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ZIP code

52569

in Melrose, IowaPopulation 550

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

49.70/ 100

Ranked #16,658 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 48%)

Ranked #692 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 25%)

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.

Homeownership rate

96.3%

in the top 7.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST95th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.

Full methodology ›

Radon

3.1 pCi/L

in the top 9.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST30th
US91st
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 ›

Energy-cost burden

5.2%

in the top 7.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST83rd
US93rd
Definition & 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 ›

Coronary heart disease

10.1%

in the top 9.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US91st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.

Full methodology ›

Unemployment rate

9.6%

in the top 10.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US89th
Definition & source ›

The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.

Full methodology ›

Hearing disability

10.8%

in the top 10.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US89th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.

Full methodology ›

High blood pressure

44.3%

in the top 14.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US85th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.

Full methodology ›

Loneliness

29.3%

in the bottom 16% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST7th
US16th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.

Full methodology ›

High cholesterol

42.4%

in the top 13.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US86th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a nursing home

7.2 mi

in the top 19% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US81st
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.

Full methodology ›

The read

On balance, and by the composite measure, Melrose, Iowa (ZIP 52569) ranks in the bottom 48% nationally (16,658th) and the bottom 25% of Iowa (692nd).

continue reading

Strengths and concerns sit side by side across the measures here: homeownership resides in the top 7.1% nationally. Households without a vehicle lands at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Crowded housing registers at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Modeled housing insecurity sits in the bottom 15% nationally. On the other hand, modeled radon rests in the top 9.4% nationally, energy burden is in the top 7.2% nationally, and coronary heart disease stands in the top 9.0% nationally. Unemployment settles in the top 10.6% nationally, and modeled hearing disability lies in the top 10.9% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility resides at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.

Compared with the ZIPs it borders, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. 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. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 52531, 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

Preventive Care

healthier than 87%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 87%

8%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 56%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 42%

11%

Disability

healthier than 42%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 47%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 19%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 21%

16%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 15%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 81%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 88%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 93%

8%

About typical

Risk Behavior

healthier than 58%

11%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 41%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 2%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 18%

16%

Disability

healthier than 15%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 31%

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 adults35.0%31.8–38.1
High blood pressure among adults44.3%40.5–47.9
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults12.1%11.1–13.1
Current asthma among adults9.8%8.8–10.8
Coronary heart disease among adults10.1%9.0–11.2
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults9.7%8.3–11.2
Depression among adults19.1%16.7–21.6
Diagnosed diabetes among adults15.0%13.3–16.9
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened42.4%38.8–46.1
Obesity among adults39.8%33.4–46.3
Stroke among adults4.7%4.2–5.2
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years12.1%10.2–14.2
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years6.5%5.3–7.9
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure83.4%81.2–85.4
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults81.4%78.9–83.7
Cholesterol screening among adults88.4%87.0–89.8
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years68.2%64.2–71.8
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults66.4%63.6–69.1
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years78.6%72.6–83.5
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults16.8%14.6–19.2
Current cigarette smoking among adults16.8%14.2–19.7
No leisure-time physical activity among adults28.4%24.4–33.0
Short sleep duration among adults33.5%28.4–38.6
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults20.8%17.9–23.9
Frequent mental distress among adults14.6%13.1–16.2
Frequent physical distress among adults15.0%13.3–16.9
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults12.9%11.2–14.5
Any disability among adults32.3%28.6–36.4
Hearing disability among adults10.8%9.7–12.0
Independent living disability among adults8.0%7.0–9.1
Mobility disability among adults16.9%14.7–19.4
Self-care disability among adults4.2%3.7–4.8
Vision disability among adults5.0%4.4–5.6
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults22.6%19.6–26.0
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults11.0%9.0–13.3
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults9.6%7.8–11.5
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults7.9%6.7–9.3
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults5.9%5.1–6.8
Loneliness among adults29.3%25.4–33.6
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults5.7%4.9–6.6
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate8.5%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931
Uninsured 18–6414.9%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931
No HS diploma (25+)8.7%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932
Bachelor's or higher (25+)7.9%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50520.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932
Unemployment rate (16+)9.6%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 subscription88.2%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)16.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32218.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931
Homeownership rate96.3%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 population0.2%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932
Single-parent households73.5%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928
Population 65+38.0%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932
Median age61.4 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931
Median household income$51,477$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911
Median home value$84,300$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 birth78.7 yr ± 1.8378.9 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 1.83 years of 78.7, 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