ZIP code
59024
in Custer, MontanaPopulation 335
46.64/ 100
Ranked #20,602 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 36%)
Ranked #232 of 341 Montana ZIPs (bottom 32%)
Ranked #27 of 30 Billings, MT ZIPs (bottom 10.0%)
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.
Walkability
0.56 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 1.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST13thUS1stDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
24.3 mi
in the top 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST82ndUS98thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
1.9%
in the top 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST51stUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
18.9 per million
in the bottom 7.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST69thUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Energy-cost burden
5.2%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST75thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
18.8 days/year
in the top 24% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS76thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›The read
Custer, Montana (ZIP 59024), overall, ranks in the bottom 36% nationally (20,602nd) and the bottom 32% of Montana (232nd), based on limited data; treat as directional.
Reading across the data, the real pressures come first: walkability sits in the bottom 1.2% nationally, distance to a nursing home lands in the top 2.3% nationally, and modeled fine-particle lies in the top 4.8% nationally. Modeled energy burden stands in the top 7.5% nationally, slow internet speeds rests in the top 10.7% nationally, and modeled hearing disability registers in the top 10.9% nationally. More encouragingly, modeled air-toxics cancer risk resides in the bottom 7.1% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden settles in the bottom 10.5% nationally. Modeled humid heat is in the bottom 11.2% nationally, and distance to a hazardous-chemical facility sits in the top 13.0% 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. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. ZIP 59010, just across the boundary, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Billings, MT metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 74%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 52%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 33%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 22%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 30%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 35%
8%
Disability
healthier than 38%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 6%
5%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 74%
13%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 50%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 31%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 19%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 27%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 26%
8%
Disability
healthier than 31%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 9%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 32%
5%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 74%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 15%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 22%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 34%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 38%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 33%
8%
Disability
healthier than 6%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 5%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 17%
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
59010
Montanashares a border
Score 49.21
Closest healthier
59038
Montanashares a border
Score 50.40
Similar health profile
55704
Minnesota94% similar profile
Score 46.40
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 | 34.2% | 31.3–37.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.7% | 36.5–42.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.5% | 10.4–12.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.4% | 9.3–11.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.7% | 7.6–9.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.0% | 7.6–10.6 |
| Depression among adults | 25.9% | 23.1–28.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.6% | 11.0–14.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.4% | 34.4–40.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.9% | 31.7–40.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.4% | 3.9–5.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.9% | 13.1–18.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.2% | 7.4–11.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.6% | 74.7–80.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.4% | 74.5–80.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.8% | 83.7–87.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.4% | 65.7–73.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.2% | 60.3–66.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.4% | 69.9–80.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.6% | 15.3–20.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.6% | 14.0–19.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.1% | 20.8–28.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.8% | 29.3–36.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.6% | 18.7–25.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.5% | 14.6–18.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.0% | 14.1–18.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.6% | 12.8–16.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.5% | 31.8–39.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.7% | 7.5–10.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.1% | 14.0–18.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.6–4.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.4–5.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.2% | 19.3–25.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 9.5–14.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.6% | 6.9–10.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.7% | 7.3–10.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.0% | 6.0–8.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.8% | 26.5–33.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.2% | 5.3–7.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MT median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.7% (1.9–27.5%) n=360 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 14.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.1% (0.0–33.1%) n=357 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.7% (0.0–14.1%) n=360 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 30.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.6% (12.3–46.1%) n=360 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 1.8% (0.0–10.2%) n=357 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 1.7% (0.0–9.5%) n=360 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.3% (72.1–100.0%) n=360 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 17.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.1% (7.3–37.2%) n=360 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.0% (56.9–95.8%) n=360 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.9% (0.0–6.6%) n=360 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.9% (0.0–4.9%) n=360 |
| Single-parent households | 59.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 61.3% (39.9–84.5%) n=356 |
| Population 65+ | 26.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 24.0% (12.9–44.0%) n=360 |
| Median age | 54.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 46.0 yr (32.9–62.3) n=358 |
| Median household income | $78,125 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $66,875 ($44,980–$95,192) n=321 |
| Median home value | $239,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $292,450 ($127,430–$548,550) n=312 |
| Median gross rent | $420 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $877 ($544–$1,329) n=213 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MT median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 82.6 yr ± 2.78 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 79.7 yr (76.7–83.7) n=358 |
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 2.78 years of 82.6, 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