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ZIP code

56601

in Bemidji, MinnesotaPopulation 34,784

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

51.38/ 100

Ranked #14,311 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 45%)

Ranked #617 of 866 Minnesota ZIPs (bottom 29%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Broad coverage across health domains

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.

Fiber broadband

99.7%

in the top 2.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST93rd
US97th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.

Full methodology ›

Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance

2.7%

in the top 2.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US97th
Definition & 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 4.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST5th
US4th
Definition & 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 ›

Distance to a community health center

23.5 mi

in the top 6.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST60th
US94th
Definition & 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 ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$0

in the top 8.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US92nd
Definition & 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 ›

High cholesterol

32.3%

in the bottom 7.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST15th
US7th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 12.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US87th
Definition & 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 ›

PFAS in drinking water

48%

in the top 14.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST93rd
US85th
Definition & source ›

The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.

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 ›

Lack of transportation

8.8%

in the top 34% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US66th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

The read

By the composite measure, Bemidji, Minnesota (ZIP 56601) sits in the top 45% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,311th) and the bottom 29% of Minnesota (617th), based on limited data; treat as directional.

continue reading

Reading across the measures, this area's clearest strengths come through: fiber broadband rests in the top 2.8% nationally, and modeled industrial-pollution burden sits in the bottom 4.3% nationally. Distance to an emergency room registers at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled humid heat lands in the bottom 10.2% nationally, and high cholesterol resides in the bottom 7.4% nationally. Subsidized affordable housing lies in the top 12.4% nationally. By contrast, modeled fine-particle settles in the top 2.9% nationally, and distance to a community health center stands in the top 6.4% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss is in the top 8.1% nationally, and disaster risk rests in the top 12.9% nationally.

Compared with the ZIPs that surround it, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain language, 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. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. ZIP 56461, 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.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 73%

21%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 96%

5%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 50%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 57%

11%

Disability

healthier than 58%

7%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 14%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 37%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 23%

8%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 8%

5%

Lifting this score

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 96%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 53%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 42%

16%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 41%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 21%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 13%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 32%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 3%

8%

Disability

healthier than 30%

7%

“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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults25.5%23.2–27.9
High blood pressure among adults31.0%28.1–33.9
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults8.4%7.7–9.2
Current asthma among adults11.0%9.9–12.2
Coronary heart disease among adults6.4%5.9–7.1
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults6.5%5.8–7.2
Depression among adults26.9%23.9–30.2
Diagnosed diabetes among adults10.3%9.1–11.6
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened32.3%29.4–35.4
Obesity among adults37.4%32.8–42.2
Stroke among adults3.4%3.1–3.7
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years12.0%9.8–14.3
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.8%6.8–9.1
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure75.4%72.8–77.8
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults73.2%69.8–76.3
Cholesterol screening among adults82.0%80.0–83.9
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years69.9%65.9–73.8
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults62.7%59.5–65.8
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years77.3%71.0–82.8
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults17.9%15.4–20.8
Current cigarette smoking among adults16.0%14.1–18.0
No leisure-time physical activity among adults24.8%21.7–28.1
Short sleep duration among adults31.1%26.7–35.8
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults17.8%15.9–19.9
Frequent mental distress among adults17.4%15.6–19.3
Frequent physical distress among adults12.4%11.1–13.8
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults15.3%13.7–16.9
Any disability among adults31.2%28.0–34.5
Hearing disability among adults7.6%6.9–8.4
Independent living disability among adults8.6%7.7–9.5
Mobility disability among adults12.6%11.3–14.2
Self-care disability among adults3.6%3.3–4.0
Vision disability among adults4.8%4.4–5.3
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults21.3%18.6–24.2
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults14.0%12.3–16.0
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults10.7%9.3–12.2
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.3%8.9–11.7
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults8.8%7.9–9.9
Loneliness among adults30.2%26.6–34.0
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults6.9%6.0–7.8
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MN median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate13.4%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.4% (3.6–16.8%) n=872
Uninsured 18–648.8%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2866.2% (2.3–12.7%) n=872
No HS diploma (25+)5.2%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.5% (2.2–11.2%) n=873
Bachelor's or higher (25+)37.1%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50523.4% (13.6–48.8%) n=873
Unemployment rate (16+)4.2%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.2% (0.8–7.1%) n=872
Households without a vehicle5.5%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.4% (0.4–9.1%) n=871
Broadband subscription92.2%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32289.2% (81.6–95.3%) n=871
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)26.4%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32222.1% (14.0–31.1%) n=871
Homeownership rate67.2%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32283.9% (67.0–94.0%) n=871
Crowded housing (>1 per room)1.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–3.9%) n=871
Foreign-born population1.8%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.8% (0.1–11.9%) n=873
Single-parent households51.4%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.9% (44.1–70.7%) n=870
Population 65+18.2%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.2% (12.7–30.7%) n=873
Median age35.9 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.3 yr (35.2–54.3) n=873
Median household income$72,262$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$77,917 ($58,441–$110,840) n=864
Median home value$260,900$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$234,000 ($132,740–$396,860) n=857
Median gross rent$1,088$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$925 ($650–$1,588) n=759
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MN median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth79.5 yr ± 0.4578.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30881.1 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 0.45 years of 79.5, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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