ZIP code
56501
in Detroit Lakes, MinnesotaPopulation 18,004
53.14/ 100
Ranked #11,877 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 37%)
Ranked #486 of 866 Minnesota ZIPs (bottom 44%)
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.
Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
2.9%
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Loneliness
26.9%
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›Distance to a community health center
34 mi
in the top 3.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST76thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
18%
in the top 7.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST77thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 8.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS9thDefinition & 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 ›Subsidized affordable housing
279 units
in the top 8.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 9.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
12 days/year
in the bottom 9.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST20thUS9thDefinition & 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 ›Mental-health provider access
0.11 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics located 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 the composite measure, Detroit Lakes, Minnesota (ZIP 56501) stands in the top 37% healthiest ZIPs nationally (11,877th) and the bottom 44% of Minnesota (486th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
A profile of give and take, with clear readings each way: modeled loneliness settles in the bottom 2.8% nationally, and short sleep rests in the bottom 5.2% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden lands in the bottom 8.8% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing settles in the top 8.8% nationally. Modeled humid heat rests in the bottom 9.0% nationally, and mental-health providers lands in the top 9.6% nationally. On the other side, modeled fine-particle settles in the top 2.4% nationally, distance to a community health center rests in the top 3.2% nationally, and modeled arsenic lands in the top 7.6% nationally. Modeled disaster risk settles in the top 9.0% nationally.
Set beside the wider area around it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. ZIP 56511, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 61%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 78%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 64%
11%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 95%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 58%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 57%
8%
Disability
healthier than 58%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 11%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 3%
5%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 78%
13%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 92%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 54%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 50%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 53%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 28%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 16%
14%
Disability
healthier than 28%
7%
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.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 78.2 ± 1.0 years. The 50 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 81.0 years — 2.8 years below them.
Ranked #2,218 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
56511
Minnesotashares a border
Score 55.52
Closest healthier
56587
Minnesotashares a border
Score 59.11
Similar health profile
56750
Minnesota98% similar profile
Score 53.57
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 | 27.8% | 25.0–30.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.3% | 33.8–40.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.6% | 9.6–11.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.6% | 6.9–8.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.0% | 6.2–8.0 |
| Depression among adults | 23.9% | 20.9–27.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.4% | 9.9–13.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.3% | 31.8–38.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.6% | 31.3–42.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.9% | 3.5–4.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.1% | 9.1–13.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.4% | 6.3–8.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.1% | 77.7–82.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.7% | 74.6–80.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.3% | 84.6–87.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 72.7% | 68.8–76.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.9% | 63.8–69.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.8% | 72.6–84.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.1% | 16.3–22.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.8% | 12.8–16.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.2% | 20.7–28.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 28.8% | 24.3–33.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.9% | 15.6–20.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.4% | 13.7–17.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.0% | 11.5–14.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.3% | 11.9–14.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.0% | 26.6–33.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.7% | 7.8–9.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.2–9.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.0% | 12.2–16.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 19.5% | 16.8–22.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.8% | 10.0–13.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 7.5–10.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 7.5–10.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.3–8.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 26.9% | 23.2–31.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.8% | 5.0–6.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.4% (3.6–16.8%) n=872 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.4% | 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+) | 32.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.4% (13.6–48.8%) n=873 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.8–7.1%) n=872 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.4% (0.4–9.1%) n=871 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (81.6–95.3%) n=871 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.1% (14.0–31.1%) n=871 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 83.9% (67.0–94.0%) n=871 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.9%) n=871 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.1–11.9%) n=873 |
| Single-parent households | 59.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.9% (44.1–70.7%) n=870 |
| Population 65+ | 24.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–30.7%) n=873 |
| Median age | 44.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (35.2–54.3) n=873 |
| Median household income | $70,037 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $77,917 ($58,441–$110,840) n=864 |
| Median home value | $314,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $234,000 ($132,740–$396,860) n=857 |
| Median gross rent | $963 | $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 | 78.1 yr ± 0.52 | 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 0.52 years of 78.1, 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