ZIP code
56129
in Ellsworth, MinnesotaPopulation 761
51.37/ 100
Ranked #14,330 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 45%)
Ranked #620 of 866 Minnesota ZIPs (bottom 28%)
Ranked #42 of 47 Sioux Falls, SD-MN ZIPs (bottom 10.7%)
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.
Radon
3.9 pCi/L
in the top 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Short sleep
28.8%
in the bottom 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST25thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
5.5%
in the top 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Transportation noise
0.07%
in the bottom 7.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
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 ›Tree cover
0.13%
in the bottom 15% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST6thUS15thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
0.71%
in the bottom 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS17thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
13.7 days/year
in the top 30% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS70thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Ellsworth, Minnesota (ZIP 56129) lands in the top 45% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,330th) and the bottom 28% of Minnesota (620th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The signals balance out across the profile, strengths against concerns: modeled short sleep registers in the bottom 5.2% nationally, and transportation noise rests in the bottom 7.8% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise stands at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Poverty lies in the bottom 12.7% nationally, modeled industrial-pollution burden lands in the bottom 13.1% nationally, and modeled loneliness sits in the bottom 13.3% nationally. Set against that, modeled radon is in the top 2.3% nationally, energy burden settles in the top 5.0% nationally, and fine-particle resides in the top 8.6% nationally. Distance to a community health center registers in the top 10.4% nationally.
A note on the terms: 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. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 51243, just across the boundary, ranks better 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 Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 66%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 66%
11%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 71%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 52%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 59%
8%
Disability
healthier than 51%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 19%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 26%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 12%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 46%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 54%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 53%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 59%
8%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 42%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 51%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Disability
healthier than 17%
7%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 96%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 41%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 5%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
in the bottom 0.00%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 40%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 21%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 8%
8%
Disability
in the bottom 0.00%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 20%
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
51243
Iowashares a border
Score 51.50
Closest healthier
51246
Iowashares a border
Score 53.30
Similar health profile
56214
Minnesota98% similar profile
Score 51.70
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 | 27.7% | 24.8–30.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 34.9% | 31.4–38.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.6% | 9.6–11.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.0% | 7.1–9.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.6% | 6.5–8.7 |
| Depression among adults | 23.6% | 20.7–26.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.4% | 10.8–14.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.9% | 33.2–40.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.3% | 31.2–43.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.1% | 3.6–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.4% | 10.9–16.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.9% | 6.4–9.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.6% | 78.0–82.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.4% | 73.1–79.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.1% | 84.3–87.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.9% | 64.8–73.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.9% | 63.8–70.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.6% | 71.5–83.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.4% | 13.9–19.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.1% | 13.7–18.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.1% | 23.9–32.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 28.8% | 23.8–34.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.7% | 16.0–21.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.4% | 13.7–17.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.7% | 12.1–15.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.5% | 11.9–15.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.1% | 27.2–35.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.1–10.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.3% | 7.2–9.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.1% | 13.0–17.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.5–4.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.2–5.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.9% | 18.0–23.9 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.6% | 9.6–13.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.7% | 7.1–10.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 7.4–10.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.0% | 6.0–8.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 28.9% | 25.0–33.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.8% | 4.9–6.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 3.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.4% (3.6–16.8%) n=872 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 16.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.2% (2.3–12.7%) n=872 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 1.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.5% (2.2–11.2%) n=873 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.4% (13.6–48.8%) n=873 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.8–7.1%) n=872 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.4% (0.4–9.1%) n=871 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (81.6–95.3%) n=871 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 15.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.1% (14.0–31.1%) n=871 |
| Homeownership rate | 83.4% | 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 | 0.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.1–11.9%) n=873 |
| Single-parent households | 66.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.9% (44.1–70.7%) n=870 |
| Population 65+ | 23.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–30.7%) n=873 |
| Median age | 45.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (35.2–54.3) n=873 |
| Median household income | $62,614 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $77,917 ($58,441–$110,840) n=864 |
| Median home value | $120,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $234,000 ($132,740–$396,860) n=857 |
| Median gross rent | $625 | $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 | 79.5 yr ± 0.77 | 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 0.77 years of 79.5, 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