ZIP code
52172
in Waukon, IowaPopulation 5,877
50.99/ 100
Ranked #14,849 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 46%)
Ranked #570 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 38%)
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
4.7 pCi/L
in the top 0.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS99thDefinition & 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 ›PFAS in drinking water
6.7%
in the bottom 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Lead in tap water
5.5 ppb
in the top 8.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
US91stDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
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 ›Elder-services access
0.16 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST86thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›Floodplain exposure
2.7%
in the bottom 23% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS23rdDefinition & 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20 per million
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS25thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›The read
Waukon, Iowa (ZIP 52172), by its overall standing, sits in the top 46% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,849th) and the bottom 38% of Iowa (570th).
Both sides of the picture show up plainly in this area's numbers: modeled pfas registers in the bottom 2.9% nationally. Distance to an emergency room stands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Elder services lands in the top 9.0% nationally, and pharmacy is in the top 11.8% nationally. Distance to a nursing home resides at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. By contrast, modeled radon rests in the top 0.5% nationally, and lead in tap water lies in the top 8.8% nationally. Modeled binge drinking sits in the top 11.9% nationally, and distance to a community health center settles in the top 14.0% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility registers at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.
Defined in plain terms, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. 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. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 52101, 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.
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 65%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 67%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 82%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 43%
21%
Disability
healthier than 50%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 39%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 37%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 34%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 21%
5%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 99%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 47%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 56%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 53%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 34%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 26%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 40%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 28%
8%
Disability
healthier than 27%
7%
“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
52101
Iowashares a border
Score 58.53
Closest healthier
52140
Iowashares a border
Score 57.84
Similar health profile
16743
Pennsylvania97% similar profile
Score 49.52
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 | 30.9% | 27.6–34.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.6% | 34.5–42.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.5% | 9.5–11.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.0% | 8.9–11.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.2% | 7.2–9.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.6% | 7.4–10.0 |
| Depression among adults | 20.9% | 17.8–24.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.5% | 10.8–14.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.7% | 33.5–41.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.6% | 34.1–49.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.1% | 3.6–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.6% | 7.7–11.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.1% | 5.8–8.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.8% | 78.3–83.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.6% | 74.2–80.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.3% | 83.3–87.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.2% | 60.9–71.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.9% | 62.4–69.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.5% | 71.3–84.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.9% | 15.8–22.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.1% | 13.5–18.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.8% | 22.3–31.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.9% | 27.8–40.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.7% | 16.8–22.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.5% | 14.5–18.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.2% | 12.4–16.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.9% | 12.0–15.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.2% | 26.1–34.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.1–10.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.3% | 7.2–9.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.4% | 13.1–17.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.4–4.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.2–5.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.0% | 19.6–26.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.8% | 9.6–14.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.6% | 8.6–12.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 7.3–10.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.7–7.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.5% | 25.9–35.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.2% | 5.3–7.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 23.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 85.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 20.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.3% | 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 | 2.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 62.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 25.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 45.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $68,875 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $166,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $793 | $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 | 78.9 yr ± 0.77 | 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 0.77 years of 78.9, 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