ZIP code
56537
in Fergus Falls, MinnesotaPopulation 19,856
52.05/ 100
Ranked #13,389 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 42%)
Ranked #566 of 866 Minnesota ZIPs (bottom 35%)
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
38.5 mi
in the top 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST81stUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 4.2% 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 ›Lead in tap water
7.9 ppb
in the top 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
US95thDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
22.1%
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Lithium in drinking water
10 µg/L
in the bottom 7.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST25thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 8.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Colon-cancer screening
72.9%
in the top 7.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST85thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Dental provider access
0.78 per 1,000 residents
in the top 11.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS89thDefinition & source ›
The number of dental offices 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
In its overall standing, Fergus Falls, Minnesota (ZIP 56537) lands in the top 42% healthiest ZIPs nationally (13,389th) and the bottom 35% of Minnesota (566th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
This area's measures are easy to read as a mixed set: distance to an emergency room rests at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Lithium in drinking water registers in the bottom 7.8% nationally, and modeled colon screening resides in the top 7.6% nationally. Set against that, distance to a community health center settles in the top 2.3% nationally, and modeled fine-particle is in the top 2.7% nationally. Modeled disaster risk sits in the top 4.2% nationally, and lead in tap water lands in the top 5.2% nationally. Modeled arsenic lies in the top 5.5% nationally, and expected annual loss stands in the top 8.4% nationally. Modeled radon rests in the top 12.2% nationally.
Against the wider neighborhood, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put simply, fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. On the overall standing, ZIP 56324, 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
Preventive Care
healthier than 73%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 63%
11%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 86%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 57%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 60%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 55%
8%
Disability
healthier than 51%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 11%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 3%
5%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 67%
13%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 73%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 53%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 46%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 46%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 26%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 16%
14%
Disability
healthier than 18%
7%
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 ›
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 78.8 ± 1.2 years. The 50 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 81.6 years — 2.9 years below them.
Ranked #2,265 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
56324
Minnesotashares a border
Score 56.78
Closest healthier
56522
Minnesotashares a border
Score 54.31
Similar health profile
56354
Minnesota98% similar profile
Score 52.59
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 | 28.1% | 25.3–31.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 32.6% | 29.3–36.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.8% | 9.9–11.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.2% | 9.1–11.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.9% | 7.1–8.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.3% | 6.3–8.3 |
| Depression among adults | 24.1% | 21.0–27.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.7% | 10.1–13.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.7% | 34.2–41.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 34.4% | 29.3–39.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.8% | 9.6–14.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.2% | 6.1–8.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.7% | 78.1–83.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 75.8% | 72.5–78.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.7% | 84.0–87.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 72.9% | 68.7–77.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.6% | 63.4–69.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.2% | 71.7–84.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.8% | 14.2–19.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.6% | 13.5–17.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.3% | 22.5–30.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.8% | 26.0–36.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.3% | 15.9–20.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.5% | 13.8–17.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.3% | 11.7–15.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.5% | 11.9–15.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.3% | 27.5–35.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.2–10.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.4–9.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.7% | 12.7–16.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.5–4.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.2% | 17.3–23.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.6% | 9.7–13.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.6–10.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 7.5–10.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.2–8.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.1% | 26.9–35.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.0% | 5.1–6.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.4% (3.6–16.8%) n=872 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.2% (2.3–12.7%) n=872 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.5% (2.2–11.2%) n=873 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 31.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.4% (13.6–48.8%) n=873 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.8–7.1%) n=872 |
| Households without a vehicle | 7.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.4% (0.4–9.1%) n=871 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (81.6–95.3%) n=871 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 24.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.1% (14.0–31.1%) n=871 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 83.9% (67.0–94.0%) n=871 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.9%) n=871 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.1–11.9%) n=873 |
| Single-parent households | 57.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.9% (44.1–70.7%) n=870 |
| Population 65+ | 23.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–30.7%) n=873 |
| Median age | 43.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (35.2–54.3) n=873 |
| Median household income | $65,473 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $77,917 ($58,441–$110,840) n=864 |
| Median home value | $246,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $234,000 ($132,740–$396,860) n=857 |
| Median gross rent | $910 | $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 | 78.8 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 78.8, 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