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ZIP code

52548

in Chillicothe, IowaPopulation 83

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

49.13/ 100

Ranked #17,473 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 46%)

Ranked #731 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 21%)

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.

Loud transportation noise

12.8%

in the top 0.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.

Full methodology ›

Transportation noise

54.3%

in the top 0.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & 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 ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$0

in the bottom 2.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US2nd
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 ›

Binge drinking

21.2%

in the top 2.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST84th
US97th
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 ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the bottom 6.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST5th
US6th
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 ›

Home broadband subscription

97.3%

in the top 9.4% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST96th
US91st
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

Unemployment rate

10.0%

in the top 9.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US91st
Definition & source ›

The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.

Full methodology ›

Outer-floodplain exposure

3.5%

in the top 9.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US90th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.

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 ›

Walkability

81 intersections/sq mi

in the top 13.5% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST95th
US87th
Definition & source ›

The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.

Full methodology ›

Radon

2.4 pCi/L

in the top 23% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST7th
US77th
Definition & 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 ›

The read

Overall, Chillicothe, Iowa (ZIP 52548) places in the bottom 46% nationally (17,473rd) and the bottom 21% of Iowa (731st).

continue reading

The data opens on real and measurable burdens: modeled loud transportation noise stands in the top 0.2% nationally, and transportation noise registers in the top 0.4% nationally. Modeled binge drinking settles in the top 2.9% nationally. Fiber broadband sits at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Unemployment lies in the top 9.5% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure rests in the top 9.9% nationally. More encouragingly, modeled expected annual loss resides in the bottom 2.0% nationally, and disaster risk is in the bottom 6.2% nationally. Households without a vehicle lands at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Home broadband subscription stands in the top 9.4% nationally.

Beside the areas that surround it, loud transportation noise runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For readers new to these terms, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 52553, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Mental Health

healthier than 69%

8%

Disability

healthier than 63%

7%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 56%

21%

Preventive Care

healthier than 50%

13%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 43%

5%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 28%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 13%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 12%

11%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 27%

5%

Lifting this score

Healthcare Access

healthier than 61%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 59%

21%

Disability

healthier than 55%

7%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 29%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 12%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 13%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 3%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 32%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 24%

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.

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 adults28.5%25.3–32.1
High blood pressure among adults35.3%31.3–39.6
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults8.6%7.7–9.6
Current asthma among adults10.0%8.8–11.4
Coronary heart disease among adults6.9%5.9–7.9
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.1%6.5–9.7
Depression among adults20.6%17.6–24.1
Diagnosed diabetes among adults12.8%10.9–15.0
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened38.5%34.4–42.8
Obesity among adults41.8%35.4–48.8
Stroke among adults3.5%3.0–4.1
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years10.7%8.5–13.2
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.9%5.8–10.5
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure78.7%75.7–81.4
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults76.6%72.9–80.0
Cholesterol screening among adults83.7%81.3–86.1
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years66.7%61.7–71.2
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults64.0%60.4–67.6
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years77.5%70.0–84.2
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults21.2%17.9–24.9
Current cigarette smoking among adults17.4%13.9–21.3
No leisure-time physical activity among adults26.5%21.8–32.1
Short sleep duration among adults36.7%30.4–43.2
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults19.1%16.1–22.8
Frequent mental distress among adults16.5%14.2–19.0
Frequent physical distress among adults14.1%12.0–16.3
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults14.0%11.9–16.7
Any disability among adults29.5%25.1–34.5
Hearing disability among adults7.5%6.5–8.6
Independent living disability among adults7.4%6.3–8.9
Mobility disability among adults13.6%11.2–16.4
Self-care disability among adults3.9%3.2–4.6
Vision disability among adults4.6%3.9–5.3
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults23.4%19.6–27.3
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults12.0%9.3–15.2
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults10.4%7.9–13.4
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults9.4%7.5–11.5
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults7.0%5.7–8.3
Loneliness among adults31.9%27.3–36.9
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults6.7%5.5–8.0
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate6.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931
Uninsured 18–640.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931
No HS diploma (25+)14.5%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932
Bachelor's or higher (25+)8.1%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50520.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932
Unemployment rate (16+)10.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932
Households without a vehicle0.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931
Broadband subscription97.3%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)18.9%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32218.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931
Homeownership rate67.6%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32282.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931
Foreign-born population3.6%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932
Single-parent households89.5%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928
Population 65+21.7%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932
Median age52.4 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931
Median household income$75,750$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911
Median home value$85,000$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
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IA median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth81.9 yr ± 2.3878.9 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 2.38 years of 81.9, 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