ZIP code
59301
in Miles City, MontanaPopulation 11,643
50.47/ 100
Ranked #15,600 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 49%)
Ranked #154 of 341 Montana ZIPs (top 45%)
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
1 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 2.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST38thUS3rdDefinition & 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 Superfund site
104.2 mi
in the top 3.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST83rdUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
20.2%
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS95thDefinition & 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
19.5 per million
in the bottom 7.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST73rdUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 7.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
1.1%
in the top 8.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST35thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›High cholesterol
33%
in the bottom 9.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST18thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
45.9%
in the top 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS84thDefinition & 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 ›Dry extreme heat
22.5 days/year
in the top 21% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS79thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›The read
On the composite measure, Miles City, Montana (ZIP 59301) stands in the top 49% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,600th) and the top 45% of Montana (154th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The bright spots in the data define much of the story here: distance to a Superfund site lies in the top 3.5% nationally. Distance to an emergency room is at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk registers in the bottom 7.3% nationally. Distance to a community health center lies at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. On the other side, walkability is in the bottom 2.7% nationally, modeled expected annual loss registers in the top 3.8% nationally, and modeled binge drinking lies in the top 5.5% nationally. Modeled disaster risk is in the top 7.8% nationally, fine-particle registers in the top 8.0% nationally, and radon lies in the top 11.3% nationally.
Set beside the wider area around it, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. ZIP 59336, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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 62%
21%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 65%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 56%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 47%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 42%
8%
Disability
healthier than 52%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 21%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 22%
13%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 72%
21%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 56%
16%
Disability
healthier than 53%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 40%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 24%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 20%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 33%
8%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 4%
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 ›
Findings that name this ZIP
2 of our published findings list this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 76.4 ± 1.5 years. A median household income of $71,332 predicts 78.7 years — 2.4 years below.
Ranked #3,260 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 76.4 ± 1.5 years. The 50 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 79.8 years — 3.4 years below them.
Ranked #2,681 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
59003
Montanashares a border
Score 27.62
Closest healthier
59336
Montanashares a border
Score 53.98
Similar health profile
61701
Illinois94% similar profile
Score 51.94
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 | 30.2% | 27.0–33.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.9% | 30.2–37.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.7% | 8.8–10.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.1% | 9.9–12.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.9% | 6.2–7.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.6% | 6.7–8.4 |
| Depression among adults | 24.0% | 20.6–27.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.5% | 9.1–12.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 33.0% | 29.0–36.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 32.3% | 26.1–38.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.2% | 12.4–18.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.1% | 7.7–10.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 74.8% | 71.5–77.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 72.1% | 68.0–75.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.3% | 80.2–84.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.7% | 59.7–69.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 62.0% | 58.4–65.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.5% | 66.9–81.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 20.2% | 16.8–23.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.4% | 12.4–16.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.7% | 20.0–27.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.4% | 27.0–38.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.7% | 16.4–21.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.0% | 15.1–19.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.3% | 12.7–16.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.6% | 13.0–16.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.6% | 28.6–36.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.1% | 8.1–10.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.5–9.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.5% | 11.7–15.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.1% | 18.2–24.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 10.0–13.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.5% | 7.1–9.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.6–10.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.4% | 6.5–8.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.5% | 26.2–35.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.7–7.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MT median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.7% (1.9–27.5%) n=360 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.1% (0.0–33.1%) n=357 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.7% (0.0–14.1%) n=360 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 26.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.6% (12.3–46.1%) n=360 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 1.8% (0.0–10.2%) n=357 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 1.7% (0.0–9.5%) n=360 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.3% (72.1–100.0%) n=360 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.1% (7.3–37.2%) n=360 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.0% (56.9–95.8%) n=360 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.9% (0.0–6.6%) n=360 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.9% (0.0–4.9%) n=360 |
| Single-parent households | 52.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 61.3% (39.9–84.5%) n=356 |
| Population 65+ | 20.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 24.0% (12.9–44.0%) n=360 |
| Median age | 42.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 46.0 yr (32.9–62.3) n=358 |
| Median household income | $71,332 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $66,875 ($44,980–$95,192) n=321 |
| Median home value | $217,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $292,450 ($127,430–$548,550) n=312 |
| Median gross rent | $897 | $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 | 76.3 yr ± 0.78 | 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 0.78 years of 76.3, 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