ZIP code
08828
in Helmetta, New JerseyPopulation 2,459
62.40/ 100
Ranked #3,295 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 10.3%)
Ranked #325 of 583 New Jersey ZIPs (bottom 44%)
Ranked #543 of 853 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ ZIPs (bottom 36%)
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.
Fatal road crashes
0 per 100,000 residents per year
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Grocery access
0.41 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Floodplain exposure
51%
in the top 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Park land
33.9%
in the top 4.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
4.6%
in the bottom 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
1.3%
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST12thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
4.3%
in the bottom 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
98.5%
in the top 6.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
8.7%
in the bottom 4.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST22ndUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Stroke
2.3%
in the bottom 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Helmetta, New Jersey (ZIP 08828) lands in the top 10.3% healthiest ZIPs nationally (3,295th) and the bottom 44% of New Jersey (325th).
The signals balance out across the profile, strengths against concerns: fatal road crashes is at the national minimum, and grocery settles in the top 2.3% nationally. Park land resides in the top 4.1% nationally, and modeled hearing disability registers in the bottom 4.0% nationally. Modeled energy burden rests in the bottom 2.8% nationally, modeled coronary heart disease stands in the bottom 4.6% nationally, and home broadband subscription lies in the top 6.5% nationally. Modeled mobility disability lands in the bottom 4.7% nationally, and stroke sits in the bottom 4.3% nationally. Set against that, floodplain exposure is in the top 3.8% nationally.
Set beside the nearby areas, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. A note on the terms: floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 08816, just across the boundary, ranks better overall.
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 93%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 89%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 60%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 90%
8%
Disability
healthier than 95%
7%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 55%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 10%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 34%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 78%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 76%
14%
Disability
healthier than 69%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 56%
16%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 32%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 36%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 32%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 7%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 8%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 76%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 61%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 73%
14%
Disability
healthier than 68%
7%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 27%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 31%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 20%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 5%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 4%
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
08816
New Jerseyshares a border
Score 68.08
Closest healthier
08831
New Jerseyshares a border
Score 67.12
Similar health profile
66547
Kansas99% similar profile
Score 57.75
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 | 20.5% | 18.2–22.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 29.5% | 26.7–32.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.1% | 6.4–7.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.4% | 8.3–10.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.3% | 3.7–4.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.2% | 3.4–5.2 |
| Depression among adults | 16.4% | 14.1–18.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 8.3% | 7.2–9.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.0% | 33.0–39.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 31.2% | 27.0–35.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.3% | 2.0–2.6 |
| 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 | 7.7% | 6.0–9.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 73.1% | 69.9–76.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.2% | 74.3–80.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.1% | 87.2–90.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.7% | 60.5–68.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 68.5% | 65.7–71.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.1% | 68.7–80.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.1% | 16.5–21.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.4% | 8.0–12.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 20.0% | 16.7–23.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.3% | 33.4–41.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 13.8% | 11.5–16.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.8% | 13.8–18.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 10.5% | 9.0–12.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.2% | 9.4–13.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 22.0% | 18.8–25.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.6% | 4.0–5.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 5.6% | 4.6–6.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 8.7% | 7.2–10.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.4% | 2.0–2.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.2% | 2.7–3.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.6% | 18.7–25.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.4% | 7.4–11.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 5.1% | 3.7–6.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.3% | 7.6–11.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.6% | 4.6–6.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.1% | 29.5–37.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.2% | 4.2–6.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NJ median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 3.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 5.8% (1.8–16.1%) n=588 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 3.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.6% (1.2–16.1%) n=585 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.3% (1.4–15.4%) n=589 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 40.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 44.2% (20.0–72.5%) n=589 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 5.3% (2.5–9.7%) n=583 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.8% (0.8–17.6%) n=585 |
| Broadband subscription | 98.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 94.4% (88.0–98.5%) n=585 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 28.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 31.7% (22.1–46.5%) n=585 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.5% (39.3–94.9%) n=585 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–7.4%) n=585 |
| Foreign-born population | 16.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 13.7% (3.3–39.5%) n=590 |
| Single-parent households | 50.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 49.6% (35.2–64.9%) n=581 |
| Population 65+ | 13.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.8% (11.7–27.5%) n=590 |
| Median age | 39.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.0 yr (35.6–51.8) n=582 |
| Median household income | $98,952 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $111,711 ($68,311–$188,075) n=565 |
| Median home value | $355,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $449,450 ($250,890–$845,440) n=564 |
| Median gross rent | $2,144 | $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 | 78.7 yr ± 2.11 | 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 2.11 years of 78.7, 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