ZIP code
56308
in Alexandria, MinnesotaPopulation 27,008
55.06/ 100
Ranked #9,380 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 29%)
Ranked #334 of 866 Minnesota ZIPs (top 39%)
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.
Distance to a community health center
45.1 mi
in the top 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS99thDefinition & 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
3.4 pCi/L
in the top 5.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
1.9%
in the top 5.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST81stUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Short sleep
28.7%
in the bottom 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST23rdUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 6.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Loneliness
28.3%
in the bottom 9.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST23rdUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 11.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS88thDefinition & 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 ›Colon-cancer screening
72.4%
in the top 9.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST81stUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
44.6%
in the top 18% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS82ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›The read
In its overall standing, Alexandria, Minnesota (ZIP 56308) lands in the top 29% healthiest ZIPs nationally (9,380th) and the top 39% of Minnesota (334th).
Taken together, the data gives a genuinely mixed reading: distance to an emergency room resides at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled short sleep settles in the bottom 4.9% nationally, loneliness is in the bottom 9.0% nationally, and colon screening sits in the top 9.2% nationally. On the other side, distance to a community health center lands in the top 1.5% nationally, and modeled radon lies in the top 5.9% nationally. Modeled disaster risk stands in the top 3.9% nationally, and fine-particle rests in the top 5.1% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss registers in the top 6.4% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden resides in the top 11.9% nationally.
Against the wider neighborhood, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put simply, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. On the overall standing, ZIP 56319, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.
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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 66%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 77%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 78%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 81%
11%
Disability
healthier than 68%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 87%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 57%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 5%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 3%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 72%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 77%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 83%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 75%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 41%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 51%
8%
Disability
healthier than 50%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 8%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 17%
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
2 of our published findings list 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.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 79.9 ± 1.2 years. The 50 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 83.2 years — 3.2 years below them.
Ranked #2,526 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 5.6 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 65.7 — 60 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #15,428 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
56319
Minnesotashares a border
Score 58.60
Closest healthier
56327
Minnesotashares a border
Score 56.62
Similar health profile
56320
Minnesota97% similar profile
Score 57.68
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 | 27.4% | 24.6–30.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.0% | 29.5–36.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.4% | 9.5–11.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.1% | 6.5–7.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.1 |
| Depression among adults | 24.8% | 21.5–28.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.2% | 9.8–12.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.6% | 32.8–40.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.1% | 29.3–41.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.4–3.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.2% | 8.2–12.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.9% | 6.0–8.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.2% | 76.4–81.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.9% | 73.5–80.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.3% | 84.6–87.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 72.4% | 67.8–76.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 67.6% | 64.1–70.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.6% | 72.7–85.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.4% | 13.7–19.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.7% | 12.0–15.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.8% | 20.4–27.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 28.7% | 23.5–33.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.6% | 14.7–18.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.8% | 13.2–16.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.1% | 10.8–13.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.6% | 11.4–14.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.8% | 26.3–33.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.6–9.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.4% | 6.7–8.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.2% | 11.7–14.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.4% | 3.1–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 19.6% | 16.7–22.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.0% | 8.5–11.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.3% | 6.2–8.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.0% | 6.9–9.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.3% | 5.6–7.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 28.3% | 24.1–32.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.1% | 4.5–5.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.4% (3.6–16.8%) n=872 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.3% | 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+) | 34.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.4% (13.6–48.8%) n=873 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.8–7.1%) n=872 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.7% | 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) | 27.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.1% (14.0–31.1%) n=871 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.6% | 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 | 1.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.1–11.9%) n=873 |
| Single-parent households | 56.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.9% (44.1–70.7%) n=870 |
| Population 65+ | 24.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–30.7%) n=873 |
| Median age | 44.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (35.2–54.3) n=873 |
| Median household income | $78,177 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $77,917 ($58,441–$110,840) n=864 |
| Median home value | $341,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $234,000 ($132,740–$396,860) n=857 |
| Median gross rent | $956 | $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 | 79.9 yr ± 0.60 | 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 0.60 years of 79.9, 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