ZIP code
12302
in Schenectady, New YorkPopulation 28,031
63.38/ 100
Ranked #2,768 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 8.7%)
Ranked #369 of 1,730 New York ZIPs (top 21%)
Ranked #19 of 114 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY ZIPs (top 17%)
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.
Lithium in drinking water
160 µg/L
in the top 0.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.
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 ›Transportation noise
11.7%
in the top 6.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Cognitive disability
10.2%
in the bottom 5.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST19thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
13.1%
in the bottom 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
8.5%
in the bottom 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
5.2%
in the bottom 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST14thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
72.6%
in the top 8.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST78thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
9.0%
in the bottom 8.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST14thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Uninsured (under 65)
4.3%
in the bottom 3.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, ZIP 12302, one of several in Schenectady, New York sits in the top 8.7% healthiest ZIPs nationally (2,768th) and the top 21% of New York (369th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
A balanced showing across the data, with a few readings each side: modeled cognitive disability sits in the bottom 5.9% nationally, and fair or poor health stands in the bottom 6.3% nationally. Modeled extreme heat resides at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled food insecurity sits in the bottom 9.8% nationally, and transportation stands in the bottom 9.9% nationally. Modeled colon screening resides in the top 8.5% nationally. On the other hand, lithium in drinking water sits in the top 0.9% nationally, and modeled transportation noise stands in the top 6.7% nationally. Modeled pfas resides in the top 10.3% nationally, and PFOA in drinking water sits in the top 11.1% nationally.
Placed beside its immediate neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put plainly, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. 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. PFOA in drinking water is one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 12019, 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%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 77%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 94%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 80%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 89%
8%
Disability
healthier than 89%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 83%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 72%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 27%
14%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 71%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 77%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 78%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 61%
8%
Disability
healthier than 74%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 63%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 55%
21%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 17%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 70%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 74%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 77%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 83%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 88%
8%
Disability
healthier than 83%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 69%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 56%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 13%
14%
“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
12008
New Yorkshares a border
Score 63.18
Closest healthier
12019
New Yorkshares a border
Score 67.79
Similar health profile
12542
New York99% similar profile
Score 61.63
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 | 27.3% | 24.4–30.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 32.5% | 29.0–36.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.5% | 9.5–11.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.6% | 9.5–11.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.1% | 5.4–6.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.8% | 5.1–6.5 |
| Depression among adults | 19.0% | 16.4–22.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.0% | 7.8–10.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.4% | 33.6–41.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 31.6% | 26.1–37.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.1% | 2.8–3.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 7.6% | 6.1–9.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 4.3% | 3.7–5.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.0% | 76.2–81.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.0% | 78.0–83.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 91.3% | 90.1–92.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 72.6% | 68.4–76.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 70.1% | 67.0–73.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.8% | 73.5–84.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.8% | 14.1–19.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 9.9% | 8.6–11.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 18.9% | 15.9–22.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.7% | 30.3–41.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 13.1% | 11.5–15.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.0% | 12.5–15.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.5% | 10.2–13.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 10.2% | 9.0–11.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 24.4% | 21.3–27.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.3–6.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.6–7.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.2% | 9.8–12.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.8% | 2.6–3.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.5% | 3.2–3.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.1% | 18.1–24.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.5% | 7.2–9.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.0% | 6.0–8.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.1% | 7.0–9.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.2% | 4.6–5.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.7% | 26.4–35.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 4.9% | 4.2–5.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NY median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 4.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.5% (2.5–22.6%) n=1,734 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.0% (0.0–13.1%) n=1,734 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.1% (1.2–17.5%) n=1,743 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 42.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 31.8% (13.9–62.1%) n=1,743 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (0.0–9.7%) n=1,730 |
| Households without a vehicle | 7.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 5.7% (0.0–28.9%) n=1,730 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 91.5% (81.1–98.3%) n=1,730 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.2% (14.2–45.5%) n=1,730 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 80.2% (40.9–94.8%) n=1,730 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.0% (0.0–6.6%) n=1,730 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–28.7%) n=1,746 |
| Single-parent households | 54.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.0% (36.7–74.5%) n=1,716 |
| Population 65+ | 22.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.0% (12.0–33.2%) n=1,746 |
| Median age | 43.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.5 yr (34.6–56.1) n=1,733 |
| Median household income | $98,163 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $81,837 ($55,470–$145,610) n=1,626 |
| Median home value | $255,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $247,700 ($121,180–$801,380) n=1,629 |
| Median gross rent | $1,247 | $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 ± 0.60 | 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 0.60 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