ZIP code
55072
in Sandstone, MinnesotaPopulation 4,418
43.47/ 100
Ranked #23,936 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 25%)
Ranked #839 of 866 Minnesota ZIPs (bottom 3.2%)
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.
Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Elder-services access
0.23 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
1.3%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST59thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of days in the year when modeled fine-particle (PM2.5) pollution was above the EPA’s daily limit of 35 micrograms per cubic meter.
Full methodology ›Distance to a community health center
17.5 mi
in the top 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST47thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
5.1%
in the top 8.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST77thUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Obesity
42.8%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
10.8%
in the top 19% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS81stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Mammography
70.9%
in the bottom 18% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS18thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
60.7%
in the bottom 17% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST2ndUS17thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
19.4%
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS78thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›The read
Sandstone, Minnesota (ZIP 55072), on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 25% nationally (23,936th) and the bottom 3.2% of Minnesota (839th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The profile cuts both ways, and the readings bear that out: modeled industrial-pollution burden registers in the bottom 5.3% nationally. Distance to an emergency room lands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Elder services resides in the top 6.1% nationally, and recreation lies in the top 10.5% nationally. Childcare settles in the top 12.6% nationally. Distance to a nursing home stands at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Working the other way, modeled fine-particle is in the top 7.5% nationally, and distance to a community health center rests in the top 9.9% nationally. Modeled energy burden sits in the top 8.7% nationally, and obesity registers in the top 9.8% nationally.
In everyday language, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 54830, 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 65%
14%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 96%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 46%
21%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 12%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 12%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 9%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 35%
8%
Disability
healthier than 29%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 14%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 92%
14%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 95%
5%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 55%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 13%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 5%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 2%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the bottom 1.0%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 12%
8%
Disability
healthier than 4%
7%
“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
54830
Wisconsinshares a border
Score 50.51
Closest healthier
55704
Minnesotashares a border
Score 46.40
Similar health profile
17246
Pennsylvania98% similar profile
Score 45.58
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 | 26.0% | 23.2–29.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.2% | 35.3–43.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.3% | 7.6–9.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.0% | 8.9–11.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.2% | 7.4–9.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.4–9.4 |
| Depression among adults | 24.3% | 21.0–27.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.9% | 12.2–15.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.7% | 30.9–38.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 42.8% | 36.0–49.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.3% | 3.9–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.5% | 13.5–19.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.9% | 9.8–14.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.5% | 72.5–78.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 73.8% | 69.9–77.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 81.5% | 79.4–83.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 60.7% | 55.7–65.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.9% | 51.2–58.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 70.9% | 63.1–77.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.7% | 15.6–22.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 22.0% | 19.2–25.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.1% | 26.8–35.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.4% | 29.7–41.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.2% | 21.3–27.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.6% | 15.7–19.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.4% | 13.7–17.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.6% | 14.7–18.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.5% | 32.5–40.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.3–10.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.8–11.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.5% | 14.6–18.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.5–5.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.6–6.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 25.4% | 22.0–29.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.4% | 16.6–22.5 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 15.5% | 13.2–18.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.3% | 12.3–16.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.3% | 27.9–37.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.6% | 8.4–11.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.4% (3.6–16.8%) n=872 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.2% (2.3–12.7%) n=872 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 11.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.5% (2.2–11.2%) n=873 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.4% (13.6–48.8%) n=873 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.8–7.1%) n=872 |
| Households without a vehicle | 7.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.4% (0.4–9.1%) n=871 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (81.6–95.3%) n=871 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 30.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.1% (14.0–31.1%) n=871 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 83.9% (67.0–94.0%) n=871 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.9%) n=871 |
| Foreign-born population | 5.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.1–11.9%) n=873 |
| Single-parent households | 63.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.9% (44.1–70.7%) n=870 |
| Population 65+ | 20.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–30.7%) n=873 |
| Median age | 44.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (35.2–54.3) n=873 |
| Median household income | $58,144 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $77,917 ($58,441–$110,840) n=864 |
| Median home value | $200,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $234,000 ($132,740–$396,860) n=857 |
| Median gross rent | $1,045 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $925 ($650–$1,588) n=759 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.6 yr ± 0.59 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 81.1 yr (78.3–84.8) n=864 |
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 0.59 years of 79.6, 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