ZIP code
52557
in Fairfield, IowaPopulation 685
54.82/ 100
Ranked #9,669 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 30%)
Ranked #275 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 30%)
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.
Binge drinking
23.8%
in the top 0.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Slow internet speeds
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
26.6%
in the bottom 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Civic-institution access
1.9 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Dental provider access
1.9 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of dental offices 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 ›PFAS in drinking water
78.5%
in the top 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
17.7%
in the top 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 3.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & 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
3.8%
in the bottom 2.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 52557, one of several in Fairfield, Iowa, in overall standing, comes out in the top 30% healthiest ZIPs nationally (9,669th) and the top 30% of Iowa (275th).
An even profile, with readings pulling both ways: modeled high cholesterol is in the bottom 1.6% nationally, civic lies in the top 1.3% nationally, and dental providers registers in the top 1.5% nationally. Modeled disaster risk is in the bottom 2.9% nationally, and coronary heart disease lies in the bottom 2.7% nationally. Against that, modeled binge drinking registers in the top 0.9% nationally, and slow internet speeds is at the national maximum. Modeled pfas lies in the top 2.2% nationally, and unemployment registers in the top 2.6% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden is in the top 3.5% nationally.
Set within its surrounding area, slow internet speeds runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, for reference, pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 52560, about 15 miles away.
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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 94%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 70%
8%
Disability
healthier than 88%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 73%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 44%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 4%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 36%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 22%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 21%
11%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 99%
21%
Disability
healthier than 94%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 92%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 55%
14%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
in the bottom 0.00%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 2%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 12%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 36%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 26%
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
52556
Iowashares a border
Score 50.60
Closest healthier
52560
Iowaabout 15 mi away
Score 55.44
Similar health profile
61012
Illinois94% similar profile
Score 53.75
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 | 15.3% | 14.1–16.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 28.4% | 26.1–31.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 4.7% | 4.3–5.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.7% | 8.8–10.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.2% | 3.4–5.0 |
| Depression among adults | 18.6% | 16.7–21.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 7.6% | 6.7–8.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 26.6% | 24.8–29.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 43.1% | 38.8–48.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.0% | 1.7–2.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.6% | 13.6–19.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.3% | 7.4–11.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 61.6% | 59.4–63.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 74.6% | 72.3–77.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 76.9% | 74.3–79.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 73.1% | 68.5–77.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 62.3% | 58.8–65.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.6% | 73.6–86.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 23.8% | 21.6–26.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.4% | 9.9–15.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.2% | 20.5–28.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.2% | 28.9–41.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.8% | 14.3–19.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.7–20.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 9.7% | 8.4–11.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.6% | 12.5–16.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 25.7% | 22.5–29.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.0% | 5.9–8.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.5–8.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.4% | 2.1–2.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.6–4.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 28.5% | 24.3–32.9 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.5% | 13.6–21.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 14.5% | 10.9–18.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.1% | 11.2–17.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.4% | 8.6–12.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 38.5% | 33.0–44.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 7.9–12.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | — | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 23.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 0.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 83.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 17.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | — | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | — | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | — | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | — | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | — | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 59.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | — | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 0.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 25.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | — | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | — | $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
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 77.1 yr ± 0.97 | 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 0.97 years of 77.1, 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