ZIP code
59643
in Toston, MontanaPopulation 867
52.89/ 100
Ranked #12,241 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 38%)
Ranked #94 of 341 Montana ZIPs (top 28%)
Ranked #10 of 17 Helena, MT ZIPs (bottom 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
3.0%
in the top 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST72ndUS98thDefinition & 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 ›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 ›Slow internet speeds
3.4%
in the top 3.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Walkability
1.4 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 4.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST52ndUS4thDefinition & 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
7.1 days/year
in the bottom 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST41stUS4thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a nursing home
15.9 mi
in the top 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST64thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
19.4 mi
in the top 5.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST81stUS95thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 6.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST35thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
19.8%
in the top 7.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST79thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
29.7%
in the bottom 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST23rdUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Toston, Montana (ZIP 59643) sits in the top 38% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,241st) and the top 28% of Montana (94th).
A few readings carry most of this area's story: modeled fine-particle sits in the top 2.3% nationally, slow internet speeds stands in the top 3.4% nationally, and walkability resides in the bottom 4.1% nationally. Distance to a nursing home sits in the top 4.9% nationally, and modeled binge drinking stands in the top 7.0% nationally. On the better side, modeled air-toxics cancer risk resides in the bottom 2.8% nationally, and humid heat sits in the bottom 4.5% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility stands in the top 5.1% nationally, and modeled industrial-pollution burden resides in the bottom 6.6% nationally. Unemployment sits at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs.
Placed beside its immediate neighbors, slow internet speeds runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put plainly, 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. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 59714, 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 Helena, MT metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 66%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 72%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 66%
8%
Disability
healthier than 70%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 95%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 21%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 20%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 39%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 6%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 76%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 70%
8%
Disability
healthier than 81%
7%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 54%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 55%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 19%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 39%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 30%
5%
Lifting this score
Mental Health
healthier than 78%
8%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 56%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 56%
14%
Disability
healthier than 56%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 11%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 22%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 22%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 22%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 11%
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
59632
Montanashares a border
Score 52.79
Closest healthier
59714
Montanashares a border
Score 59.47
Similar health profile
56155
Minnesota96% similar profile
Score 52.44
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 | 30.4% | 26.8–34.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.4% | 31.1–39.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.6% | 9.5–11.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.9% | 5.9–8.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.2% | 5.9–8.7 |
| Depression among adults | 22.4% | 19.1–26.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.2% | 8.6–12.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.6% | 31.3–40.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 30.1% | 23.2–38.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.5% | 3.0–4.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.2% | 6.6–10.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.9% | 6.2–10.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.7% | 72.2–79.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 73.1% | 69.0–77.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.0% | 83.9–87.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.4% | 61.2–71.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.5% | 60.8–68.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.5% | 67.7–82.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.8% | 16.4–23.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.2% | 10.7–16.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 20.0% | 16.2–24.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 29.7% | 24.1–36.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.0% | 14.2–20.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.5% | 13.5–17.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.8% | 11.9–16.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.7% | 10.9–14.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.1% | 24.8–34.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.5–9.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.0% | 6.0–8.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.6% | 10.5–15.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.4% | 2.9–4.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.4–4.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.4% | 17.1–24.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.1–11.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 6.0% | 4.7–7.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 6.1–9.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.9% | 5.0–7.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 28.3% | 23.5–33.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.2% | 4.3–6.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MT median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.7% (1.9–27.5%) n=360 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 18.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.1% (0.0–33.1%) n=357 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.7% (0.0–14.1%) n=360 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 8.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.6% (12.3–46.1%) n=360 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 1.8% (0.0–10.2%) n=357 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 1.7% (0.0–9.5%) n=360 |
| Broadband subscription | 74.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.3% (72.1–100.0%) n=360 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 31.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.1% (7.3–37.2%) n=360 |
| Homeownership rate | 94.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.0% (56.9–95.8%) n=360 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.9% (0.0–6.6%) n=360 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.9% (0.0–4.9%) n=360 |
| Single-parent households | 41.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 61.3% (39.9–84.5%) n=356 |
| Population 65+ | 27.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 24.0% (12.9–44.0%) n=360 |
| Median age | 42.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 46.0 yr (32.9–62.3) n=358 |
| Median household income | $49,831 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $66,875 ($44,980–$95,192) n=321 |
| Median home value | $355,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $292,450 ($127,430–$548,550) n=312 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 79.7 yr ± 1.52 | 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 1.52 years of 79.7, 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