ZIP code
52215
in Chelsea, IowaPopulation 960
45.52/ 100
Ranked #21,849 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 32%)
Ranked #867 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 6.0%)
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.
Energy-cost burden
5.7%
in the top 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Homeownership rate
98.9%
in the top 5.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
13.2%
in the top 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Radon
3.1 pCi/L
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST32ndUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Home broadband subscription
74.9%
in the bottom 9.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST6thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
22.7%
in the top 15.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS85thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to an emergency room
13.1 mi
in the top 15% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS85thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
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 ›Housing-cost burden
30.2%
in the top 28% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS72ndDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›The read
Chelsea, Iowa (ZIP 52215), on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 32% nationally (21,849th) and the bottom 6.0% of Iowa (867th).
The readings split fairly evenly between strengths and concerns: homeownership lands in the top 5.2% nationally. Working the other way, modeled energy burden resides in the top 4.1% nationally, transportation noise lies in the top 5.4% nationally, and radon settles in the top 8.9% nationally. Home broadband subscription stands in the bottom 9.9% nationally, and modeled arsenic is in the top 13.2% nationally. Distance to a community health center rests in the top 14.9% nationally, and floodplain exposure sits in the top 15.0% nationally. Distance to an emergency room registers in the top 15% nationally, and walkability lands in the bottom 16% nationally.
In everyday language, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 52208, 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
Mental Health
healthier than 71%
8%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 45%
13%
Disability
healthier than 43%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 34%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 9%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 30%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 19%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 30%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 15%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 44%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 42%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 41%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 18%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 3%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 9%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 10%
11%
Disability
healthier than 16%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 10%
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
52208
Iowashares a border
Score 50.79
Closest healthier
52211
Iowashares a border
Score 45.77
Similar health profile
67568
Kansas90% similar profile
Score 43.82
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 | 31.1% | 27.6–34.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.8% | 34.6–42.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.8% | 8.9–10.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.1% | 8.9–11.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.4–9.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.0% | 7.8–10.3 |
| Depression among adults | 20.1% | 17.1–23.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.9% | 12.0–15.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.4% | 34.1–42.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.1% | 33.5–48.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.7–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.1% | 14.0–20.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.1% | 7.7–10.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.3% | 77.4–82.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.2% | 74.7–81.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.8% | 84.0–87.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.0% | 58.2–67.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.9% | 57.2–64.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.1% | 68.1–81.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.3% | 15.2–21.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.3% | 15.5–20.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.5% | 25.7–35.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.7% | 29.2–40.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.9% | 19.2–25.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.5% | 14.6–18.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.2% | 13.4–17.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.6% | 12.9–16.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.8% | 28.6–37.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.1% | 8.1–10.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.6–9.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.2% | 14.1–18.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.8–4.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.7–5.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 25.2% | 21.6–29.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.1% | 11.8–16.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.9% | 10.0–14.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.7% | 9.1–12.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.3% | 6.4–8.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.9% | 27.2–36.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.2–8.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 17.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 7.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 74.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 30.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 98.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 8.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 39.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 17.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 35.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $61,932 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $166,800 | $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
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 78.3 yr ± 1.06 | 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 1.06 years of 78.3, 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