ZIP code
59254
in Plentywood, MontanaPopulation 1,822
47.74/ 100
Ranked #19,261 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 40%)
Ranked #205 of 341 Montana ZIPs (bottom 40%)
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.
Energy-cost burden
7.3%
in the top 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS99thDefinition & 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
261.2 mi
in the top 0.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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
57.1 mi
in the top 0.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Grocery access
0.52 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of full supermarkets inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”
Full methodology ›Civic-institution access
1.5 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The number of civic and social organizations inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Elder-services access
0.52 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS98thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Recreation access
1.5 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Walkability
1.4 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 4.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST54thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Pharmacy access
0.52 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
29%
in the bottom 5.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST17thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Plentywood, Montana (ZIP 59254) ranks in the bottom 40% nationally (19,261st) and the bottom 40% of Montana (205th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
Where this area bears down hardest, the measures speak first: modeled energy burden registers in the top 1.0% nationally, and distance to a community health center sits in the top 0.7% nationally. Walkability rests in the bottom 4.3% nationally. On the encouraging side, distance to a Superfund site is in the top 0.6% nationally, grocery stands in the top 1.5% nationally, and civic settles in the top 1.8% nationally. Elder services lies in the top 2.3% nationally, recreation resides in the top 3.2% nationally, and pharmacy lands in the top 4.8% nationally. Distance to an emergency room registers at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs.
In plainer terms, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 59275, 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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 89%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 66%
11%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 94%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 40%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 47%
8%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 11%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 30%
13%
Disability
healthier than 37%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 3%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 93%
14%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 42%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 45%
11%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 8%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 36%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 40%
8%
Disability
healthier than 30%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 37%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 12%
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
59211
Montanashares a border
Score 46.76
Closest healthier
59275
Montanashares a border
Score 48.93
Similar health profile
59324
Montana97% similar profile
Score 44.96
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 | 33.0% | 29.4–36.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.2% | 33.9–42.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.0% | 9.8–12.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.2% | 9.8–12.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.1–9.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.8% | 7.3–10.6 |
| Depression among adults | 23.8% | 20.3–27.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.7% | 9.9–13.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.7% | 32.4–41.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.4% | 28.3–43.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.4% | 3.8–5.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.9% | 7.9–12.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.6% | 7.5–12.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.3% | 74.0–80.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 74.1% | 70.1–77.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.5% | 82.2–86.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.4% | 62.0–72.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.0% | 62.3–69.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 69.9% | 60.9–77.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.2% | 15.1–21.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.2% | 12.3–18.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.5% | 19.9–29.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 29.0% | 23.2–35.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.6% | 17.2–24.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.6% | 14.4–18.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.7% | 13.4–18.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.6% | 12.4–17.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.6% | 28.7–39.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.4% | 9.0–11.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.0% | 7.6–10.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.1% | 13.4–19.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.6–5.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.5–6.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.4% | 17.8–25.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.9% | 9.4–14.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 6.9–11.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.3–10.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.1–8.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.9% | 24.9–35.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.4% | 5.4–7.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MT median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.7% (1.9–27.5%) n=360 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.1% (0.0–33.1%) n=357 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 14.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.7% (0.0–14.1%) n=360 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 25.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.6% (12.3–46.1%) n=360 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 1.8% (0.0–10.2%) n=357 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 1.7% (0.0–9.5%) n=360 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.3% (72.1–100.0%) n=360 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 28.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.1% (7.3–37.2%) n=360 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.0% (56.9–95.8%) n=360 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.9% (0.0–6.6%) n=360 |
| Foreign-born population | 4.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.9% (0.0–4.9%) n=360 |
| Single-parent households | 66.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 61.3% (39.9–84.5%) n=356 |
| Population 65+ | 25.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 24.0% (12.9–44.0%) n=360 |
| Median age | 49.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 46.0 yr (32.9–62.3) n=358 |
| Median household income | $68,750 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $66,875 ($44,980–$95,192) n=321 |
| Median home value | $164,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $292,450 ($127,430–$548,550) n=312 |
| Median gross rent | $750 | $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 | 75.3 yr ± 1.43 | 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 1.43 years of 75.3, 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