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ZIP code

52044

in Elkport, IowaPopulation 297

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

42.47/ 100

Ranked #24,853 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 22%)

Ranked #910 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 1.4%)

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.

Fiber broadband

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

PFAS in drinking water

5.3%

in the bottom 1.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST3rd
US1st
Definition & source ›

The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.

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 ›

Energy-cost burden

5.8%

in the top 3.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US97th
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 ›

Poverty rate

33%

in the top 5.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US95th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Home broadband subscription

98.9%

in the top 6.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST98th
US94th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

Housing-cost burden

7.9%

in the bottom 7.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST8th
US7th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Radon

3 pCi/L

in the top 9.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST29th
US90th
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 ›

Walkability

2.1 intersections/sq mi

in the bottom 8.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST3rd
US8th
Definition & source ›

The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a community health center

19.3 mi

in the top 8.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST75th
US91st
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 ›

Homeownership rate

94.4%

in the top 9.5% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST92nd
US91st
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.

Full methodology ›

The read

In overall standing, Elkport, Iowa (ZIP 52044) comes out in the bottom 22% nationally (24,853rd) and the bottom 1.4% of Iowa (910th).

continue reading

The data is direct about where this area carries real strain: modeled energy burden lands in the top 3.5% nationally, poverty is in the top 5.3% nationally, and modeled radon resides in the top 9.7% nationally. Walkability rests in the bottom 8.1% nationally. More encouragingly, fiber broadband lies at the national maximum, and modeled pfas sits in the bottom 1.3% nationally. Home broadband subscription settles in the top 6.1% nationally, and housing-cost burden registers in the bottom 7.1% nationally. Unemployment stands at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Households without a vehicle lands at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs.

In plain terms, pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 52042, 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

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 67%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 61%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 61%

5%

About typical

Preventive Care

healthier than 48%

13%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 15%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 16%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 8%

11%

Disability

healthier than 22%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 9%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 91%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 68%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

in the bottom 0.9%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 11%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 11%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 1%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 16%

8%

Disability

healthier than 2%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 25%

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 adults34.3%30.3–38.0
High blood pressure among adults42.4%37.7–46.9
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.2%9.1–11.4
Current asthma among adults10.8%9.5–12.2
Coronary heart disease among adults8.9%7.7–10.1
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults11.4%9.5–13.5
Depression among adults20.7%17.4–24.0
Diagnosed diabetes among adults14.8%12.5–16.9
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened40.1%35.6–44.5
Obesity among adults43.8%36.1–51.7
Stroke among adults4.8%4.2–5.5
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years22.2%18.4–26.1
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.8%5.9–10.3
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure80.6%77.4–83.4
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults79.5%75.9–82.7
Cholesterol screening among adults85.4%83.0–87.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years61.9%56.6–67.0
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults60.6%56.9–64.1
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years75.1%67.7–81.9
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults18.4%15.3–21.7
Current cigarette smoking among adults22.4%18.4–26.3
No leisure-time physical activity among adults34.0%28.3–39.6
Short sleep duration among adults33.7%27.7–40.2
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults24.7%20.6–29.1
Frequent mental distress among adults17.3%15.0–19.6
Frequent physical distress among adults17.6%15.0–20.1
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults16.2%13.5–18.8
Any disability among adults34.4%29.3–39.5
Hearing disability among adults9.8%8.5–11.0
Independent living disability among adults10.4%8.7–12.2
Mobility disability among adults19.5%16.2–22.9
Self-care disability among adults5.5%4.6–6.6
Vision disability among adults6.3%5.3–7.3
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults24.8%21.0–28.9
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults16.2%12.8–20.0
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults15.7%12.4–19.5
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults11.0%9.0–13.2
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults8.1%6.8–9.6
Loneliness among adults32.1%26.9–37.3
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults8.1%6.9–9.5
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate33.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931
Uninsured 18–6417.7%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931
No HS diploma (25+)28.7%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932
Bachelor's or higher (25+)9.9%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 vehicle0.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931
Broadband subscription98.9%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)7.9%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32218.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931
Homeownership rate94.4%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 households78.8%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928
Population 65+15.2%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932
Median age49.3 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931
Median household income$75,792$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911
Median home value$97,000$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 birth76.7 yr ± 0.7178.9 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 0.71 years of 76.7, 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