ZIP code
55706
in Babbitt, MinnesotaPopulation 1,703
51.12/ 100
Ranked #14,636 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 46%)
Ranked #636 of 866 Minnesota ZIPs (bottom 27%)
Ranked #52 of 65 Duluth, MN-WI ZIPs (bottom 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.
Energy-cost burden
7.6%
in the top 0.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 0.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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
0.58 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
10 per million
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
23.2 mi
in the top 3.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›Park land
27.6%
in the top 5.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
8 days/year
in the bottom 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.
Full methodology ›Fiber broadband
96.8%
in the top 8.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST84thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
60.3 mi
in the top 8.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST83rdUS91stDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
1.1%
in the top 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST50thUS91stDefinition & 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 ›The read
In overall standing, Babbitt, Minnesota (ZIP 55706) comes out in the top 46% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,636th) and the bottom 27% of Minnesota (636th).
Both sides of the picture show up plainly in this area's numbers: modeled industrial-pollution burden settles in the bottom 0.2% nationally, elder services registers in the top 2.0% nationally, and modeled air-toxics cancer risk stands in the bottom 2.8% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lands in the top 3.5% nationally, park land is in the top 5.2% nationally, and modeled humid heat resides in the bottom 5.2% nationally. Fiber broadband rests in the top 8.4% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site lies in the top 8.6% nationally. By contrast, modeled energy burden sits in the top 0.8% nationally, and fine-particle settles in the top 8.6% nationally.
Relative to the ZIPs around it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain terms, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 55607, 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 Duluth, MN-WI metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 97%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 80%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 63%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 85%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 59%
11%
Disability
healthier than 41%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 36%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 8%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 17%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.7%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 80%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 67%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 70%
5%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 7%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 2%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 35%
11%
Disability
healthier than 10%
7%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 95%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 77%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 70%
8%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 59%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 20%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 4%
16%
Disability
healthier than 18%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 34%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 21%
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 ›
Findings that name this ZIP
One of our published findings lists this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 96.9 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 35.7 — 61 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,644 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
55607
Minnesotashares a border
Score 59.43
Closest healthier
55731
Minnesotashares a border
Score 54.83
Similar health profile
56654
Minnesota94% similar profile
Score 51.74
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 | 31.3% | 28.0–34.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.4% | 34.6–42.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.8% | 10.5–13.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.4% | 9.1–11.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.3% | 8.2–10.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.1% | 6.8–9.6 |
| Depression among adults | 23.5% | 20.3–27.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.8% | 11.9–15.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.6% | 32.7–40.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.2% | 30.9–41.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.6% | 4.0–5.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 12.9% | 10.6–15.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.7% | 5.2–8.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 82.4% | 79.4–85.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.2% | 75.0–81.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.2% | 86.5–89.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.5% | 64.6–72.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.2% | 63.3–69.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.4% | 73.0–83.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.5% | 13.8–19.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.4% | 13.6–19.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.4% | 22.3–30.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.6% | 28.1–35.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.0% | 17.0–23.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.0% | 13.0–17.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.7% | 12.7–17.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.1% | 11.1–15.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.3% | 30.2–38.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.1–10.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.2% | 14.6–20.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.7–5.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.3–6.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.2% | 18.2–24.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.1% | 8.9–13.5 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.7% | 6.8–10.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.1% | 6.7–9.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.1% | 6.0–8.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.4% | 27.6–35.2 |
| 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) | MN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.4% (3.6–16.8%) n=872 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 2.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.2% (2.3–12.7%) n=872 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.5% (2.2–11.2%) n=873 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 17.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.4% (13.6–48.8%) n=873 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.8–7.1%) n=872 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.8% | 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) | 24.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.1% (14.0–31.1%) n=871 |
| Homeownership rate | 89.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 83.9% (67.0–94.0%) n=871 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.9%) n=871 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.1–11.9%) n=873 |
| Single-parent households | 62.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.9% (44.1–70.7%) n=870 |
| Population 65+ | 31.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–30.7%) n=873 |
| Median age | 57.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (35.2–54.3) n=873 |
| Median household income | $56,750 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $77,917 ($58,441–$110,840) n=864 |
| Median home value | $112,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $234,000 ($132,740–$396,860) n=857 |
| Median gross rent | $737 | $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 | 77.1 yr ± 0.62 | 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 0.62 years of 77.1, 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