ZIP code
58281
in Wales, North DakotaPopulation 57
56.35/ 100
Ranked #7,919 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 25%)
Ranked #113 of 371 North Dakota ZIPs (top 30%)
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 Superfund site
203.2 mi
in the top 1.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST64thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Distance to a community health center
42.4 mi
in the top 1.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Housing-cost burden
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
21.2%
in the top 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST80thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Home broadband subscription
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
10 per million
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
8.1 days/year
in the bottom 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Fiber broadband
98.3%
in the top 6.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST58thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›The read
Wales, North Dakota (ZIP 58281), in overall standing, comes out in the top 25% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,919th) and the top 30% of North Dakota (113th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
A balanced showing across the data, with a few readings each side: distance to a Superfund site is in the top 1.0% nationally, housing-cost burden lies at the national minimum, and poverty registers at the national minimum. Homeownership is at the national maximum, home broadband subscription lies at the national maximum, and modeled air-toxics cancer risk registers in the bottom 2.8% nationally. Modeled humid heat is in the bottom 5.3% nationally, and fiber broadband lies in the top 6.2% nationally. On the other hand, distance to a community health center registers in the top 1.8% nationally, and modeled binge drinking is in the top 2.9% nationally.
Defined simply, for reference, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 58249, just across the boundary.
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 63%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 84%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 88%
8%
Disability
healthier than 76%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 98%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 57%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 54%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 52%
11%
Holding it back
Healthcare Access
healthier than 1%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 66%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 97%
14%
Disability
healthier than 68%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 48%
8%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 38%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 31%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 39%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 16%
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
58249
North Dakotashares a border
Score 57.06
Closest healthier
58338
North Dakotaabout 8.0 mi away
Score 59.81
Similar health profile
58772
North Dakota97% similar profile
Score 55.63
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 | 28.4% | 24.7–32.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.3% | 31.0–39.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.7% | 8.7–10.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.8% | 8.5–11.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.8% | 5.8–7.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.3% | 5.0–7.6 |
| Depression among adults | 20.2% | 16.8–23.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.2% | 8.5–12.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.4% | 33.1–41.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.2% | 32.1–48.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 2.8–3.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 12.5% | 9.9–15.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.3% | 4.7–8.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.7% | 75.6–81.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.7% | 72.7–80.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.4% | 82.9–87.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.4% | 57.9–67.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 67.1% | 63.0–70.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.7% | 68.2–83.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 21.2% | 17.6–25.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.1% | 10.0–16.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.3% | 17.7–27.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.6% | 25.2–38.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.8% | 12.8–19.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 13.4% | 11.4–15.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.9% | 10.0–13.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.6% | 9.6–13.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.6% | 22.9–32.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.2–9.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.7% | 5.4–7.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.1% | 9.8–14.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.2% | 2.6–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.2–4.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.4% | 17.0–24.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.6% | 6.5–10.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 5.1% | 3.7–6.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 5.9–9.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.3% | 4.3–6.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 28.0% | 23.3–33.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 4.8% | 3.9–5.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | ND median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 0.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.0% (1.0–21.4%) n=380 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.5% (0.0–19.2%) n=380 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 28.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.3% (0.6–13.4%) n=382 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 26.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 24.6% (12.5–41.0%) n=382 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 1.1% (0.0–6.5%) n=382 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–7.4%) n=379 |
| Broadband subscription | 100.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.7% (75.3–98.1%) n=379 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 0.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 15.2% (4.0–28.2%) n=379 |
| Homeownership rate | 100.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 83.5% (59.2–98.7%) n=379 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.0% (0.0–4.6%) n=379 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.9% (0.0–5.7%) n=383 |
| Single-parent households | 100.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 59.3% (40.0–83.3%) n=377 |
| Population 65+ | 63.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 21.6% (9.1–38.9%) n=383 |
| Median age | 70.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.9 yr (31.1–60.2) n=381 |
| Median household income | $128,750 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $79,666 ($56,729–$115,391) n=354 |
| Median home value | $79,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $159,750 ($88,870–$297,180) n=328 |
| Median gross rent | — | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $767 ($513–$1,222) n=212 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | ND median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 84.3 yr ± 2.18 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 80.0 yr (77.6–84.0) n=379 |
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 2.18 years of 84.3, 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