ZIP code
52536
in Blakesburg, IowaPopulation 814
48.80/ 100
Ranked #17,912 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 44%)
Ranked #744 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 19%)
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
3.4 pCi/L
in the top 5.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST49thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›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 ›Recreation access
1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST88thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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 ›Slow internet speeds
0.67%
in the top 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS84thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
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 ›Tree cover
29.2%
in the top 37% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS63rdDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›The read
Blakesburg, Iowa (ZIP 52536), on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 44% nationally (17,912th) and the bottom 19% of Iowa (744th).
The readings split fairly evenly between strengths and concerns: recreation resides in the top 8.7% nationally, and lead in tap water lies in the bottom 19% nationally. Working the other way, modeled radon settles in the top 5.7% nationally, energy burden stands in the top 4.1% nationally, and arsenic is in the top 12.8% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility rests at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Slow internet speeds sits in the top 16% nationally. Physicians registers at the national minimum, shared with about 38% of ZIPs. Modeled binge drinking lands in the top 17% nationally, and lithium in drinking water resides in the top 20% 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. 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 52531, 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 71%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 65%
8%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 48%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 35%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 16%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 40%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 34%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 70%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 59%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 41%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 56%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 20%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 10%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 20%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 22%
8%
Disability
healthier than 23%
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
52501
Iowashares a border
Score 46.75
Closest healthier
52531
Iowashares a border
Score 52.40
Similar health profile
18248
Pennsylvania98% similar profile
Score 46.33
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 | 32.0% | 29.1–35.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.7% | 34.2–41.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.3–11.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.6% | 9.5–11.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.8% | 7.1–8.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.0% | 7.9–10.2 |
| Depression among adults | 21.1% | 18.4–24.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.4% | 11.8–15.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.6% | 36.0–43.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.6% | 34.8–46.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.0% | 3.7–4.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.7% | 12.1–17.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.8% | 5.6–8.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.4% | 79.0–83.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.3% | 76.4–82.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.7% | 84.0–87.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.2% | 62.6–71.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.2% | 61.0–67.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.0% | 71.4–83.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.2% | 15.6–21.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.4% | 14.8–19.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.4% | 24.4–32.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.3% | 29.9–40.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.1% | 17.5–22.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.6% | 14.8–18.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.9% | 13.2–16.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.3% | 12.6–16.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.9% | 28.1–35.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.8% | 8.0–9.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.4–9.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.8% | 13.8–18.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.7–4.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.4–5.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.9% | 20.0–26.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.0% | 10.0–14.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.0% | 9.3–13.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.1% | 7.8–10.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.8% | 5.9–7.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.0% | 28.0–36.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.7–7.6 |
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 | 1.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 6.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 21.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 86.5% | 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 | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 71.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 37.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 55.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $75,000 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $133,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $626 | $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 | 79.3 yr ± 1.25 | 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 1.25 years of 79.3, 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