ZIP code
59871
in Sula, MontanaPopulation 289
48.49/ 100
Ranked #18,312 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 43%)
Ranked #190 of 341 Montana ZIPs (bottom 44%)
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
5.5%
in the top 0.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Hearing disability
13.1%
in the top 1.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
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 ›Walkability
1.1 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 2.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST41stUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Crowded housing
12.9%
in the top 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
20.5 mi
in the top 3.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST75thUS97thDefinition & 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
22.3 mi
in the top 3.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST84thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Housing insecurity
6.5%
in the bottom 4.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
18.7%
in the top 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
20.5 mi
in the top 5.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST81stUS95thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Sula, Montana (ZIP 59871) ranks in the bottom 43% nationally (18,312th) and the bottom 44% of Montana (190th).
Where this area bears down hardest, the measures speak first: modeled fine-particle lies in the top 0.9% nationally, and hearing disability resides in the top 1.8% nationally. Walkability lands in the bottom 2.9% nationally, and crowded housing registers in the top 2.9% nationally. Distance to a nursing home sits in the top 3.2% nationally, households without a vehicle rests in the top 5.0% nationally, and distance to an emergency room is in the top 5.1% nationally. On the encouraging side, modeled air-toxics cancer risk stands in the bottom 2.8% nationally, distance to a hazardous-chemical facility settles in the top 3.9% nationally, and modeled housing insecurity lies in the bottom 4.4% nationally.
In plainer terms, 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. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 59761, 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
Preventive Care
healthier than 66%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 88%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 87%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 99%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 15%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 18%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 23%
14%
Disability
healthier than 28%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 4%
5%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 86%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 91%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 98%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 76%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 41%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 5%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Disability
healthier than 17%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 17%
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
59711
Montanashares a border
Score 45.72
Closest healthier
59761
Montanashares a border
Score 51.99
Similar health profile
83827
Idaho97% similar profile
Score 49.71
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 | 41.4% | 37.5–45.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.6% | 38.5–46.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 14.8% | 13.2–16.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.6% | 9.3–12.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.6% | 9.0–12.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.3% | 8.1–12.8 |
| Depression among adults | 20.7% | 17.8–24.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.2% | 11.0–15.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.8% | 37.7–46.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 31.5% | 26.4–37.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.3% | 4.4–6.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 12.3% | 10.0–14.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.9% | 6.7–11.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.4% | 78.1–84.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.1% | 75.9–82.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 90.1% | 88.4–91.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.1% | 63.5–72.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 62.7% | 59.2–66.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.6% | 65.4–79.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.7% | 11.5–16.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.3% | 10.4–16.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.9% | 19.1–29.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.0% | 25.5–34.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.8% | 17.5–26.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 13.5% | 11.8–15.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.2% | 14.5–20.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.9% | 10.7–15.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.1% | 33.4–44.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 13.1% | 11.3–15.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.0–10.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.5% | 15.5–23.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.4% | 3.6–5.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.3–6.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.9% | 17.5–24.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.4% | 7.1–12.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 4.8–8.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 6.5% | 5.1–8.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.6% | 4.6–6.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 28.7% | 24.5–33.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 4.5% | 3.7–5.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MT median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.7% (1.9–27.5%) n=360 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 16.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 11.1% (0.0–33.1%) n=357 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 1.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.7% (0.0–14.1%) n=360 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 20.1% | 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 | 18.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 1.7% (0.0–9.5%) n=360 |
| Broadband subscription | 75.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.3% (72.1–100.0%) n=360 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.1% (7.3–37.2%) n=360 |
| Homeownership rate | 87.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.0% (56.9–95.8%) n=360 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 12.9% | 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 | 83.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 61.3% (39.9–84.5%) n=356 |
| Population 65+ | 54.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 24.0% (12.9–44.0%) n=360 |
| Median age | 66.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 46.0 yr (32.9–62.3) n=358 |
| Median household income | $32,163 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $66,875 ($44,980–$95,192) n=321 |
| Median home value | $457,900 | $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 | 77.2 yr ± 1.64 | 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 1.64 years of 77.2, 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