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ZIP code

59446

in Geraldine, MontanaPopulation 629

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

41.83/ 100

Ranked #25,363 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 21%)

Ranked #291 of 341 Montana ZIPs (bottom 14.7%)

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

7.3%

in the top 0.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
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 ›

Walkability

0.46 intersections/sq mi

in the bottom 1.0% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST9th
US1st
Definition & 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 nursing home

32.9 mi

in the top 1.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US99th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Humid extreme heat

3.4 days/year

in the bottom 2.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST11th
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 ›

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 ›

Home broadband subscription

67.9%

in the bottom 5.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST6th
US5th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

PFAS in drinking water

9.5%

in the bottom 7.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST13th
US8th
Definition & 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 ›

Distance to a community health center

19.6 mi

in the top 8.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST65th
US92nd
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 ›

Slow internet speeds

1.3%

in the top 8.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST64th
US91st
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Hearing disability

11.1%

in the top 8.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST74th
US91st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.

Full methodology ›

The read

On the composite measure, Geraldine, Montana (ZIP 59446) stands in the bottom 21% nationally (25,363rd) and the bottom 14.7% of Montana (291st), based on limited data; treat as directional.

continue reading

The weightiest signals in the profile are worth naming up front: modeled energy burden stands in the top 0.9% nationally, and walkability sits in the bottom 1.0% nationally. Distance to a nursing home resides in the top 1.3% nationally, and home broadband subscription stands in the bottom 5.2% nationally. Distance to a community health center sits in the top 8.5% nationally, and slow internet speeds resides in the top 8.9% nationally. More positively, modeled humid heat stands in the bottom 2.0% nationally, air-toxics cancer risk sits in the bottom 2.8% nationally, and pfas resides in the bottom 7.9% nationally. Households without a vehicle stands at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs.

For clarity, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. ZIP 59424, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 77%

14%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

in the top 0.6%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 23%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 4%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 20%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 40%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 38%

8%

Disability

healthier than 27%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 2%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 85%

14%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 90%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 16%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 2%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 18%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 16%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 31%

8%

Disability

healthier than 16%

7%

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.

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 adults34.0%30.2–37.8
High blood pressure among adults40.2%35.9–44.7
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.7%9.7–11.9
Current asthma among adults11.4%10.0–12.8
Coronary heart disease among adults9.2%8.0–10.3
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults10.0%8.5–11.6
Depression among adults24.1%20.6–28.0
Diagnosed diabetes among adults13.2%11.3–15.2
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened38.0%33.8–42.5
Obesity among adults36.0%28.8–44.0
Stroke among adults4.7%4.2–5.3
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years20.0%16.6–23.7
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years10.1%7.9–12.7
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure78.2%75.0–81.2
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults74.4%70.5–78.1
Cholesterol screening among adults83.5%81.3–85.5
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years63.3%58.3–68.5
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults55.7%51.9–59.4
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years70.8%62.2–78.2
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults17.6%14.6–20.9
Current cigarette smoking among adults17.3%14.2–20.3
No leisure-time physical activity among adults25.7%21.1–30.5
Short sleep duration among adults34.2%28.3–40.6
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults22.5%19.1–25.9
Frequent mental distress among adults17.4%15.3–19.6
Frequent physical distress among adults16.9%14.7–19.1
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults15.4%13.3–17.5
Any disability among adults35.7%30.8–40.5
Hearing disability among adults11.1%9.8–12.5
Independent living disability among adults9.7%8.4–11.1
Mobility disability among adults17.2%14.6–19.9
Self-care disability among adults4.8%4.2–5.5
Vision disability among adults5.8%5.1–6.6
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults22.1%18.7–25.9
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults13.9%11.4–16.9
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults10.8%8.6–13.3
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults9.8%8.1–11.7
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults8.1%6.9–9.4
Loneliness among adults31.7%26.9–37.0
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults7.2%6.1–8.5
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MT median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate20.3%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3649.7% (1.9–27.5%) n=360
Uninsured 18–6410.7%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28611.1% (0.0–33.1%) n=357
No HS diploma (25+)2.1%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5054.7% (0.0–14.1%) n=360
Bachelor's or higher (25+)22.2%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50526.6% (12.3–46.1%) n=360
Unemployment rate (16+)0.4%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 subscription67.9%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.3% (72.1–100.0%) n=360
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)17.7%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32221.1% (7.3–37.2%) n=360
Homeownership rate83.1%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 population1.1%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5530.9% (0.0–4.9%) n=360
Single-parent households64.6%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08761.3% (39.9–84.5%) n=356
Population 65+25.0%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55324.0% (12.9–44.0%) n=360
Median age50.3 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29246.0 yr (32.9–62.3) n=358
Median household income$53,750$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$66,875 ($44,980–$95,192) n=321
Median home value$152,500$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$292,450 ($127,430–$548,550) n=312
Median gross rent$569$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 birth79.9 yr ± 1.3978.9 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 1.39 years of 79.9, 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