ZIP code
55349
in Howard Lake, MinnesotaPopulation 3,549
55.13/ 100
Ranked #9,309 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 29%)
Ranked #328 of 866 Minnesota ZIPs (top 38%)
Ranked #171 of 224 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ZIPs (bottom 24%)
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.
Civic-institution access
1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a community health center
28.2 mi
in the top 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST67thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Radon
3 pCi/L
in the top 10.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST65thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›Fiber broadband
0.05%
in the bottom 20% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST6thUS20thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite measure, Howard Lake, Minnesota (ZIP 55349) sits in the top 29% healthiest ZIPs nationally (9,309th) and the top 38% of Minnesota (328th).
Where this area does well, the measures make it plain: civic resides in the top 4.0% nationally. Distance to a nursing home lies at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Outer-floodplain exposure settles at the national minimum, shared with about 36% of ZIPs. Modeled utility shutoff stands in the bottom 18% nationally, and short sleep is in the bottom 19% nationally. Against that, distance to a community health center rests in the top 4.6% nationally, and modeled radon sits in the top 10.0% nationally. Modeled fine-particle registers in the top 10.2% nationally, and distance to an emergency room lands in the top 13.3% nationally. Modeled binge drinking resides in the top 14.9% nationally.
In plain language, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. 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. ZIP 55302, just across the boundary, ranks healthier overall.
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 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 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 71%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 76%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 61%
11%
Disability
healthier than 72%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 82%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 56%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 51%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 26%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 5%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 71%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 64%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 52%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 48%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 42%
11%
Disability
healthier than 57%
7%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 37%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 36%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 29%
5%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 85%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 57%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 43%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 15%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 33%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 32%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 39%
8%
Disability
healthier than 23%
7%
Healthcare Access
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
55302
Minnesotashares a border
Score 55.68
Closest healthier
55313
Minnesotashares a border
Score 57.45
Similar health profile
56331
Minnesota99% similar profile
Score 55.95
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 | 25.7% | 23.1–28.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 34.3% | 31.2–37.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.3% | 8.4–10.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.3% | 9.2–11.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.1% | 5.2–7.0 |
| Depression among adults | 24.6% | 21.8–27.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.7% | 9.3–12.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.5% | 32.3–38.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.4% | 31.7–41.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 2.9–3.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.3% | 7.5–11.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.3% | 6.0–8.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.8% | 75.2–80.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 75.8% | 72.8–78.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.3% | 83.5–87.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.1% | 66.1–73.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.2% | 63.1–69.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.7% | 69.1–81.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.5% | 15.9–21.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.4% | 12.0–16.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.1% | 19.7–26.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.8% | 27.5–36.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.7% | 14.4–19.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.6% | 13.8–17.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.1% | 10.6–13.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.3% | 11.6–15.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.6% | 26.1–33.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.7–8.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.3–8.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.4% | 10.7–14.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.3% | 2.9–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.1% | 17.2–23.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.3% | 8.3–12.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 5.8–8.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.6% | 7.2–10.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.3% | 5.4–7.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.8% | 25.8–33.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.3% | 4.6–6.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.4% (3.6–16.8%) n=872 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 3.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.2% (2.3–12.7%) n=872 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.5% (2.2–11.2%) n=873 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 23.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.4% (13.6–48.8%) n=873 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.8–7.1%) n=872 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.4% (0.4–9.1%) n=871 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (81.6–95.3%) n=871 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 17.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.1% (14.0–31.1%) n=871 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 83.9% (67.0–94.0%) n=871 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.9%) n=871 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.1–11.9%) n=873 |
| Single-parent households | 67.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.9% (44.1–70.7%) n=870 |
| Population 65+ | 23.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–30.7%) n=873 |
| Median age | 48.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (35.2–54.3) n=873 |
| Median household income | $99,444 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $77,917 ($58,441–$110,840) n=864 |
| Median home value | $321,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $234,000 ($132,740–$396,860) n=857 |
| Median gross rent | $937 | $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 | 81.1 yr ± 1.21 | 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 1.21 years of 81.1, 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