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ZIP code

59418

in Buffalo, MontanaPopulation 142

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

50.58/ 100

Ranked #15,456 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 48%)

Ranked #148 of 341 Montana ZIPs (top 43%)

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.

Walkability

0.76 intersections/sq mi

in the bottom 1.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST23rd
US2nd
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Humid extreme heat

3.5 days/year

in the bottom 2.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST13th
US2nd
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 ›

Loneliness

26.7%

in the bottom 2.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST7th
US2nd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.

Full methodology ›

Poverty rate

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Full methodology ›

Housing-cost burden

52.2%

in the top 2.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.

Full methodology ›

Air-toxics cancer risk

10 per million

in the bottom 2.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US3rd
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 ›

Homeownership rate

32.6%

in the bottom 3.7% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST2nd
US4th
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a nursing home

18.4 mi

in the top 3.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST70th
US96th
Definition & 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

1.8%

in the top 5.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST49th
US95th
Definition & 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 ›

Energy-cost burden

5.5%

in the top 5.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST79th
US95th
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 ›

The read

By the composite health measure, Buffalo, Montana (ZIP 59418) ranks in the top 48% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,456th) and the top 43% of Montana (148th), based on limited data; treat as directional.

continue reading

The picture here is genuinely mixed, with readings on both sides: modeled humid heat sits in the bottom 2.1% nationally, and loneliness is in the bottom 2.3% nationally. Poverty settles at the national minimum, and modeled air-toxics cancer risk resides in the bottom 2.8% nationally. On the other side, walkability registers in the bottom 1.8% nationally, housing-cost burden rests in the top 2.5% nationally, and homeownership stands in the bottom 3.7% nationally. Distance to a nursing home lies in the top 3.9% nationally, modeled fine-particle lands in the top 5.1% nationally, and modeled energy burden sits in the top 5.0% nationally.

To spell things out, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. Close by, ZIP 59464, just across the boundary, ranks 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.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Mental Health

healthier than 74%

8%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 42%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 52%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 43%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 57%

11%

Disability

healthier than 53%

7%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 20%

16%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 4%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 66%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 62%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 83%

8%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 45%

21%

Disability

healthier than 54%

7%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 17%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 31%

11%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 21%

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 adults33.3%29.7–36.9
High blood pressure among adults40.7%36.7–44.9
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.8%9.7–11.9
Current asthma among adults10.4%9.2–11.6
Coronary heart disease among adults8.7%7.3–10.1
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.8%7.0–10.8
Depression among adults21.8%19.0–24.8
Diagnosed diabetes among adults12.8%10.8–14.9
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened37.7%34.0–41.4
Obesity among adults33.1%27.2–39.7
Stroke among adults4.2%3.5–4.9
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years9.3%7.7–11.2
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years8.1%6.0–11.0
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure76.6%73.3–79.6
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults74.6%71.1–77.8
Cholesterol screening among adults86.9%84.7–88.9
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years64.7%60.6–68.7
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults63.4%60.2–66.5
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years76.3%70.6–81.6
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults18.6%16.0–21.4
Current cigarette smoking among adults16.3%12.6–20.1
No leisure-time physical activity among adults22.5%18.1–27.4
Short sleep duration among adults31.4%26.8–36.9
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults19.6%16.1–23.6
Frequent mental distress among adults15.0%13.0–17.1
Frequent physical distress among adults15.1%12.8–17.6
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults12.7%10.6–15.0
Any disability among adults30.5%25.9–35.6
Hearing disability among adults9.9%8.5–11.4
Independent living disability among adults7.6%6.3–9.0
Mobility disability among adults14.5%11.8–17.4
Self-care disability among adults4.2%3.4–5.1
Vision disability among adults4.7%3.9–5.6
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults20.1%17.0–23.6
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.8%8.1–13.9
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults8.4%6.1–11.2
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults8.3%6.5–10.2
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults6.6%5.4–7.9
Loneliness among adults26.7%23.0–30.6
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults6.5%5.2–7.9
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MT median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate0.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3649.7% (1.9–27.5%) n=360
Uninsured 18–649.9%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28611.1% (0.0–33.1%) n=357
No HS diploma (25+)0.0%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5054.7% (0.0–14.1%) n=360
Bachelor's or higher (25+)33.7%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50526.6% (12.3–46.1%) n=360
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2741.8% (0.0–10.2%) n=357
Households without a vehicle0.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3221.7% (0.0–9.5%) n=360
Broadband subscription95.7%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.3% (72.1–100.0%) n=360
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)52.2%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32221.1% (7.3–37.2%) n=360
Homeownership rate32.6%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 population2.8%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5530.9% (0.0–4.9%) n=360
Single-parent households17.1%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08761.3% (39.9–84.5%) n=356
Population 65+5.6%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55324.0% (12.9–44.0%) n=360
Median age28.5 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29246.0 yr (32.9–62.3) n=358
Median household income—$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$66,875 ($44,980–$95,192) n=321
Median home value—$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$292,450 ($127,430–$548,550) n=312
Median gross rent$1,102$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 birth83.0 yr ± 2.2078.9 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 2.20 years of 83.0, 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