ZIP code
59522
in Chester, MontanaPopulation 1,315
39.78/ 100
Ranked #26,903 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 16%)
Ranked #302 of 341 Montana ZIPs (bottom 11.5%)
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.
Pharmacy access
2.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Grocery access
0.73 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of full supermarkets inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
4.7%
in the bottom 0.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
1.6 days/year
in the bottom 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Elder-services access
0.73 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
29.3 mi
in the top 1.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
12.7%
in the top 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full 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 ›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 ›Distance to a community health center
29.1 mi
in the top 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST79thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Chester, Montana (ZIP 59522) ranks in the bottom 16% nationally (26,903rd) and the bottom 11.5% of Montana (302nd), based on limited data; treat as directional.
Where this area bears down hardest, the measures speak first: distance to a nursing home sits in the top 1.7% nationally, and modeled hearing disability rests in the top 2.6% nationally. Walkability is in the bottom 2.7% nationally, and distance to a community health center stands in the top 4.3% nationally. On the encouraging side, pharmacy settles in the top 0.2% nationally, grocery lies in the top 0.8% nationally, and modeled pfas resides in the bottom 0.9% nationally. Modeled humid heat lands in the bottom 1.0% nationally, elder services registers in the top 1.4% nationally, and modeled air-toxics cancer risk sits in the bottom 2.8% nationally.
In plainer terms, 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. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 59442, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 87%
14%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.02%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 15%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 19%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 14%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 39%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 30%
8%
Disability
healthier than 11%
7%
Healthcare Access
in the bottom 1.0%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 92%
14%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 5%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 16%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 14%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 16%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 21%
8%
Disability
healthier than 4%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 6%
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
59442
Montanashares a border
Score 51.79
Closest healthier
59444
Montanashares a border
Score 41.66
Similar health profile
83244
Idaho98% similar profile
Score 39.43
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 | 36.2% | 32.5–40.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.8% | 36.5–45.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.5% | 10.4–12.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.8% | 10.5–13.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.4% | 9.1–11.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.6% | 9.8–13.6 |
| Depression among adults | 24.7% | 21.2–28.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.6% | 11.7–15.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.3% | 32.9–41.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.6% | 26.0–42.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.5% | 4.8–6.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 21.2% | 17.5–25.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.5% | 9.2–14.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.4% | 75.5–81.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 73.9% | 70.0–77.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.3% | 80.1–84.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 59.6% | 53.9–65.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 52.6% | 48.7–56.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.1% | 63.7–79.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.5% | 13.6–19.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.5% | 14.6–20.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.6% | 23.7–34.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.9% | 27.2–40.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.6% | 22.0–29.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.0% | 15.9–20.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.2% | 15.9–21.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.3% | 15.0–19.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.8% | 34.9–45.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 12.7% | 11.3–14.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.8% | 10.1–13.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.6% | 17.5–24.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.8% | 4.9–6.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.2–8.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.5% | 18.0–25.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.1% | 12.9–19.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.7% | 11.0–16.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.7% | 8.7–12.9 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.4% | 8.0–11.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.1% | 25.9–36.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.2% | 6.8–9.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MT median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 23.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.7% (1.9–27.5%) n=360 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.1% (0.0–33.1%) n=357 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 16.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.7% (0.0–14.1%) n=360 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 30.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.6% (12.3–46.1%) n=360 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 1.8% (0.0–10.2%) n=357 |
| Households without a vehicle | 11.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 1.7% (0.0–9.5%) n=360 |
| Broadband subscription | 71.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.3% (72.1–100.0%) n=360 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.1% (7.3–37.2%) n=360 |
| Homeownership rate | 56.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.0% (56.9–95.8%) n=360 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.9% (0.0–6.6%) n=360 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.9% (0.0–4.9%) n=360 |
| Single-parent households | 46.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 61.3% (39.9–84.5%) n=356 |
| Population 65+ | 24.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 24.0% (12.9–44.0%) n=360 |
| Median age | 39.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 46.0 yr (32.9–62.3) n=358 |
| Median household income | $57,212 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $66,875 ($44,980–$95,192) n=321 |
| Median home value | $177,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $292,450 ($127,430–$548,550) n=312 |
| Median gross rent | $696 | $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 | 77.9 yr ± 0.67 | 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 0.67 years of 77.9, 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