ZIP code
52555
in Exline, IowaPopulation 193
39.97/ 100
Ranked #26,776 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 16%)
Ranked #912 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 1.1%)
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.
Fiber broadband
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
6.1%
in the top 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Home broadband subscription
58.6%
in the bottom 2.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Lead in tap water
0 ppb
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
US1stDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
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 ›Obesity
44.8%
in the top 4.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 7.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS8thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
10.2%
in the top 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
11.0%
in the top 9.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
40.2%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
51.7%
in the bottom 10.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST2ndUS10thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Exline, Iowa (ZIP 52555) sits in the bottom 16% nationally (26,776th) and the bottom 1.1% of Iowa (912th).
The profile carries real weight, and several readings make that plain: modeled energy burden resides in the top 2.6% nationally, home broadband subscription sits in the bottom 2.7% nationally, and modeled obesity stands in the top 4.7% nationally. Modeled coronary heart disease resides in the top 8.3% nationally, modeled hearing disability sits in the top 9.4% nationally, and housing-cost burden stands in the top 9.8% nationally. Homeownership resides in the bottom 10.0% nationally. Better still, fiber broadband sits at the national maximum, and lead in tap water stands at the national minimum. Modeled industrial-pollution burden resides in the bottom 7.6% nationally.
Put plainly, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 52544, 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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 85%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 46%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 44%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 41%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 5%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 13%
11%
Disability
healthier than 15%
7%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 97%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 81%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
in the bottom 0.2%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
in the bottom 0.6%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 9%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 4%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 4%
8%
Disability
in the bottom 0.6%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 22%
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
52544
Iowashares a border
Score 42.69
Closest healthier
52572
Iowashares a border
Score 46.07
Similar health profile
23821
Virginia99% similar profile
Score 39.21
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 | 34.3% | 30.5–38.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.4% | 40.0–48.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.3% | 9.2–11.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.9% | 9.6–12.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.2% | 8.9–11.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 12.1% | 10.1–14.3 |
| Depression among adults | 22.4% | 19.0–25.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.2% | 13.9–18.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.4% | 35.8–44.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 44.8% | 36.8–52.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.1% | 4.5–5.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 19.0% | 15.7–22.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.3% | 7.1–12.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.1% | 78.3–83.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.7% | 75.0–82.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.5% | 80.8–85.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.7% | 59.0–70.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.0% | 59.2–66.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.8% | 66.5–81.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.7% | 14.7–21.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 22.5% | 18.5–26.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 33.9% | 28.2–39.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.1% | 25.6–38.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 26.4% | 22.1–30.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.0% | 15.8–20.3 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.5% | 15.0–20.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.3% | 14.8–20.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.9% | 32.6–43.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.0% | 9.6–12.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.2% | 9.5–13.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.1% | 16.9–23.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.8% | 4.9–6.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.0% | 5.9–8.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.1% | 20.4–28.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.4% | 14.7–22.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 18.4% | 14.6–22.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.8% | 9.5–14.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 7.7–10.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.2% | 27.0–37.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 7.3–10.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 5.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 24.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 13.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.1% | 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 | 58.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 40.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 51.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 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 | 86.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 25.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 52.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $36,161 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $122,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $944 | $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 | 79.4 yr ± 1.71 | 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 1.71 years of 79.4, 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