ZIP code
11414
in Howard Beach, New YorkPopulation 31,308
60.82/ 100
Ranked #4,250 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 13.3%)
Ranked #549 of 1,730 New York ZIPs (top 32%)
Ranked #601 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.
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.
Outer-floodplain exposure
25.8%
in the top 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
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 ›Obesity
23.9%
in the bottom 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
20.2%
in the top 2.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Lead in tap water
10 ppb
in the top 2.9% 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 ›Walkability
160 intersections/sq mi
in the top 4.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST88thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Park land
25%
in the top 5.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
40.8%
in the top 9.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Transit access
3.1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 10.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of public-transit stops 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.
Full methodology ›Radon
0.9 pCi/L
in the bottom 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS17thDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 21% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS79thDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›The read
Howard Beach, New York (ZIP 11414), overall, ranks in the top 13.3% healthiest ZIPs nationally (4,250th) and the top 32% of New York (549th).
Reading the numbers as a whole, the picture lands somewhere in between: modeled obesity registers in the bottom 4.1% nationally, walkability resides in the top 4.6% nationally, and park land settles in the top 5.6% nationally. Transit is in the top 10.0% nationally. On the other side, outer-floodplain exposure sits in the top 1.6% nationally, and modeled transportation noise lands in the top 2.5% nationally. Lead in tap water lies in the top 2.9% nationally, and housing-cost burden stands in the top 9.2% nationally. Unemployment rests in the top 10.6% nationally, and households without a vehicle registers in the top 11.2% nationally.
Measured against the nearby ZIPs, outer-floodplain exposure 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. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. ZIP 11375, about 2.2 miles away, 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 76%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 83%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 72%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 94%
8%
Disability
healthier than 74%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 76%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 54%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 38%
14%
Lifting this score
Risk Behavior
healthier than 69%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 77%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 69%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 58%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 49%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 46%
13%
Disability
healthier than 46%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 29%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 13%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 54%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 55%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 47%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 42%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 28%
16%
Disability
healthier than 25%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 25%
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
11208
New Yorkshares a border
Score 50.70
Closest healthier
11375
New Yorkabout 2.2 mi away
Score 68.77
Similar health profile
11363
New York99% similar profile
Score 69.14
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 | 23.9% | 21.6–26.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 32.7% | 30.0–35.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.3% | 8.4–10.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.1% | 5.3–7.0 |
| Depression among adults | 16.6% | 14.5–18.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.6% | 10.2–13.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.8% | 38.8–44.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 23.9% | 20.7–27.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.4% | 3.1–3.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.6% | 9.2–12.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.2% | 7.8–10.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.9% | 76.1–81.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.1% | 78.8–83.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 90.7% | 89.5–91.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.6% | 67.1–71.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.7% | 61.6–65.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.3% | 75.7–82.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.9% | 13.9–18.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.6% | 9.1–12.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.5% | 23.6–29.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.0% | 31.7–36.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.1% | 16.1–20.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.0% | 12.5–15.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.2% | 11.7–14.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.8% | 10.4–13.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.0% | 26.2–32.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.4–6.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.9% | 12.2–15.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.5% | 3.1–3.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.4–5.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.8% | 24.2–29.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.4% | 13.6–17.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.6% | 9.2–12.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.4% | 11.9–15.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 6.7–8.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.9% | 32.8–39.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.3% | 5.5–7.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NY median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.5% (2.5–22.6%) n=1,734 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 5.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.0% (0.0–13.1%) n=1,734 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.1% (1.2–17.5%) n=1,743 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 31.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 31.8% (13.9–62.1%) n=1,743 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 9.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (0.0–9.7%) n=1,730 |
| Households without a vehicle | 11.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 5.7% (0.0–28.9%) n=1,730 |
| Broadband subscription | 91.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 91.5% (81.1–98.3%) n=1,730 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 40.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.2% (14.2–45.5%) n=1,730 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 80.2% (40.9–94.8%) n=1,730 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.0% (0.0–6.6%) n=1,730 |
| Foreign-born population | 19.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–28.7%) n=1,746 |
| Single-parent households | 41.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.0% (36.7–74.5%) n=1,716 |
| Population 65+ | 24.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.0% (12.0–33.2%) n=1,746 |
| Median age | 44.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.5 yr (34.6–56.1) n=1,733 |
| Median household income | $95,051 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $81,837 ($55,470–$145,610) n=1,626 |
| Median home value | $660,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $247,700 ($121,180–$801,380) n=1,629 |
| Median gross rent | $2,113 | $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 unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled. | |||
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