ZIP code
52728
in Buffalo, IowaPopulation 984
53.53/ 100
Ranked #11,321 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 35%)
Ranked #374 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (top 41%)
Ranked #27 of 63 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL ZIPs (top 43%)
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.
Binge drinking
22.5%
in the top 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Floodplain exposure
50.5%
in the top 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 9.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS9thDefinition & 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 ›Outer-floodplain exposure
2.8%
in the top 11.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
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 ›Poverty rate
19.9%
in the top 18% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS82ndDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
31.5%
in the bottom 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS17thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
2.2%
in the bottom 19% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS19thDefinition & 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
5.8%
in the bottom 20% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS20thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Slow internet speeds
0.45%
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS78thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Crowded housing
3.4%
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS78thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›The read
Buffalo, Iowa (ZIP 52728), by its overall standing, sits in the top 35% healthiest ZIPs nationally (11,321st) and the top 41% of Iowa (374th).
The profile opens balanced, with readings on either hand: modeled disaster risk sits in the bottom 9.5% nationally, mammography settles in the top 10.1% nationally, and tooth loss registers in the bottom 16% nationally. By contrast, modeled binge drinking stands in the top 1.5% nationally, and floodplain exposure lands in the top 3.9% nationally. Fiber broadband is at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Outer-floodplain exposure resides in the top 11.7% nationally, and modeled arsenic rests in the top 14.0% nationally. Recreation lies at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs. Poverty sits in the top 18% nationally.
Held up against its neighbors, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 52726, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metro area.
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 70%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 63%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 77%
13%
Disability
healthier than 79%
7%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 41%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 57%
8%
Holding it back
Risk Behavior
healthier than 24%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 9%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 38%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 82%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 79%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 62%
14%
Disability
healthier than 83%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 74%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 58%
13%
Holding it back
Risk Behavior
healthier than 17%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 12%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 1%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 89%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 71%
13%
Disability
healthier than 81%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 45%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 50%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 58%
5%
Holding it back
Risk Behavior
healthier than 10%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 31%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 8%
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
52726
Iowashares a border
Score 55.87
Closest healthier
61259
Illinoisshares a border
Score 57.23
Similar health profile
46376
Indiana98% similar profile
Score 52.30
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 | 29.1% | 26.4–32.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 31.5% | 28.5–34.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.6% | 7.8–9.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.6–12.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.8% | 5.1–6.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.7% | 5.7–7.9 |
| Depression among adults | 21.8% | 19.0–24.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.3% | 8.9–11.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.8% | 31.7–38.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.9% | 36.1–45.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.1% | 2.7–3.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.6% | 6.9–10.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.5% | 5.2–8.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.3% | 74.5–80.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.1% | 75.0–80.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.4% | 83.3–87.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.9% | 65.7–74.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 70.7% | 67.7–73.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.2% | 74.4–85.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 22.5% | 19.6–25.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.1% | 12.7–18.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.3% | 19.9–27.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.3% | 29.8–39.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.0% | 14.7–19.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.9% | 14.9–19.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.9% | 11.3–14.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.0% | 11.2–15.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 25.3% | 22.0–29.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.7% | 5.9–7.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.9% | 6.0–8.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.9% | 10.1–13.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.2% | 2.8–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.1% | 20.0–26.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.4% | 9.3–13.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.3% | 7.4–11.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.7% | 8.1–11.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.2% | 5.3–7.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.2% | 29.2–37.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.3% | 5.3–7.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 19.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 3.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 12.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 12.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 15.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 36.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 15.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 38.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $69,239 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $120,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $769 | $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 | 79.4 yr ± 0.83 | 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 0.83 years of 79.4, 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