ZIP code
11218
in Brooklyn, New YorkPopulation 72,042
62.38/ 100
Ranked #3,306 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 10.4%)
Ranked #429 of 1,730 New York ZIPs (top 25%)
Ranked #544 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.
Obesity
21.2%
in the bottom 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
49.7%
in the top 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Walkability
220 intersections/sq mi
in the top 2.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS98thDefinition & 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
13.7%
in the top 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Lead in tap water
10 ppb
in the top 3.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
US97thDefinition & 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 ›High blood pressure
25%
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
0.00%
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
39%
in the bottom 5.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST10thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
4.5%
in the bottom 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 11218, one of several in Brooklyn, New York, overall, ranks in the top 10.4% healthiest ZIPs nationally (3,306th) and the top 25% of New York (429th).
Taken together, the data gives a genuinely mixed reading: modeled obesity lands in the bottom 1.5% nationally, walkability lies in the top 2.0% nationally, and floodplain exposure stands at the national minimum. Modeled high blood pressure rests in the bottom 2.8% nationally, and hearing disability registers in the bottom 3.6% nationally. On the other side, households without a vehicle resides in the top 1.0% nationally, and crowded housing settles in the top 2.6% nationally. Lead in tap water is in the top 3.2% nationally, and modeled tree cover sits at the national minimum. Homeownership lands in the bottom 5.1% nationally.
Measured against the nearby ZIPs, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". ZIP 11215, just across the boundary, comes out healthier 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 95%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 94%
8%
Disability
healthier than 83%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 91%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 90%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 45%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 53%
11%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 33%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 33%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 92%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 76%
8%
Disability
healthier than 61%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 81%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 89%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 42%
11%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 28%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 23%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 14%
13%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 85%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 93%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 86%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 46%
14%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 20%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 21%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 39%
8%
Disability
healthier than 33%
7%
“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
3 of our published findings list 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.
Above what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 81.0 ± 0.8 years. A median household income of $97,366 predicts 80.0 years — 1.0 years above.
Ranked #1,444 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 33.0; chronic-disease standing 95.0 (top 10%) — 62 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #15,611 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Highest-risk tenth
Air toxics and the years between the two ends of the risk scale
Modeled air-toxics cancer risk is 39.5 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 81.0 ± 0.8 years.
Ranked #1,534 of the 4,173 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by modeled air-toxics risk, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
11204
New Yorkshares a border
Score 53.29
Closest healthier
11215
New Yorkshares a border
Score 73.95
Similar health profile
06902
Connecticut99% similar profile
Score 61.44
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 | 17.7% | 16.3–19.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 25.0% | 23.1–26.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.7% | 5.2–6.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.4% | 8.6–10.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.8% | 4.4–5.3 |
| Depression among adults | 16.3% | 14.7–17.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.5% | 8.5–10.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.1% | 33.9–38.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 21.2% | 19.0–23.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.7% | 2.5–2.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.6% | 9.7–13.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.3% | 7.4–9.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 70.4% | 67.7–72.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.1% | 76.1–80.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.0% | 86.9–89.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.3% | 58.8–65.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.9% | 58.3–63.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.2% | 74.3–83.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.4% | 16.6–20.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.9% | 9.8–12.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.7% | 20.7–24.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.9% | 34.9–41.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.5% | 15.1–18.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.4% | 13.2–15.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.4% | 10.4–12.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.9% | 10.9–13.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 23.4% | 21.5–25.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–5.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.6–7.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 10.9% | 9.9–12.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.4% | 3.2–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.6–5.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 28.8% | 26.2–31.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.0% | 17.3–20.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 14.5% | 13.1–16.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.9% | 13.4–16.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.1% | 8.2–10.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.2% | 32.2–38.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 7.4–9.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NY median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.5% (2.5–22.6%) n=1,734 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 5.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.0% (0.0–13.1%) n=1,734 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 14.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.1% (1.2–17.5%) n=1,743 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 50.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 31.8% (13.9–62.1%) n=1,743 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (0.0–9.7%) n=1,730 |
| Households without a vehicle | 49.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 5.7% (0.0–28.9%) n=1,730 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 91.5% (81.1–98.3%) n=1,730 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 41.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.2% (14.2–45.5%) n=1,730 |
| Homeownership rate | 39.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 80.2% (40.9–94.8%) n=1,730 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 13.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.0% (0.0–6.6%) n=1,730 |
| Foreign-born population | 33.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–28.7%) n=1,746 |
| Single-parent households | 38.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.0% (36.7–74.5%) n=1,716 |
| Population 65+ | 14.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.0% (12.0–33.2%) n=1,746 |
| Median age | 37.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.5 yr (34.6–56.1) n=1,733 |
| Median household income | $97,366 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $81,837 ($55,470–$145,610) n=1,626 |
| Median home value | $935,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $247,700 ($121,180–$801,380) n=1,629 |
| Median gross rent | $1,981 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,162 ($782–$2,359) n=1,367 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NY median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.0 yr ± 0.42 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 80.9 yr (78.0–84.5) n=1,692 |
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 0.42 years of 81.0, 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