ZIP code
52542
in Cantril, IowaPopulation 588
44.11/ 100
Ranked #23,308 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 27%)
Ranked #895 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 3.0%)
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.
Home broadband subscription
45.3%
in the bottom 1.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
5.5%
in the top 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Fiber broadband
97.7%
in the top 7.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST78thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
9.9%
in the top 20% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS80thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
8.9%
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS78thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
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 ›Binge drinking
17.7%
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS78thDefinition & 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 ›Stroke
4.6%
in the top 23% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS77thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
10.3%
in the top 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS75thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
18.1%
in the top 28% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS72ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite health measure, Cantril, Iowa (ZIP 52542) ranks in the bottom 27% nationally (23,308th) and the bottom 3.0% of Iowa (895th).
The picture here is genuinely mixed, with readings on both sides: fiber broadband sits in the top 7.3% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise is at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Lead in tap water settles in the bottom 14.7% nationally, homeownership resides in the top 14.7% nationally, and modeled transportation noise registers in the bottom 15.0% nationally. On the other side, home broadband subscription rests in the bottom 1.2% nationally, modeled energy burden stands in the top 4.9% nationally, and walkability lies in the bottom 13.2% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lands at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Modeled arsenic sits in the top 17% nationally.
To spell things out, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. 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. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Close by, ZIP 52565, just across the boundary, ranks healthier overall.
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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 86%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 42%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 47%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 26%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 8%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Disability
healthier than 25%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 33%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 25%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 97%
14%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 7%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 3%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 7%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 20%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 5%
8%
Disability
healthier than 3%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 13%
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
52565
Iowashares a border
Score 47.16
Closest healthier
52570
Iowashares a border
Score 45.98
Similar health profile
36030
Alabama98% similar profile
Score 42.41
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 | 32.2% | 28.7–35.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.8% | 35.6–44.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.2–11.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.9% | 9.7–12.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.9% | 7.9–10.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.6% | 9.0–12.5 |
| Depression among adults | 22.2% | 18.9–25.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.0% | 12.1–16.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.0% | 33.6–42.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.2% | 31.3–47.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.6% | 4.0–5.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.7% | 13.7–19.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.0% | 6.9–11.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.5% | 77.9–82.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.9% | 74.2–81.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.9% | 80.5–85.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.2% | 58.0–68.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.4% | 62.9–69.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.7% | 67.2–81.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.7% | 14.6–21.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.3% | 15.9–22.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.2% | 26.2–36.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.4% | 26.3–38.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.1% | 20.5–28.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.6–20.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.3% | 14.2–18.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.7% | 14.4–19.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.9% | 31.2–41.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.9% | 8.8–11.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.3% | 8.8–12.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.1% | 15.5–21.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.2–5.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.2–7.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.0% | 20.1–27.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.8% | 12.6–19.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 14.7% | 11.6–17.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.6% | 8.6–12.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 7.1–9.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.8% | 27.7–37.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.6% | 6.4–9.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 48.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 32.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 14.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 45.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 28.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 91.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 52.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 20.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 35.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $65,000 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $100,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $758 | $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 | 79.9 yr ± 1.37 | 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 1.37 years of 79.9, 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