ZIP code
59421
in Cascade, MontanaPopulation 2,069
50.25/ 100
Ranked #15,899 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 50%)
Ranked #156 of 341 Montana ZIPs (top 46%)
Ranked #7 of 17 Great Falls, MT ZIPs (top 41%)
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.
Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
4.0%
in the top 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Walkability
0.94 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 2.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST34thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
10 per million
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
7.1 days/year
in the bottom 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST42ndUS4thDefinition & 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 ›Fatal road crashes
38.7 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST76thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
7.3%
in the bottom 9.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST17thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Mammography
79.4%
in the top 14.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS85thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
71.1%
in the top 14.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS85thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite measure, Cascade, Montana (ZIP 59421) sits in the top 50% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,899th) and the top 46% of Montana (156th).
The profile cuts both ways, and the readings bear that out: modeled air-toxics cancer risk is in the bottom 2.8% nationally, humid heat rests in the bottom 4.5% nationally, and housing insecurity sits in the bottom 9.5% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden registers in the bottom 12.3% nationally. Working the other way, modeled fine-particle lands in the top 1.5% nationally, and walkability resides in the bottom 2.4% nationally. Fatal road crashes lies in the top 7.5% nationally, and distance to a nursing home settles in the top 11.7% nationally. Modeled hearing disability stands in the top 12.7% nationally, and radon is in the top 15% nationally.
In plain language, 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 59602, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Great Falls, MT metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 80%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 71%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 95%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 48%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 42%
8%
Disability
healthier than 47%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 28%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 21%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 15%
5%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 97%
13%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 44%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 54%
11%
Disability
healthier than 44%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 42%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 55%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 22%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 39%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 32%
8%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 90%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 90%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 90%
8%
Disability
healthier than 70%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 60%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 40%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 10%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 20%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 20%
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
59405
Montanashares a border
Score 46.32
Closest healthier
59602
Montanashares a border
Score 54.14
Similar health profile
16882
Pennsylvania96% similar profile
Score 51.12
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 | 37.7% | 34.8–40.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.5% | 36.5–42.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 12.0% | 11.0–13.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.0% | 10.7–13.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.3–9.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.6% | 7.4–9.9 |
| Depression among adults | 25.3% | 22.6–28.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.3% | 10.7–13.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.7% | 36.5–42.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 34.9% | 30.9–39.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.3% | 3.8–4.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.0% | 9.2–13.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.1% | 6.6–9.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.5% | 76.8–81.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.5% | 75.9–80.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.5% | 86.1–89.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 71.1% | 67.7–74.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 67.7% | 64.9–70.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.4% | 74.5–83.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.0% | 14.9–19.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.5% | 11.3–15.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.1% | 19.9–26.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.2% | 28.8–35.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.3% | 17.7–23.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.1% | 14.3–18.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.9% | 14.0–17.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.2% | 11.6–15.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.6% | 31.0–38.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.6% | 9.5–11.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.9% | 6.9–9.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.1% | 13.9–18.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.4–4.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.4% | 17.8–23.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.2% | 8.4–12.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.1% | 5.7–8.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.3% | 6.2–8.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.1% | 5.2–7.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.2% | 27.0–33.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.4% | 4.6–6.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MT median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.7% (1.9–27.5%) n=360 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.1% (0.0–33.1%) n=357 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.7% (0.0–14.1%) n=360 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 29.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.6% (12.3–46.1%) n=360 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 1.8% (0.0–10.2%) n=357 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 1.7% (0.0–9.5%) n=360 |
| Broadband subscription | 80.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.3% (72.1–100.0%) n=360 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 15.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.1% (7.3–37.2%) n=360 |
| Homeownership rate | 86.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.0% (56.9–95.8%) n=360 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.9% (0.0–6.6%) n=360 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.9% (0.0–4.9%) n=360 |
| Single-parent households | 78.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 61.3% (39.9–84.5%) n=356 |
| Population 65+ | 31.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 24.0% (12.9–44.0%) n=360 |
| Median age | 53.4 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 | $377,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $292,450 ($127,430–$548,550) n=312 |
| Median gross rent | $850 | $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 ± 1.54 | 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 1.54 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