ZIP code
56324
in Dalton, MinnesotaPopulation 1,028
56.78/ 100
Ranked #7,483 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 23%)
Ranked #232 of 866 Minnesota ZIPs (top 27%)
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
56.7 mi
in the top 0.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Fiber broadband
99.8%
in the top 2.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
32.7%
in the top 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS97thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
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 ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
2.7%
in the top 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Colon-cancer screening
75.1%
in the top 2.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
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 ›Fatal road crashes
38.9 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 7.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
7.1%
in the bottom 8.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Utility shut-off threat
4.6%
in the bottom 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Recreation access
1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS91stDefinition & source ›
The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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 ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Dalton, Minnesota (ZIP 56324) ranks in the top 23% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,483rd) and the top 27% of Minnesota (232nd), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The measures split the difference for this area: fiber broadband lands in the top 2.3% nationally, and modeled colon screening registers in the top 2.9% nationally. Modeled short sleep sits in the bottom 4.9% nationally, and housing insecurity rests in the bottom 8.1% nationally. Modeled utility shutoff is in the bottom 8.6% nationally. Against that, distance to a community health center stands in the top 0.7% nationally, modeled arsenic settles in the top 2.6% nationally, and modeled fine-particle lies in the top 2.9% nationally. Fatal road crashes resides in the top 7.3% nationally, and modeled radon lands in the top 10.1% nationally.
In plainer terms, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 56332, about 13 miles away.
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 64%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 67%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 90%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 78%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 76%
8%
Disability
healthier than 76%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 89%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 9%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 1%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 61%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 95%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 78%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 90%
8%
Disability
healthier than 64%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 81%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 40%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 13%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 6%
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
56309
Minnesotashares a border
Score 49.54
Closest healthier
56332
Minnesotaabout 13 mi away
Score 58.75
Similar health profile
56511
Minnesota98% similar profile
Score 55.52
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 | 28.0% | 25.1–31.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 32.4% | 29.0–35.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.2% | 10.1–12.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.9% | 8.8–11.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.3% | 5.4–7.4 |
| Depression among adults | 22.8% | 19.8–25.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.2% | 9.7–13.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.3% | 35.6–43.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.6% | 28.5–39.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.2–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.3% | 6.8–10.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.8% | 4.7–7.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.3% | 78.3–83.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.0% | 73.8–80.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.8% | 87.2–90.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 75.1% | 71.2–79.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 72.9% | 70.0–75.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.9% | 72.6–84.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.1% | 14.4–20.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.2% | 11.9–16.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.0% | 19.5–27.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 28.7% | 24.1–33.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.8% | 13.5–18.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.0% | 12.4–15.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.4% | 10.8–14.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.4% | 10.0–13.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.4% | 23.9–31.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.2% | 7.3–9.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.7% | 5.8–7.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.6% | 10.8–14.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.3% | 2.9–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.3–4.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 19.7% | 16.8–22.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.6% | 7.0–10.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 5.9% | 4.8–7.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.1% | 5.9–8.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.4% | 4.7–6.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.4% | 25.5–33.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 4.6% | 3.9–5.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 3.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.4% (3.6–16.8%) n=872 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.2% (2.3–12.7%) n=872 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.5% (2.2–11.2%) n=873 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 22.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.4% (13.6–48.8%) n=873 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.8–7.1%) n=872 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.4% (0.4–9.1%) n=871 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (81.6–95.3%) n=871 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 18.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.1% (14.0–31.1%) n=871 |
| Homeownership rate | 92.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 83.9% (67.0–94.0%) n=871 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.9%) n=871 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.1–11.9%) n=873 |
| Single-parent households | 66.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.9% (44.1–70.7%) n=870 |
| Population 65+ | 22.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–30.7%) n=873 |
| Median age | 49.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (35.2–54.3) n=873 |
| Median household income | $82,917 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $77,917 ($58,441–$110,840) n=864 |
| Median home value | $252,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $234,000 ($132,740–$396,860) n=857 |
| Median gross rent | $775 | $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 | 83.9 yr ± 1.42 | 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 1.42 years of 83.9, 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