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ZIP code

08731

in Forked River, New JerseyPopulation 21,629

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

60.85/ 100

Ranked #4,231 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 13.2%)

Ranked #355 of 583 New Jersey ZIPs (bottom 39%)

Ranked #598 of 853 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ ZIPs (bottom 30%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

PFAS in drinking water

76.5%

in the top 2.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST76th
US97th
Definition & 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 ›

Lead in tap water

0 ppb

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

US1st
Definition & source ›

The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.

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 ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 5.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST93rd
US95th
Definition & source ›

This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a Superfund site

1.5 mi

in the bottom 9.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST44th
US9th
Definition & 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 ›

Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility

10.6 mi

in the top 13.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST92nd
US87th
Definition & 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 ›

Tree cover

58.3%

in the top 16% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST96th
US84th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.

Full methodology ›

Air-toxics cancer risk

20 per million

in the bottom 25% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US25th
Definition & 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 ›

The read

On balance, and by the composite measure, Forked River, New Jersey (ZIP 08731) ranks in the top 13.2% healthiest ZIPs nationally (4,231st) and the bottom 39% of New Jersey (355th).

continue reading

A number of signals point in a favorable direction for this area: lead in tap water settles at the national minimum, and subsidized affordable housing lies in the top 11.1% nationally. Park land resides in the top 11.3% nationally, and physicians lands in the top 12.3% nationally. Modeled obesity registers in the bottom 14.2% nationally, distance to a hazardous-chemical facility sits in the top 13.1% nationally, and pharmacy rests in the top 15% nationally. Working the other way, modeled pfas is in the top 2.7% nationally, modeled disaster risk stands in the top 5.4% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site settles in the bottom 9.2% nationally.

Compared with the ZIPs it borders, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. 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. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 08734, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 74%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 84%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 75%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 67%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 65%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 91%

8%

Disability

healthier than 83%

7%

About typical

Healthcare Access

healthier than 52%

5%

Holding it back

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 39%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 92%

14%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 47%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 45%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 40%

11%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 22%

21%

Mental Health

healthier than 35%

8%

Disability

healthier than 36%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 25%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 27%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 95%

14%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 52%

16%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 17%

21%

Preventive Care

healthier than 34%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 37%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 23%

8%

Disability

healthier than 33%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 21%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 15%

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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults28.2%25.7–30.6
High blood pressure among adults32.3%29.6–35.2
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.5%8.7–10.3
Current asthma among adults9.4%8.4–10.5
Coronary heart disease among adults6.1%5.5–6.7
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults6.2%5.4–6.9
Depression among adults16.7%14.5–19.0
Diagnosed diabetes among adults10.0%8.8–11.2
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened41.8%38.7–44.9
Obesity among adults29.0%25.1–33.0
Stroke among adults3.2%2.9–3.4
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years9.6%7.7–11.6
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years8.5%7.3–9.9
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure78.8%76.2–81.2
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults76.9%74.1–79.5
Cholesterol screening among adults89.2%87.7–90.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years66.8%62.7–70.9
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults69.0%66.0–71.9
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years76.2%70.0–81.6
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults15.9%13.6–18.2
Current cigarette smoking among adults13.4%11.6–15.3
No leisure-time physical activity among adults23.4%20.5–26.4
Short sleep duration among adults35.7%31.5–40.0
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults15.6%13.7–17.5
Frequent mental distress among adults15.3%13.7–17.0
Frequent physical distress among adults13.3%11.9–14.7
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults11.7%10.4–13.1
Any disability among adults25.2%22.4–27.9
Hearing disability among adults6.4%5.7–7.1
Independent living disability among adults6.7%6.0–7.5
Mobility disability among adults11.3%10.0–12.7
Self-care disability among adults3.1%2.8–3.4
Vision disability among adults3.9%3.6–4.3
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults21.9%19.2–24.7
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.4%8.9–12.1
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults6.1%5.1–7.2
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults9.0%7.7–10.4
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults6.0%5.3–6.8
Loneliness among adults29.7%26.3–33.2
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults5.4%4.7–6.2
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NJ median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate6.2%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3645.8% (1.8–16.1%) n=588
Uninsured 18–643.7%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.6% (1.2–16.1%) n=585
No HS diploma (25+)4.9%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.3% (1.4–15.4%) n=589
Bachelor's or higher (25+)33.9%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50544.2% (20.0–72.5%) n=589
Unemployment rate (16+)6.2%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2745.3% (2.5–9.7%) n=583
Households without a vehicle2.9%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.8% (0.8–17.6%) n=585
Broadband subscription95.7%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32294.4% (88.0–98.5%) n=585
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)30.8%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32231.7% (22.1–46.5%) n=585
Homeownership rate86.6%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32277.5% (39.3–94.9%) n=585
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.6%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.4% (0.0–7.4%) n=585
Foreign-born population4.9%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,55313.7% (3.3–39.5%) n=590
Single-parent households54.4%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08749.6% (35.2–64.9%) n=581
Population 65+23.9%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55317.8% (11.7–27.5%) n=590
Median age47.2 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.0 yr (35.6–51.8) n=582
Median household income$98,582$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$111,711 ($68,311–$188,075) n=565
Median home value$404,200$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$449,450 ($250,890–$845,440) n=564
Median gross rent$2,070$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,781 ($1,267–$2,530) n=516
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NJ median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth79.1 yr ± 0.6478.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30880.4 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 0.64 years of 79.1, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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