ZIP code
12204
in Menands, New YorkPopulation 7,812
53.77/ 100
Ranked #11,001 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 34%)
Ranked #1,152 of 1,730 New York ZIPs (bottom 33%)
Ranked #93 of 114 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY ZIPs (bottom 18%)
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.
Transit access
9.1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Homeownership rate
30.6%
in the bottom 3.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST7thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Physician access
2.3 per 1,000 residents
in the top 5.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS94thDefinition & source ›
The number of physicians’ offices located 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 ›Outer-floodplain exposure
6.7%
in the top 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Hearing disability
4.8%
in the bottom 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Lead in tap water
6.4 ppb
in the top 7.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
US93rdDefinition & 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 ›Loneliness
38.4%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
34.5%
in the top 8.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Households without a vehicle
13.7%
in the top 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST80thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Outpatient-care access
0.38 per 1,000 residents
in the top 12.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS88thDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient clinics located 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 ›Cross-source signals
Combined exposures in this ZIP
More than one environmental exposure stands out in this ZIP. Each is established independently and shown on its own above; they are grouped here for context — not because one causes the other.
This area ranks among the highest 10% of US ZIP codes for both flood exposure and the share of households without a vehicle.
See the full flooding, evacuation & humid-heat analysis →
The read
Overall, Menands, New York (ZIP 12204) places in the top 34% healthiest ZIPs nationally (11,001st) and the bottom 33% of New York (1,152nd).
The measures land in both directions, and neither dominates: transit settles in the top 1.5% nationally, and physicians sits in the top 5.6% nationally. Modeled hearing disability lies in the bottom 5.0% nationally. Modeled extreme heat rests at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Pulling the other way, homeownership resides in the bottom 3.3% nationally, outer-floodplain exposure is in the top 5.6% nationally, and lead in tap water lands in the top 7.1% nationally. Modeled loneliness stands in the top 7.5% nationally, floodplain exposure registers in the top 8.1% nationally, and households without a vehicle settles in the top 8.6% nationally.
Beside the areas that surround it, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For readers new to these terms, 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". Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 12144, 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 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 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 74%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 70%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 67%
8%
Disability
healthier than 65%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 85%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 34%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 21%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 34%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 23%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 81%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 55%
21%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 30%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 11%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 28%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 24%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 24%
8%
Disability
healthier than 35%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 4%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 69%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 81%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 27%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 7%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 18%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 21%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 37%
8%
Disability
healthier than 34%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 9%
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
2 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.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 77.8 ± 2.0 years. The 48 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 80.5 years — 2.7 years below them.
Ranked #2,154 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 14.2; chronic-disease standing 74.2 — 60 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #15,413 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
12144
New Yorkshares a border
Score 59.30
Closest healthier
12180
New Yorkshares a border
Score 54.71
Similar health profile
19405
Pennsylvania97% similar profile
Score 54.21
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 | 23.3% | 20.9–25.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.7% | 30.7–36.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 6.5% | 6.0–7.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.4–12.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.4% | 4.8–6.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.3% | 5.5–7.2 |
| Depression among adults | 20.6% | 18.0–23.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 33.7% | 30.6–37.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.8% | 29.5–38.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.4% | 3.1–3.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.4% | 12.9–18.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.2% | 6.0–8.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.7% | 73.1–78.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.4% | 76.5–82.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.4% | 85.8–89.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.4% | 64.4–72.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 62.0% | 58.9–65.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.9% | 74.2–85.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.1% | 14.7–19.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.3% | 11.5–15.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.4% | 22.1–29.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 40.7% | 36.2–45.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.3% | 16.1–20.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.7% | 15.0–18.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.8% | 11.3–14.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.7% | 12.2–15.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.1% | 24.9–31.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.7% | 7.8–9.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.0% | 11.4–14.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.6% | 5.0–6.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 28.0% | 24.6–31.9 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 20.0% | 17.5–23.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 19.2% | 17.0–21.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.0% | 15.0–19.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 38.4% | 34.1–43.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 11.2% | 9.9–12.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NY median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.5% (2.5–22.6%) n=1,734 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.0% (0.0–13.1%) n=1,734 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.1% (1.2–17.5%) n=1,743 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 37.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 31.8% (13.9–62.1%) n=1,743 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (0.0–9.7%) n=1,730 |
| Households without a vehicle | 13.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 5.7% (0.0–28.9%) n=1,730 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 91.5% (81.1–98.3%) n=1,730 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 29.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.2% (14.2–45.5%) n=1,730 |
| Homeownership rate | 30.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 80.2% (40.9–94.8%) n=1,730 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 6.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.0% (0.0–6.6%) n=1,730 |
| Foreign-born population | 8.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–28.7%) n=1,746 |
| Single-parent households | 42.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.0% (36.7–74.5%) n=1,716 |
| Population 65+ | 15.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.0% (12.0–33.2%) n=1,746 |
| Median age | 35.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.5 yr (34.6–56.1) n=1,733 |
| Median household income | $74,841 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $81,837 ($55,470–$145,610) n=1,626 |
| Median home value | $244,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $247,700 ($121,180–$801,380) n=1,629 |
| Median gross rent | $1,343 | $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 | 77.8 yr ± 1.03 | 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 1.03 years of 77.8, 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