ZIP code
52641
in Mount Pleasant, IowaPopulation 12,428
51.23/ 100
Ranked #14,496 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 45%)
Ranked #548 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 41%)
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
210 µg/L
in the top 0.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
20.3%
in the top 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST64thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Transportation noise
8.9%
in the top 10.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS90thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 10.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS89thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 12.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS87thDefinition & 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 ›Subsidized affordable housing
127 units
in the top 16% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS84thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
21.4 per million
in the bottom 45% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS45thDefinition & 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
Mount Pleasant, Iowa (ZIP 52641) ranks in the top 45% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,496th) and the bottom 41% of Iowa (548th).
A profile of give and take, with clear readings each way: distance to an emergency room is at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Distance to a nursing home registers at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Mental-health providers lies in the top 13.8% nationally, and civic is in the top 13.9% nationally. On the other side, lithium in drinking water registers in the top 0.3% nationally, modeled binge drinking lies in the top 5.2% nationally, and modeled transportation noise is in the top 10.4% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden registers in the top 10.8% nationally, radon lies in the top 14.1% nationally, and disaster risk is in the top 12.7% nationally.
Against its neighbors, lithium in drinking water runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 52621, 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 65%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 68%
8%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 42%
13%
Disability
healthier than 59%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 38%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 34%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 19%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 27%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 73%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 60%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 45%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 51%
14%
Disability
healthier than 46%
7%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 6%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 10%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 31%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 29%
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
52540
Iowashares a border
Score 49.27
Closest healthier
52621
Iowashares a border
Score 55.58
Similar health profile
53933
Wisconsin96% similar profile
Score 52.37
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 | 26.7% | 23.7–29.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.6% | 31.6–39.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.6% | 7.8–9.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–11.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.9% | 6.2–7.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.5% | 6.6–8.5 |
| Depression among adults | 20.2% | 17.2–23.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.9% | 10.3–13.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.3% | 31.3–39.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.5% | 31.4–45.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.5% | 3.2–3.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 12.0% | 9.6–14.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.3% | 7.0–10.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.3% | 74.6–79.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.3% | 72.7–79.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.3% | 80.1–84.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.3% | 59.9–69.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.0% | 62.3–69.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.0% | 69.0–83.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 20.3% | 17.0–23.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.1% | 13.7–18.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.3% | 22.2–31.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.4% | 29.7–42.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.4% | 16.9–22.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.9% | 15.0–19.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.2% | 11.7–15.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.7% | 12.9–16.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.8% | 25.8–34.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.9% | 7.0–8.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.1–9.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.4% | 11.6–15.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.3–4.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.9% | 21.4–28.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.1% | 11.0–15.5 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.3% | 9.4–13.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.1% | 8.5–11.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 6.5–8.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.5% | 26.9–36.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.0% | 6.0–8.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 5.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 23.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 21.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 56.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 19.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 39.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $64,512 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $171,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $834 | $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 | 79.0 yr ± 0.76 | 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 0.76 years of 79.0, 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