ZIP code
59485
in Ulm, MontanaPopulation 772
47.17/ 100
Ranked #19,958 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 38%)
Ranked #214 of 341 Montana ZIPs (bottom 37%)
Ranked #11 of 17 Great Falls, MT ZIPs (bottom 35%)
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
3.0%
in the top 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST75thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
7.5 days/year
in the bottom 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST46thUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Walkability
1.5 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 4.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST57thUS5thDefinition & 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
11.5 per million
in the bottom 5.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST62ndUS6thDefinition & 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 ›Mammography
79.1%
in the top 17% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS83rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
11.2%
in the top 34% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS66thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›The read
Ulm, Montana (ZIP 59485), on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 38% nationally (19,958th) and the bottom 37% of Montana (214th).
Where the data leans one way, another reading answers it: modeled humid heat sits in the bottom 4.8% nationally, air-toxics cancer risk registers in the bottom 5.7% nationally, and pfas lands in the bottom 15% nationally. On the other hand, modeled fine-particle resides in the top 2.2% nationally, and walkability lies in the bottom 4.9% nationally. Fiber broadband settles at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled tree cover stands in the bottom 12.6% nationally, and hearing disability is in the top 14.4% nationally. Distance to a nursing home rests in the top 15% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility sits at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.
In everyday 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. 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. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 59404, 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. 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
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 72%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 50%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 57%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 43%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 28%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 36%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 24%
8%
Disability
healthier than 40%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 29%
5%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 78%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 69%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 45%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 54%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 23%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 18%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 18%
8%
Disability
healthier than 33%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 8%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 90%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 70%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 60%
8%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 50%
11%
Disability
healthier than 40%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 40%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 20%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 30%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
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
59404
Montanashares a border
Score 52.12
Closest healthier
59421
Montanashares a border
Score 50.25
Similar health profile
46787
Indiana98% similar profile
Score 46.65
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 | 36.4% | 33.4–39.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.8% | 35.6–42.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.9% | 9.9–11.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.3% | 11.0–13.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.0% | 7.0–9.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.0% | 7.6–10.5 |
| Depression among adults | 26.4% | 23.4–29.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.1% | 10.5–13.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.5% | 35.1–41.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.5% | 32.2–41.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.3% | 3.7–4.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.3% | 11.9–17.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.3% | 7.4–11.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.6% | 74.6–80.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.6% | 73.8–79.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.5% | 83.7–87.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.8% | 62.9–70.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 67.0% | 64.0–69.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.1% | 73.7–83.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.2% | 15.8–20.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.0% | 13.2–19.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.1% | 21.4–29.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.0% | 30.3–37.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.9% | 18.8–25.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.7% | 15.6–19.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.6% | 14.6–19.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.8% | 12.8–17.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.9% | 31.9–40.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.4% | 9.2–11.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.3–10.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.4% | 14.0–19.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.5–4.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.4–5.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.2% | 19.2–25.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.9% | 9.7–14.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.6% | 6.8–10.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.6% | 7.2–10.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.9% | 5.9–7.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.8% | 28.2–35.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.4% | 5.4–7.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MT median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.7% (1.9–27.5%) n=360 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.1% (0.0–33.1%) n=357 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.7% (0.0–14.1%) n=360 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 28.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.6% (12.3–46.1%) n=360 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 1.8% (0.0–10.2%) n=357 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 1.7% (0.0–9.5%) n=360 |
| Broadband subscription | 81.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.3% (72.1–100.0%) n=360 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 33.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.1% (7.3–37.2%) n=360 |
| Homeownership rate | 90.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.0% (56.9–95.8%) n=360 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.9% (0.0–6.6%) n=360 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.9% (0.0–4.9%) n=360 |
| Single-parent households | 58.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 61.3% (39.9–84.5%) n=356 |
| Population 65+ | 24.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 24.0% (12.9–44.0%) n=360 |
| Median age | 45.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 46.0 yr (32.9–62.3) n=358 |
| Median household income | $90,286 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $66,875 ($44,980–$95,192) n=321 |
| Median home value | $321,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $292,450 ($127,430–$548,550) n=312 |
| Median gross rent | $2,196 | $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 | 83.1 yr ± 1.53 | 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 1.53 years of 83.1, 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