ZIP code
52650
in Sperry, IowaPopulation 799
56.13/ 100
Ranked #8,129 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 25%)
Ranked #186 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 20%)
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.
Fiber broadband
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Lithium in drinking water
9.2 µg/L
in the bottom 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS2ndDefinition & 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 ›Poverty rate
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Civic-institution access
1.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
20.4%
in the top 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST67thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›PFAS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFAS — man-made “forever chemicals” that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down — were detected in EPA testing.
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 ›PFAS in drinking water
9.0%
in the bottom 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST18thUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Housing-cost burden
7.5%
in the bottom 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$105,255
in the top 16% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS84thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
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
Sperry, Iowa (ZIP 52650) ranks in the top 25% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,129th) and the top 20% of Iowa (186th).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: fiber broadband is at the national maximum, and lithium in drinking water registers in the bottom 1.6% nationally. Poverty lies at the national minimum, and civic is in the top 2.9% nationally. Modeled pfas registers in the bottom 6.8% nationally, and housing-cost burden lies in the bottom 6.8% nationally. Households without a vehicle is at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled transportation registers in the bottom 12.4% nationally. By contrast, modeled binge drinking lies in the top 4.8% nationally, and PFAS in drinking water is at the national maximum.
For context, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. PFAS in drinking water is the family of man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. 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. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 52637, 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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 70%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 81%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 80%
8%
Disability
healthier than 71%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 58%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 57%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 56%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 41%
5%
Holding it back
Risk Behavior
healthier than 38%
11%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 64%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 73%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 92%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 71%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 75%
8%
Disability
healthier than 69%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 76%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 49%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 54%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
“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
52601
Iowashares a border
Score 49.94
Closest healthier
52637
Iowashares a border
Score 56.60
Similar health profile
12790
New York99% similar profile
Score 56.61
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 | 30.9% | 27.7–34.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.6% | 32.7–40.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.3% | 9.3–11.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.6% | 8.5–10.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.4% | 6.6–8.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.8% | 6.7–8.9 |
| Depression among adults | 20.3% | 17.4–23.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.5% | 10.8–14.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.5% | 33.7–41.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 34.9% | 29.3–41.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–4.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.0% | 7.1–10.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.1% | 4.8–7.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.2% | 77.1–83.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.5% | 77.4–83.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.5% | 85.7–89.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.4% | 62.6–71.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 69.4% | 66.1–72.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.6% | 70.4–83.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 20.4% | 17.4–23.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.3% | 13.6–19.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.0% | 22.0–30.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.7% | 25.3–36.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.9% | 15.4–20.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.1% | 13.4–17.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.6% | 11.9–15.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.2% | 10.7–14.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.2% | 24.6–32.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.2–9.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.8% | 5.9–7.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.7% | 11.8–16.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.6% | 3.1–4.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.5–4.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.9% | 19.6–26.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 8.1–12.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.9% | 6.4–9.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 6.5–9.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.4% | 4.7–6.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.6% | 25.3–33.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.4% | 4.6–6.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 0.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 3.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 23.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 85.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 7.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 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 | 60.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 21.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 35.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $105,255 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $247,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $1,302 | $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 | 81.3 yr ± 1.13 | 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 1.13 years of 81.3, 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