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ZipVitals

ZIP code

52241

in Coralville, IowaPopulation 23,250

64.29/ 100

Ranked #2,302 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 7.2%)

Ranked #16 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 1.8%)

Ranked #4 of 21 Iowa City, IA ZIPs (top 19%)

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.

Lithium in drinking water

260 µg/L

in the top 0.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.

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 ›

Binge drinking

22.7%

in the top 1.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.

Full methodology ›

Transit access

8.2 per 1,000 residents

in the top 1.9% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The number of public-transit stops 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 ›

High cholesterol

29.4%

in the bottom 2.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US3rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 3.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US97th
Definition & source ›

This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.

Full methodology ›

Mammography

83.3%

in the top 2.0% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.

Full methodology ›

Dental provider access

1.3 per 1,000 residents

in the top 3.9% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST98th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The number of dental offices located 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 ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$0

in the top 4.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US96th
Definition & source ›

FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.

Full methodology ›

Mobility disability

8.7%

in the bottom 4.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST2nd
US5th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.

Full methodology ›

Coronary heart disease

4.4%

in the bottom 5.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST2nd
US5th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.

Full methodology ›

The read

Judged by its overall standing, Coralville, Iowa (ZIP 52241) sits in the top 7.2% healthiest ZIPs nationally (2,302nd) and the top 1.8% of Iowa (16th).

continue reading

A few readings each way define this mixed profile: transit lands in the top 1.9% nationally, modeled high cholesterol rests in the bottom 2.9% nationally, and modeled mammography settles in the top 2.0% nationally. Dental providers lands in the top 3.9% nationally, modeled mobility disability rests in the bottom 4.7% nationally, and modeled coronary heart disease settles in the bottom 5.1% nationally. Pulling the other way, lithium in drinking water lands in the top 0.2% nationally, and modeled binge drinking rests in the top 1.3% nationally. Modeled disaster risk settles in the top 3.3% nationally, and expected annual loss lands in the top 4.2% nationally.

Placed beside its immediate neighbors, lithium in drinking water runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put plainly, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 52317, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Iowa City, IA metro area.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 95%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 86%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 64%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 64%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 79%

8%

Disability

healthier than 91%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 68%

5%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 41%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 54%

5%

Nothing measured is holding this score back.

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

in the top 0.9%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 94%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 62%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 91%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 72%

8%

Disability

healthier than 96%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 90%

5%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 46%

5%

Holding it back

Preventive Care

healthier than 25%

13%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 85%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 85%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 65%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 85%

8%

Disability

healthier than 80%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 90%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 80%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 15%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 35%

13%

“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 ›

Findings that name this ZIP

One of our published findings lists this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.

  • Heavy environment, light chronic burden

    Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions

    Environmental-hazard standing 41.6; chronic-disease standing 95.4 (top 10%) — 54 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #14,782 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.

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 adults19.2%17.1–21.4
High blood pressure among adults28.3%25.5–31.4
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults6.5%5.9–7.1
Current asthma among adults9.5%8.5–10.7
Coronary heart disease among adults4.4%3.9–4.8
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults4.6%4.1–5.3
Depression among adults19.8%17.2–22.5
Diagnosed diabetes among adults8.6%7.5–9.9
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened29.4%26.5–32.5
Obesity among adults31.2%27.0–35.7
Stroke among adults2.3%2.1–2.5
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years6.4%5.1–7.8
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years6.8%5.8–7.9
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure73.0%70.1–75.8
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults76.6%73.5–79.5
Cholesterol screening among adults82.3%80.4–84.2
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years69.4%65.2–73.4
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults70.0%67.2–72.8
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years83.3%78.0–87.7
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults22.7%19.8–25.9
Current cigarette smoking among adults11.2%9.6–12.9
No leisure-time physical activity among adults18.0%15.4–20.7
Short sleep duration among adults30.7%26.6–35.0
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults14.1%12.4–16.0
Frequent mental distress among adults15.6%13.9–17.4
Frequent physical distress among adults9.7%8.6–10.9
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults12.4%11.0–13.9
Any disability among adults22.5%19.7–25.4
Hearing disability among adults5.1%4.5–5.7
Independent living disability among adults6.3%5.6–7.1
Mobility disability among adults8.7%7.6–9.9
Self-care disability among adults2.6%2.4–2.9
Vision disability among adults3.7%3.3–4.0
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults23.5%20.7–26.6
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults12.0%10.4–13.9
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults10.0%8.6–11.6
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults9.9%8.6–11.3
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults7.2%6.4–8.2
Loneliness among adults32.3%28.6–36.3
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults6.9%6.0–7.8
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate13.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931
Uninsured 18–649.1%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931
No HS diploma (25+)4.8%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932
Bachelor's or higher (25+)56.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50520.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932
Unemployment rate (16+)2.2%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932
Households without a vehicle4.2%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931
Broadband subscription90.2%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)33.3%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32218.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931
Homeownership rate56.0%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32282.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.1%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931
Foreign-born population14.1%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932
Single-parent households45.3%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928
Population 65+13.4%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932
Median age34.0 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931
Median household income$69,243$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911
Median home value$298,900$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892
Median gross rent$1,057$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 birth78.6 yr ± 0.8878.9 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 0.88 years of 78.6, 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