Skip to main content
ZipVitals

ZIP code

12305

in Schenectady, New YorkPopulation 7,356

46.22/ 100

Ranked #21,080 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 34%)

Ranked #1,610 of 1,730 New York ZIPs (bottom 7.0%)

Ranked #108 of 114 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY ZIPs (bottom 5.3%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Homeownership rate

14.6%

in the bottom 1.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST3rd
US2nd
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.

Full methodology ›

Recreation access

1.8 per 1,000 residents

in the top 2.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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 ›

Transportation noise

18%

in the top 3.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST93rd
US97th
Definition & 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 ›

Loud transportation noise

3.3%

in the top 3.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.

Full methodology ›

Households without a vehicle

23.9%

in the top 3.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST88th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with no vehicle available.

Full methodology ›

Outer-floodplain exposure

11.3%

in the top 3.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US97th
Definition & 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 ›

Floodplain exposure

44.9%

in the top 5.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US95th
Definition & 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 ›

Transit access

5 per 1,000 residents

in the top 5.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST94th
US95th
Definition & 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 ›

Slow internet speeds

2.1%

in the top 5.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.

Full methodology ›

Child-care access

0.66 per 1,000 residents

in the top 5.9% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST95th
US94th
Definition & source ›

The number of child day-care services 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.

The read

In its overall standing, ZIP 12305, one of several in Schenectady, New York lands in the bottom 34% nationally (21,080th) and the bottom 7.0% of New York (1,610th).

continue reading

Reading across the data, the real pressures come first: homeownership settles in the bottom 1.6% nationally, modeled transportation noise is in the top 3.1% nationally, and modeled loud transportation noise sits in the top 3.2% nationally. Households without a vehicle lands in the top 3.4% nationally, outer-floodplain exposure lies in the top 3.4% nationally, and floodplain exposure stands in the top 5.1% nationally. Slow internet speeds rests in the top 5.5% nationally. More encouragingly, recreation registers in the top 2.1% nationally, and transit resides in the top 5.2% nationally. Childcare settles in the top 5.9% nationally.

Against the wider neighborhood, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put simply, transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". On the overall standing, ZIP 12302, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.

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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Healthcare Access

healthier than 78%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 59%

21%

Mental Health

healthier than 49%

8%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 10%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 23%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 35%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 26%

11%

Disability

healthier than 32%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 16%

5%

Lifting this score

Healthcare Access

healthier than 72%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 35%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 9%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 13%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 10%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 16%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 11%

8%

Disability

healthier than 9%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 3%

5%

Lifting this score

Healthcare Access

healthier than 72%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 40%

21%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 4%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 10%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 7%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 10%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 13%

8%

Disability

healthier than 6%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 3%

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

One of our published findings lists 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 75.9 ± 1.9 years. The 48 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 80.4 years — 4.4 years below them.

    Ranked #3,193 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.

Nearby & similar ZIPs

Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults24.6%22.0–27.5
High blood pressure among adults33.7%30.3–37.3
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults7.3%6.6–8.1
Current asthma among adults11.8%10.5–13.3
Coronary heart disease among adults6.9%6.1–7.6
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.0%7.0–9.1
Depression among adults20.6%17.7–24.0
Diagnosed diabetes among adults11.5%10.0–13.1
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened33.3%29.8–37.1
Obesity among adults37.2%31.4–43.8
Stroke among adults4.0%3.6–4.4
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years16.7%13.8–19.6
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years8.6%7.2–10.2
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure74.9%72.3–77.3
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults78.0%74.5–81.2
Cholesterol screening among adults84.2%82.1–86.2
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years65.9%61.1–70.3
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults57.3%53.7–60.6
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years74.9%67.6–81.0
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults16.4%13.7–19.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults14.9%13.0–17.0
No leisure-time physical activity among adults27.2%23.3–31.4
Short sleep duration among adults41.2%35.4–46.9
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults21.2%18.6–23.9
Frequent mental distress among adults18.7%16.7–21.0
Frequent physical distress among adults14.4%12.7–16.2
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults16.2%14.3–18.2
Any disability among adults32.9%28.9–37.0
Hearing disability among adults6.6%5.8–7.5
Independent living disability among adults10.9%9.6–12.2
Mobility disability among adults15.5%13.5–17.5
Self-care disability among adults5.3%4.8–5.8
Vision disability among adults7.1%6.5–7.9
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults26.4%22.8–30.1
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults22.8%20.0–25.7
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults22.8%20.3–25.5
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults18.2%16.0–20.6
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults12.8%11.5–14.4
Loneliness among adults36.3%31.5–41.3
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults12.6%11.1–14.2
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NY median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate18.7%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3649.5% (2.5–22.6%) n=1,734
Uninsured 18–645.7%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.0% (0.0–13.1%) n=1,734
No HS diploma (25+)11.4%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5057.1% (1.2–17.5%) n=1,743
Bachelor's or higher (25+)39.5%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50531.8% (13.9–62.1%) n=1,743
Unemployment rate (16+)6.7%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.4% (0.0–9.7%) n=1,730
Households without a vehicle23.9%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3225.7% (0.0–28.9%) n=1,730
Broadband subscription82.6%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32291.5% (81.1–98.3%) n=1,730
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)39.7%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32227.2% (14.2–45.5%) n=1,730
Homeownership rate14.6%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32280.2% (40.9–94.8%) n=1,730
Crowded housing (>1 per room)1.2%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.0% (0.0–6.6%) n=1,730
Foreign-born population14.2%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5534.8% (0.0–28.7%) n=1,746
Single-parent households55.1%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08754.0% (36.7–74.5%) n=1,716
Population 65+13.0%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.0% (12.0–33.2%) n=1,746
Median age35.3 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29243.5 yr (34.6–56.1) n=1,733
Median household income$53,326$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$81,837 ($55,470–$145,610) n=1,626
Median home value$217,500$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$247,700 ($121,180–$801,380) n=1,629
Median gross rent$1,142$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,162 ($782–$2,359) n=1,367
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NY median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth75.9 yr ± 0.9678.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30880.9 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 0.96 years of 75.9, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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