ZIP code
07008
in Carteret, New JerseyPopulation 25,526
55.17/ 100
Ranked #9,251 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 29%)
Ranked #474 of 583 New Jersey ZIPs (bottom 19%)
Ranked #720 of 853 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ ZIPs (bottom 16%)
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.
Crowded housing
12.0%
in the top 3.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›PFOA in drinking water
98.3%
in the top 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST68thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOA, one of the man-made “forever chemicals,” was detected in EPA testing.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
0.3 mi
in the bottom 4.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST22ndUS5thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
5.1%
in the bottom 7.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST27thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
42.1%
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Walkability
110 intersections/sq mi
in the top 9.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST74thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
10.1%
in the top 9.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
2.7 per 100,000 residents per year
in the bottom 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST26thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Slow internet speeds
1.2%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
5.0%
in the bottom 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST28thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›The read
Carteret, New Jersey (ZIP 07008), in overall standing, comes out in the top 29% healthiest ZIPs nationally (9,251st) and the bottom 19% of New Jersey (474th).
The measures that most flatter this area set the tone for the rest: modeled hearing disability is in the bottom 7.2% nationally, walkability lies in the top 9.2% nationally, and fatal road crashes registers in the bottom 9.6% nationally. Against that, crowded housing is in the top 3.4% nationally, PFOA in drinking water lies in the top 4.6% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site registers in the bottom 4.8% nationally. Modeled short sleep is in the top 8.9% nationally, and unemployment lies in the top 9.3% nationally. Fiber broadband registers at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Slow internet speeds is in the top 9.8% nationally.
Set within its surrounding area, outer-floodplain exposure runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, for reference, PFOA in drinking water is one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 07001, 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 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 86%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 96%
8%
Disability
healthier than 73%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 78%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 36%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 6%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 19%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 37%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 28%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 77%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 51%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 60%
8%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 12%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 9%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 11%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 18%
11%
Disability
healthier than 23%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 18%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 62%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 47%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 53%
8%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 21%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 6%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 9%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 16%
11%
Disability
healthier than 23%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 13%
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 ›
Findings that name this ZIP
One of our published findings lists this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 5.9 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 85.9 — 80 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #17,188 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
07001
New Jerseyshares a border
Score 58.58
Closest healthier
07064
New Jerseyshares a border
Score 61.60
Similar health profile
08882
New Jersey98% similar profile
Score 53.96
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 | 19.8% | 17.9–21.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.3% | 30.5–36.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.2% | 4.7–5.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 8.8% | 7.8–9.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.0% | 4.5–5.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.8% | 4.2–5.3 |
| Depression among adults | 13.0% | 11.2–14.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.6% | 11.2–14.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.6% | 34.7–40.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.5% | 29.4–37.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.9% | 2.7–3.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.2% | 10.8–15.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 15.5% | 13.5–17.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 74.6% | 71.7–77.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.5% | 74.5–80.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.1% | 85.4–88.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 59.5% | 55.3–63.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.3% | 55.1–61.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.0% | 65.3–78.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.4% | 12.3–16.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.2% | 10.7–13.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.4% | 27.1–33.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 42.1% | 38.0–46.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.1% | 19.0–23.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.7% | 14.1–17.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.6% | 11.3–14.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.2% | 11.8–14.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.4% | 24.6–30.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.5–5.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.6–8.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.3% | 10.9–13.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.7% | 5.3–6.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 28.2% | 25.3–31.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 20.4% | 18.0–22.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.5% | 9.9–13.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.9% | 15.0–18.9 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.8% | 8.7–10.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 36.7% | 33.2–40.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.9–10.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NJ median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 5.8% (1.8–16.1%) n=588 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.6% (1.2–16.1%) n=585 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 14.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.3% (1.4–15.4%) n=589 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 30.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 44.2% (20.0–72.5%) n=589 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 10.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 5.3% (2.5–9.7%) n=583 |
| Households without a vehicle | 9.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.8% (0.8–17.6%) n=585 |
| Broadband subscription | 92.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 94.4% (88.0–98.5%) n=585 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 34.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 31.7% (22.1–46.5%) n=585 |
| Homeownership rate | 54.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.5% (39.3–94.9%) n=585 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 12.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–7.4%) n=585 |
| Foreign-born population | 33.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 13.7% (3.3–39.5%) n=590 |
| Single-parent households | 45.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 49.6% (35.2–64.9%) n=581 |
| Population 65+ | 14.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.8% (11.7–27.5%) n=590 |
| Median age | 38.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.0 yr (35.6–51.8) n=582 |
| Median household income | $97,021 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $111,711 ($68,311–$188,075) n=565 |
| Median home value | $406,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $449,450 ($250,890–$845,440) n=564 |
| Median gross rent | $2,032 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,781 ($1,267–$2,530) n=516 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NJ median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.5 yr ± 0.82 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 80.4 yr (76.6–83.7) n=571 |
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 0.82 years of 79.5, 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