ZIP code
56549
in Hawley, MinnesotaPopulation 5,028
55.88/ 100
Ranked #8,399 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 26%)
Ranked #274 of 866 Minnesota ZIPs (top 32%)
Ranked #29 of 36 Fargo, ND-MN ZIPs (bottom 19%)
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
3.3%
in the top 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Slow internet speeds
2.1%
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
15.9%
in the top 9.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST73rdUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Mammography
80.5%
in the top 8.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST89thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite health measure, Hawley, Minnesota (ZIP 56549) ranks in the top 26% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,399th) and the top 32% of Minnesota (274th).
A number of measures pull each way for this area: modeled mammography settles in the top 8.7% nationally, and humid heat resides in the bottom 14.1% nationally. Poverty registers in the bottom 15% nationally. Set against that, modeled fine-particle rests in the top 2.1% nationally, slow internet speeds stands in the top 5.5% nationally, and modeled arsenic lies in the top 9.2% nationally. Modeled radon lands in the top 11.7% nationally, distance to an emergency room sits in the top 11.1% nationally, and distance to a community health center is in the top 13.7% nationally. Modeled binge drinking settles in the top 13.4% nationally.
To spell things out, 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. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Close by, ZIP 56514, just across the boundary, ranks 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Fargo, ND-MN metro area.
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 77%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 66%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 68%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 64%
11%
Disability
healthier than 79%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 80%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 49%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 8%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 12%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 62%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 61%
16%
Disability
healthier than 69%
7%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 58%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 48%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 58%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 12%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 31%
8%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 67%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 33%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 18%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 36%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 33%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 21%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 12%
8%
Disability
healthier than 21%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 33%
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.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 8.0 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 77.5 — 70 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #16,349 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
56514
Minnesotashares a border
Score 57.49
Closest healthier
56547
Minnesotashares a border
Score 57.55
Similar health profile
56021
Minnesota97% similar profile
Score 57.69
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 | 23.3% | 20.7–26.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 32.9% | 29.5–36.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.2% | 8.3–10.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.2% | 9.0–11.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.2% | 5.5–7.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.7% | 4.9–6.5 |
| Depression among adults | 25.3% | 22.0–28.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.1% | 8.7–11.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.7% | 32.0–39.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.0% | 27.8–38.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.1% | 2.8–3.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.3% | 8.3–12.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.4% | 5.2–7.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.8% | 72.8–78.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 74.4% | 71.0–77.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.5% | 83.7–87.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 71.4% | 67.1–75.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 68.9% | 65.6–71.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.5% | 74.0–85.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.7% | 15.8–21.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.4% | 12.0–16.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.8% | 18.3–25.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.7% | 26.7–36.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.2% | 12.9–17.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.3% | 13.5–17.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.5% | 10.0–13.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.8% | 11.1–14.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.4% | 23.8–31.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.4–8.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.0% | 6.1–8.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.3% | 9.6–12.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.1% | 2.7–3.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.3–4.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.6% | 17.6–23.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.1% | 8.1–12.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 5.7–8.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.1% | 6.7–9.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.2% | 5.3–7.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.2% | 25.9–34.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.3% | 4.5–6.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 4.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.4% (3.6–16.8%) n=872 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 3.5% | 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+) | 38.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.4% (13.6–48.8%) n=873 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.8–7.1%) n=872 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.4% (0.4–9.1%) n=871 |
| Broadband subscription | 91.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (81.6–95.3%) n=871 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 20.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.1% (14.0–31.1%) n=871 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 83.9% (67.0–94.0%) n=871 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.9%) n=871 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.1–11.9%) n=873 |
| Single-parent households | 52.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.9% (44.1–70.7%) n=870 |
| Population 65+ | 19.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–30.7%) n=873 |
| Median age | 41.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (35.2–54.3) n=873 |
| Median household income | $105,968 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $77,917 ($58,441–$110,840) n=864 |
| Median home value | $341,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $234,000 ($132,740–$396,860) n=857 |
| Median gross rent | $749 | $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 | 82.4 yr ± 1.10 | 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 1.10 years of 82.4, 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