ZIP code
56518
in Bluffton, MinnesotaPopulation 494
51.57/ 100
Ranked #14,022 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 44%)
Ranked #597 of 866 Minnesota ZIPs (bottom 31%)
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
72.7 mi
in the top 0.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
2.7%
in the top 2.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS4thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
20.2%
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
10.6 days/year
in the bottom 7.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS8thDefinition & 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 ›High blood pressure
28.7%
in the bottom 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS10thDefinition & 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 ›Unemployment rate
0.40%
in the bottom 15% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS15thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
18.9%
in the top 21% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS79thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›The read
Bluffton, Minnesota (ZIP 56518), overall, ranks in the top 44% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,022nd) and the bottom 31% of Minnesota (597th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
Reading the numbers as a whole, the picture lands somewhere in between: modeled industrial-pollution burden lands in the bottom 3.9% nationally, humid heat lies in the bottom 7.6% nationally, and high blood pressure stands in the bottom 7.5% nationally. Modeled disaster risk rests in the bottom 9.9% nationally, modeled pfas registers in the bottom 15% nationally, and unemployment resides in the bottom 15% nationally. On the other side, distance to a community health center settles in the top 0.3% nationally, and modeled fine-particle is in the top 2.7% nationally. Modeled binge drinking sits in the top 5.5% nationally, and radon lands in the top 18% nationally.
Defined simply, 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. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. ZIP 56571, about 4.1 miles away, comes out healthier 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.
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 74%
21%
Disability
healthier than 66%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 98%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 48%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 40%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 19%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 33%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 2%
5%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 99%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 55%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 40%
16%
Disability
healthier than 46%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 31%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 15%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 5%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 17%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 8%
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
56482
Minnesotashares a border
Score 46.02
Closest healthier
56571
Minnesotaabout 4.1 mi away
Score 56.62
Similar health profile
55030
Minnesota98% similar profile
Score 50.21
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 | 23.9% | 21.2–26.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 28.7% | 25.4–31.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.7% | 7.8–9.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.0% | 8.9–11.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.3% | 5.6–7.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.3% | 5.4–7.5 |
| Depression among adults | 24.7% | 21.4–28.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.9% | 8.6–11.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.7% | 31.2–38.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 34.9% | 29.6–40.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 2.9–3.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.9% | 15.7–22.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.8% | 6.2–9.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.3% | 73.3–79.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 71.9% | 68.2–75.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.9% | 80.6–85.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.5% | 65.2–73.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.9% | 61.7–68.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.9% | 71.2–83.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 20.2% | 17.2–23.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.3% | 14.4–20.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.2% | 21.3–29.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.8% | 26.9–37.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.5% | 14.9–20.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.7% | 14.7–18.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.8% | 11.1–14.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.3% | 12.4–16.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.3% | 25.4–33.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.5% | 6.7–8.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.9% | 6.9–9.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.5% | 10.6–14.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.5% | 3.0–4.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.7–4.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.9% | 18.7–25.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 9.4–14.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.4% | 6.7–10.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.4% | 7.7–11.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.1–8.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.4% | 28.1–37.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.1% | 5.1–7.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.4% (3.6–16.8%) n=872 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 2.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.2% (2.3–12.7%) n=872 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.5% (2.2–11.2%) n=873 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 14.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.4% (13.6–48.8%) n=873 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.8–7.1%) n=872 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.4% (0.4–9.1%) n=871 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (81.6–95.3%) n=871 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.1% (14.0–31.1%) n=871 |
| Homeownership rate | 86.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 83.9% (67.0–94.0%) n=871 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.9%) n=871 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.1–11.9%) n=873 |
| Single-parent households | 39.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.9% (44.1–70.7%) n=870 |
| Population 65+ | 10.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–30.7%) n=873 |
| Median age | 29.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (35.2–54.3) n=873 |
| Median household income | $71,250 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $77,917 ($58,441–$110,840) n=864 |
| Median home value | $160,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $234,000 ($132,740–$396,860) n=857 |
| Median gross rent | $843 | $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 | 80.9 yr ± 1.12 | 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 1.12 years of 80.9, 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