ZIP code
52574
in Mystic, IowaPopulation 377
51.05/ 100
Ranked #14,768 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 46%)
Ranked #564 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 39%)
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.
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 ›Distance to an emergency room
14.6 mi
in the top 11.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
5.0%
in the top 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST78thUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Floodplain exposure
23.7%
in the top 14.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS86thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
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 ›Median household income
$46,625
in the bottom 10.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST4thUS11thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
21.1 days/year
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS78thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
42.2%
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS78thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20 per million
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS25thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, Mystic, Iowa (ZIP 52574) lands in the top 46% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,768th) and the bottom 39% of Iowa (564th).
Taken together, the profile's clearest strengths surface right away: lead in tap water rests at the national minimum, and modeled short sleep is in the bottom 11.5% nationally. Distance to a Superfund site stands in the top 12.6% nationally, and modeled colon screening settles in the top 11.0% nationally. Modeled housing insecurity lies in the bottom 14.3% nationally. Against that, modeled radon resides in the top 11.4% nationally, distance to an emergency room lands in the top 11.9% nationally, and modeled energy burden registers in the top 9.6% nationally. Modeled binge drinking sits in the top 11.9% nationally, and floodplain exposure rests in the top 14.1% nationally.
To translate a couple of terms, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 52531, about 1.7 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
Preventive Care
healthier than 86%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 81%
8%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 54%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 47%
11%
Disability
healthier than 54%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 49%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 31%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 18%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 25%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 78%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 86%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 67%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 79%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 83%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 13%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Disability
healthier than 37%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 6%
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
52531
Iowaabout 1.7 mi away
Score 52.40
Similar health profile
50258
Iowa94% similar profile
Score 51.99
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 | 32.6% | 28.9–36.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.2% | 37.6–46.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.1% | 10.0–12.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.9% | 8.7–11.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.6% | 7.6–9.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.8% | 7.4–10.2 |
| Depression among adults | 20.0% | 16.9–23.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.8% | 11.9–16.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.3% | 35.7–44.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.1% | 33.3–49.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.1% | 3.7–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.8% | 9.4–14.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.4% | 5.0–8.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.7% | 79.0–84.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.0% | 76.7–83.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.1% | 85.2–88.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 71.9% | 66.7–76.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 69.4% | 65.9–72.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.9% | 70.4–84.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.9% | 15.7–22.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.6% | 13.6–19.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.5% | 21.8–31.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.4% | 24.2–36.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.4% | 16.4–22.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.1% | 13.1–17.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.3% | 12.3–16.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.0% | 11.1–14.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.1% | 26.6–35.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.4% | 8.2–10.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.6–8.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.3% | 12.9–17.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.4–4.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.6% | 4.0–5.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.2% | 18.7–26.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.7% | 8.5–13.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 7.3–11.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 6.4–9.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.9% | 5.0–6.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.8% | 25.0–34.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.6% | 4.7–6.6 |
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 | 7.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 11.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 4.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 82.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.0% | 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 | 76.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 34.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 57.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $46,625 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $80,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $550 | $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 | 77.6 yr ± 0.88 | 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 0.88 years of 77.6, 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