15%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 6%

5%

Lifting this score

Preventive Care

healthier than 81%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 74%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 86%

8%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 41%

14%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 14%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 24%

16%

Disability

healthier than 27%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 2%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 17%

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 adults33.5%29.7–37.6
High blood pressure among adults40.8%36.2–45.5
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults11.6%10.4–12.9
Current asthma among adults9.8%8.6–11.2
Coronary heart disease among adults8.9%7.8–10.0
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.6%7.3–10.2
Depression among adults19.6%16.5–23.2
Diagnosed diabetes among adults13.5%11.5–15.7
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened39.8%35.2–44.5
Obesity among adults40.6%32.5–48.9
Stroke among adults4.3%3.8–4.9
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years11.1%8.8–13.7
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years6.2%4.9–7.9
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure81.8%78.9–84.4
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults80.1%76.7–83.2
Cholesterol screening among adults87.6%85.6–89.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years71.1%65.6–76.0
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults68.1%64.4–71.6
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years76.6%68.6–83.4
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults18.1%15.0–21.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults15.8%12.8–19.0
No leisure-time physical activity among adults26.6%21.8–32.0
Short sleep duration among adults31.4%25.0–38.4
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults19.7%16.6–23.2
Frequent mental distress among adults15.1%13.1–17.2
Frequent physical distress among adults14.4%12.4–16.6
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults12.9%11.0–15.0
Any disability among adults31.0%26.5–35.9
Hearing disability among adults10.0%8.8–11.2
Independent living disability among adults7.8%6.7–9.2
Mobility disability among adults15.8%13.4–18.6
Self-care disability among adults4.0%3.4–4.6
Vision disability among adults4.7%4.0–5.4
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults22.1%18.7–26.0
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.4%8.3–12.9
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults9.0%7.1–11.2
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults8.1%6.6–9.8
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults5.9%5.0–6.9
Loneliness among adults30.0%25.3–35.2
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults5.8%4.8–6.8
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate13.7%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931
Uninsured 18–6416.3%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931
No HS diploma (25+)14.7%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932
Bachelor's or higher (25+)13.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50520.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932
Unemployment rate (16+)7.1%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932
Households without a vehicle1.7%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931
Broadband subscription73.3%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)12.5%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32218.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931
Homeownership rate89.2%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 households76.4%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928
Population 65+34.5%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932
Median age61.3 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931
Median household income$49,063$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911
Median home value$54,200$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892
Median gross rent$825$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 birth79.1 yr ± 1.4178.9 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 1.41 years of 79.1, 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