ZIP code
52556
in Fairfield, IowaPopulation 11,448
50.60/ 100
Ranked #15,429 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 48%)
Ranked #614 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 33%)
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.
Lithium in drinking water
180 µg/L
in the top 0.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a Superfund site
In this ZIP
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Civic-institution access
1.3 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of civic and social organizations 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
4.6%
in the top 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Obesity
45.3%
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Outpatient-care access
0.51 per 1,000 residents
in the top 7.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient clinics 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 ›Elder-services access
0.17 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST86thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›Unemployment rate
8.9%
in the top 12.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Mental-health provider access
0.085 per 1,000 residents
in the top 12.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS87thDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics 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 ›The read
ZIP 52556, one of several in Fairfield, Iowa, on the composite measure, lands in the top 48% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,429th) and the bottom 33% of Iowa (614th).
The readings split fairly evenly between strengths and concerns: civic rests in the top 2.6% nationally. Distance to an emergency room sits at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Outpatient registers in the top 7.5% nationally, and elder services lands in the top 8.7% nationally. Recreation resides in the top 10.2% nationally. Working the other way, lithium in drinking water lies in the top 0.7% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site settles at the national minimum. Modeled industrial-pollution burden stands in the top 2.3% nationally, and slow internet speeds is in the top 2.6% nationally. Modeled obesity rests in the top 4.0% nationally.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 52557, 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 87%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 71%
8%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 48%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 48%
11%
Disability
healthier than 47%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 20%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 38%
14%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 89%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 70%
11%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 60%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 58%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 40%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 3%
21%
Disability
healthier than 21%
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 ›
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.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 78.0 ± 1.3 years. The 50 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 80.3 years — 2.3 years below them.
Ranked #1,771 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
52533
Iowashares a border
Score 47.11
Closest healthier
52557
Iowashares a border
Score 54.82
Similar health profile
54457
Wisconsin95% similar profile
Score 51.98
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 | 33.7% | 31.6–36.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.0% | 40.6–46.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.7% | 11.0–12.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.6% | 9.8–11.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.1% | 8.3–10.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.0% | 8.1–10.1 |
| Depression among adults | 21.4% | 19.6–24.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.9% | 13.6–16.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.6% | 39.2–44.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 45.3% | 41.0–50.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.3% | 4.0–4.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 12.0% | 9.7–14.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.1% | 6.2–8.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 82.3% | 80.8–84.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.0% | 80.3–84.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.5% | 86.4–88.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.9% | 64.9–74.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.7% | 63.2–69.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.2% | 72.0–84.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.5% | 16.8–21.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.3% | 13.5–17.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.0% | 25.3–31.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.0% | 25.0–37.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.9% | 19.0–23.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.6% | 14.4–17.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.6% | 13.4–16.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.2% | 12.1–14.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.6% | 29.0–34.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.7% | 8.9–10.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.4–9.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.0% | 14.5–17.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.8–4.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.7–5.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.9% | 17.6–24.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 9.8–13.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.9% | 9.1–12.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.6% | 7.3–10.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.7% | 5.8–7.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.1% | 26.1–35.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.5% | 5.6–7.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 12.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 48.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 9.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 14.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 59.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 30.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 45.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $59,243 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $166,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $878 | $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 | 78.0 yr ± 0.67 | 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 0.67 years of 78.0, 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