ZIP code
52577
in Oskaloosa, IowaPopulation 14,585
50.09/ 100
Ranked #16,107 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 50%)
Ranked #652 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 29%)
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.
Transit access
4.4 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The number of public-transit stops 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 ›Subsidized affordable housing
224 units
in the top 10.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS89thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Lithium in drinking water
12 µg/L
in the bottom 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS17thDefinition & 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 ›Homeownership rate
66.1%
in the bottom 23% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS23rdDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20.3 per million
in the bottom 44% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS44thDefinition & 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
Oskaloosa, Iowa (ZIP 52577) ranks in the bottom 50% nationally (16,107th) and the bottom 29% of Iowa (652nd).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: distance to an emergency room registers at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Transit lies in the top 6.4% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing is in the top 10.9% nationally. Distance to a community health center registers at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Elder services lies in the top 11.4% nationally. Distance to a nursing home is at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Civic registers in the top 13.8% nationally, and fiber broadband lies in the top 14.6% nationally. By contrast, modeled radon is in the top 12.4% nationally, and binge drinking registers in the top 11.2% nationally.
For context, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 50044, 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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 62%
16%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 51%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 48%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 53%
8%
Disability
healthier than 48%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 30%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 23%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 35%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 78%
16%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 51%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 45%
14%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 11%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 16%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 9%
8%
Disability
healthier than 24%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 15%
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 ›
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 77.4 ± 1.3 years. The 50 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 79.9 years — 2.5 years below them.
Ranked #1,930 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
50044
Iowashares a border
Score 50.64
Closest healthier
50143
Iowashares a border
Score 54.36
Similar health profile
50702
Iowa92% similar profile
Score 50.90
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 | 29.2% | 25.9–32.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.4% | 32.3–40.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.3% | 8.4–10.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.4% | 9.2–11.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.5% | 6.7–8.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.3–9.2 |
| Depression among adults | 21.7% | 18.4–25.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.0% | 10.4–13.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.1% | 31.8–39.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.9% | 31.3–46.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.5–4.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.0% | 12.2–18.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.3% | 6.1–8.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.8% | 76.1–81.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.0% | 73.3–80.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.8% | 80.9–84.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.6% | 60.4–70.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.3% | 61.6–68.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.7% | 69.0–83.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.0% | 15.8–22.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.8% | 14.5–19.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.4% | 25.0–33.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.4% | 28.0–41.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.0% | 17.5–22.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.5% | 15.5–19.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.1% | 12.4–15.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.0% | 13.3–16.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.3% | 27.3–35.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.5–9.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.7% | 7.7–9.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.9% | 12.9–16.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.5–5.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.7% | 20.2–27.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.5% | 11.4–15.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 12.2% | 10.5–14.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 8.5–11.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.7% | 6.7–8.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.5% | 27.7–37.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.1% | 6.2–8.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 26.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 54.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 21.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 39.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $66,084 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $163,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $825 | $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 | 77.4 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 77.4, 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