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ZIP code

59247

in Medicine Lake, MontanaPopulation 310

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

48.64/ 100

Ranked #18,144 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 43%)

Ranked #186 of 341 Montana ZIPs (bottom 45%)

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.

Energy-cost burden

7.1%

in the top 1.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US99th
Definition & 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 ›

Distance to a Superfund site

254 mi

in the top 0.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST98th
US99th
Definition & 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

45.4 mi

in the top 1.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
US99th
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 ›

Walkability

1.3 intersections/sq mi

in the bottom 4.0% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST52nd
US4th
Definition & source ›

The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.

Full methodology ›

Slow internet speeds

2.7%

in the top 4.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST80th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.

Full methodology ›

Industrial-pollution burden

in the bottom 4.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST26th
US5th
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 ›

Humid extreme heat

8.7 days/year

in the bottom 5.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST56th
US6th
Definition & 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 ›

Distance to a nursing home

13.9 mi

in the top 6.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST57th
US94th
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.

Full methodology ›

Binge drinking

19.8%

in the top 7.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST79th
US93rd
Definition & 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 ›

Air-toxics cancer risk

19.8 per million

in the bottom 7.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST76th
US8th
Definition & 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 ›

The read

Medicine Lake, Montana (ZIP 59247), by its overall standing, sits in the bottom 43% nationally (18,144th) and the bottom 45% of Montana (186th), based on limited data; treat as directional.

continue reading

The profile opens on the burdens that define it most: modeled energy burden is in the top 1.1% nationally, distance to a community health center resides in the top 1.5% nationally, and walkability rests in the bottom 4.0% nationally. Slow internet speeds lies in the top 4.3% nationally, distance to a nursing home sits in the top 6.2% nationally, and modeled binge drinking settles in the top 7.0% nationally. More positively, distance to a Superfund site registers in the top 0.6% nationally, and modeled industrial-pollution burden stands in the bottom 4.8% nationally. Modeled humid heat lands in the bottom 5.8% nationally, and air-toxics cancer risk is in the bottom 7.7% nationally.

Defined in plain terms, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 59219, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 95%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 61%

11%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 92%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 56%

21%

Mental Health

healthier than 44%

8%

Disability

healthier than 53%

7%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 8%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 25%

13%

Healthcare Access

in the bottom 0.6%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 63%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 97%

14%

About typical

Disability

healthier than 54%

7%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 6%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 27%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 38%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 35%

8%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 32%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 5%

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.

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 adults30.4%27.1–33.9
High blood pressure among adults35.4%31.4–39.6
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.0%9.0–11.1
Current asthma among adults11.2%9.9–12.5
Coronary heart disease among adults7.3%6.5–8.2
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults7.8%6.7–9.1
Depression among adults23.9%20.3–27.6
Diagnosed diabetes among adults10.6%9.1–12.3
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened34.9%30.8–39.3
Obesity among adults35.1%27.7–43.1
Stroke among adults3.8%3.4–4.3
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years11.1%8.8–13.7
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years9.8%7.8–12.1
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure75.4%72.2–78.3
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults72.5%68.3–76.2
Cholesterol screening among adults83.1%80.7–85.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years70.0%64.9–74.9
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults64.8%61.1–68.4
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years69.6%60.6–77.9
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults19.8%16.5–23.4
Current cigarette smoking among adults14.7%12.0–17.3
No leisure-time physical activity among adults22.5%18.4–27.0
Short sleep duration among adults29.7%23.8–36.5
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults18.9%16.1–21.9
Frequent mental distress among adults16.9%14.8–19.2
Frequent physical distress among adults14.6%12.7–16.7
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults14.4%12.4–16.5
Any disability among adults31.5%27.1–36.2
Hearing disability among adults9.2%8.2–10.3
Independent living disability among adults8.2%7.2–9.4
Mobility disability among adults14.1%12.0–16.3
Self-care disability among adults3.7%3.3–4.2
Vision disability among adults4.7%4.1–5.3
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults21.9%18.3–25.6
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults11.6%9.4–14.1
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults8.2%6.5–10.0
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults9.2%7.6–10.9
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults7.3%6.3–8.5
Loneliness among adults30.6%25.4–35.9
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults6.4%5.4–7.5
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MT median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate9.8%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3649.7% (1.9–27.5%) n=360
Uninsured 18–6411.9%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28611.1% (0.0–33.1%) n=357
No HS diploma (25+)5.3%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5054.7% (0.0–14.1%) n=360
Bachelor's or higher (25+)22.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50526.6% (12.3–46.1%) n=360
Unemployment rate (16+)1.7%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2741.8% (0.0–10.2%) n=357
Households without a vehicle3.1%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3221.7% (0.0–9.5%) n=360
Broadband subscription90.7%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.3% (72.1–100.0%) n=360
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)15.5%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32221.1% (7.3–37.2%) n=360
Homeownership rate67.7%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32278.0% (56.9–95.8%) n=360
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.9% (0.0–6.6%) n=360
Foreign-born population0.6%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5530.9% (0.0–4.9%) n=360
Single-parent households62.0%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08761.3% (39.9–84.5%) n=356
Population 65+21.0%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55324.0% (12.9–44.0%) n=360
Median age43.6 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29246.0 yr (32.9–62.3) n=358
Median household income$73,750$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$66,875 ($44,980–$95,192) n=321
Median home value$110,400$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$292,450 ($127,430–$548,550) n=312
Median gross rent$732$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$877 ($544–$1,329) n=213
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MT median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth79.7 yr ± 0.7578.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30879.7 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 0.75 years of 79.7, 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