ZIP code
12421
in Denver, New YorkPopulation 261
55.76/ 100
Ranked #8,559 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 27%)
Ranked #963 of 1,730 New York ZIPs (bottom 44%)
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.
Colon-cancer screening
80%
in the top 0.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
79.8%
in the top 5.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
18.9 mi
in the top 5.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
0.01%
in the bottom 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a community health center
24.9 mi
in the top 5.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›Mammography
82%
in the top 4.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
15.4%
in the top 7.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST82ndUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
11.0%
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
10.1%
in the bottom 9.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›The read
In its overall standing, Denver, New York (ZIP 12421) lands in the top 27% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,559th) and the bottom 44% of New York (963rd).
Taken together, the data gives a genuinely mixed reading: modeled colon screening registers in the top 0.3% nationally, industrial-pollution burden resides in the bottom 1.0% nationally, and tree cover settles in the top 5.0% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is in the top 5.4% nationally, modeled transportation noise sits in the bottom 5.4% nationally, and modeled mammography lands in the top 4.0% nationally. Housing-cost burden lies in the bottom 9.5% nationally. On the other side, distance to a community health center stands in the top 5.8% nationally, and households without a vehicle rests in the top 7.0% nationally. Unemployment registers in the top 7.9% nationally.
Put simply, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. On the overall standing, ZIP 12474, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 83%
14%
Preventive Care
in the top 0.8%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 69%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 87%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 95%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 41%
16%
Disability
healthier than 55%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 22%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 6%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 89%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 99%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 63%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 96%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 54%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 4%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 36%
16%
Disability
healthier than 24%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 5%
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
12430
New Yorkshares a border
Score 53.06
Closest healthier
12474
New Yorkshares a border
Score 56.10
Similar health profile
13468
New York99% similar profile
Score 55.21
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 | 36.8% | 32.5–40.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.5% | 37.9–46.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 13.2% | 11.9–14.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.4% | 9.9–12.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.9% | 7.7–10.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.0% | 7.2–11.0 |
| Depression among adults | 19.7% | 16.5–22.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.0% | 11.0–15.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.0% | 38.5–47.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 30.9% | 24.5–37.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.6% | 3.9–5.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.6% | 11.1–16.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 4.8% | 3.5–6.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 83.5% | 80.7–85.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 85.3% | 82.7–87.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 92.8% | 91.6–93.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 80.0% | 76.3–83.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.3% | 63.0–69.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 82.0% | 76.1–87.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.1% | 10.8–15.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.2% | 9.3–15.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.4% | 22.1–33.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.6% | 32.0–43.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.8% | 14.4–21.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.2% | 12.1–16.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.4% | 12.9–18.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.2% | 9.3–13.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.9% | 25.9–36.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.4–9.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.2% | 6.6–9.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.6% | 13.5–19.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.4–5.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.1–5.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.5% | 18.1–27.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.1% | 8.1–14.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.7% | 6.9–12.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.7% | 6.6–10.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.0% | 4.8–7.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.7% | 24.0–35.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.3% | 4.1–6.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NY median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.5% (2.5–22.6%) n=1,734 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 0.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.0% (0.0–13.1%) n=1,734 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 15.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.1% (1.2–17.5%) n=1,743 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 44.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 31.8% (13.9–62.1%) n=1,743 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 11.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (0.0–9.7%) n=1,730 |
| Households without a vehicle | 15.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 5.7% (0.0–28.9%) n=1,730 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 91.5% (81.1–98.3%) n=1,730 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 10.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.2% (14.2–45.5%) n=1,730 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 80.2% (40.9–94.8%) n=1,730 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.0% (0.0–6.6%) n=1,730 |
| Foreign-born population | 10.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–28.7%) n=1,746 |
| Single-parent households | 87.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.0% (36.7–74.5%) n=1,716 |
| Population 65+ | 54.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.0% (12.0–33.2%) n=1,746 |
| Median age | 70.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.5 yr (34.6–56.1) n=1,733 |
| Median household income | $100,819 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $81,837 ($55,470–$145,610) n=1,626 |
| Median home value | $372,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $247,700 ($121,180–$801,380) n=1,629 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 79.0 yr ± 0.94 | 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 0.94 years of 79.0, 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