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ZIP code

56295

in Watson, MinnesotaPopulation 305

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

49.21/ 100

Ranked #17,365 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 46%)

Ranked #743 of 866 Minnesota ZIPs (bottom 14.3%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Broad coverage across health domains

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

3.5 pCi/L

in the top 5.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST86th
US95th
Definition & 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 ›

Distance to a community health center

34.8 mi

in the top 3.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST77th
US97th
Definition & 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 ›

Distance to a Superfund site

76.7 mi

in the top 5.5% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST92nd
US95th
Definition & 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

1.4%

in the top 6.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST64th
US93rd
Definition & 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 ›

Slow internet speeds

1.5%

in the top 7.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.

Full methodology ›

Home broadband subscription

77.2%

in the bottom 12.5% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST4th
US12th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

Median household income

$44,167

in the bottom 8.5% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST2nd
US8th
Definition & source ›

The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.

Full methodology ›

Poverty rate

21.6%

in the top 15% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US85th
Definition & source ›

The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Full methodology ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$0

in the bottom 16% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST9th
US16th
Definition & source ›

FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.

Full methodology ›

Crowded housing

4.4%

in the top 16% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
US84th
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.

Full methodology ›

The read

Overall, Watson, Minnesota (ZIP 56295) places in the bottom 46% nationally (17,365th) and the bottom 14.3% of Minnesota (743rd), based on limited data; treat as directional.

continue reading

The measures land in both directions, and neither dominates: distance to a Superfund site sits in the top 5.5% nationally, and modeled short sleep lies in the bottom 10.5% nationally. Modeled disaster risk rests in the bottom 11.0% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden resides in the bottom 14.6% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled radon is in the top 5.2% nationally, distance to a community health center lands in the top 3.0% nationally, and modeled fine-particle stands in the top 6.9% nationally. Slow internet speeds registers in the top 7.8% nationally, home broadband subscription settles in the bottom 12.5% nationally, and household income sits in the bottom 8.5% nationally.

For readers new to these terms, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 56265, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 68%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 60%

21%

Preventive Care

healthier than 49%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 50%

11%

Disability

healthier than 51%

7%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 24%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 26%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 38%

8%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 3%

5%

Nothing measured is lifting this score.

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 47%

14%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 32%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 17%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 24%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 19%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 15%

8%

Disability

healthier than 18%

7%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 39%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 18%

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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults26.2%23.1–29.5
High blood pressure among adults33.6%29.7–37.7
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.4%8.4–10.3
Current asthma among adults10.3%9.1–11.6
Coronary heart disease among adults7.6%6.7–8.7
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults7.4%6.2–8.7
Depression among adults25.3%21.7–29.2
Diagnosed diabetes among adults12.1%10.4–14.0
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened34.6%30.5–38.7
Obesity among adults40.8%33.4–48.7
Stroke among adults3.8%3.4–4.3
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years10.5%8.5–12.9
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years8.4%6.7–10.5
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure77.9%74.9–80.6
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults74.1%70.1–77.9
Cholesterol screening among adults84.3%82.0–86.3
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years67.4%62.2–72.4
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults66.1%62.6–69.5
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years78.5%70.9–84.8
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults17.9%14.7–21.4
Current cigarette smoking among adults17.2%14.1–20.5
No leisure-time physical activity among adults27.2%22.5–32.6
Short sleep duration among adults30.2%24.1–36.7
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults19.1%16.0–22.5
Frequent mental distress among adults16.6%14.5–18.9
Frequent physical distress among adults13.7%11.9–15.8
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults14.5%12.4–16.7
Any disability among adults31.1%26.5–36.1
Hearing disability among adults8.5%7.5–9.6
Independent living disability among adults8.5%7.3–9.8
Mobility disability among adults14.5%12.3–16.9
Self-care disability among adults4.0%3.5–4.7
Vision disability among adults4.8%4.1–5.5
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults21.7%18.4–25.6
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults13.3%10.7–16.3
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults10.1%8.0–12.5
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.1%8.4–12.1
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults7.9%6.8–9.2
Loneliness among adults30.1%25.6–35.1
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults6.7%5.6–7.7
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MN median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate21.6%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.4% (3.6–16.8%) n=872
Uninsured 18–640.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2866.2% (2.3–12.7%) n=872
No HS diploma (25+)17.5%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.5% (2.2–11.2%) n=873
Bachelor's or higher (25+)21.2%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50523.4% (13.6–48.8%) n=873
Unemployment rate (16+)5.9%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.2% (0.8–7.1%) n=872
Households without a vehicle8.8%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.4% (0.4–9.1%) n=871
Broadband subscription77.2%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32289.2% (81.6–95.3%) n=871
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)33.8%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32222.1% (14.0–31.1%) n=871
Homeownership rate77.2%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32283.9% (67.0–94.0%) n=871
Crowded housing (>1 per room)4.4%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–3.9%) n=871
Foreign-born population11.5%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.8% (0.1–11.9%) n=873
Single-parent households46.8%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.9% (44.1–70.7%) n=870
Population 65+14.8%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.2% (12.7–30.7%) n=873
Median age44.1 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.3 yr (35.2–54.3) n=873
Median household income$44,167$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$77,917 ($58,441–$110,840) n=864
Median home value$86,100$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$234,000 ($132,740–$396,860) n=857
Median gross rent$741$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$925 ($650–$1,588) n=759
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MN median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth81.5 yr ± 2.2878.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30881.1 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 2.28 years of 81.5, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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