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ZIP code

12959

in Mooers Forks, New YorkPopulation 1,627

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

49.04/ 100

Ranked #17,610 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 45%)

Ranked #1,500 of 1,730 New York ZIPs (bottom 13.3%)

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.

Industrial-pollution burden

in the bottom 1.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST2nd
US2nd
Definition & 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 ›

Distance to a nursing home

17 mi

in the top 4.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.

Full methodology ›

Homeownership rate

97.3%

in the top 6.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST93rd
US94th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility

16.9 mi

in the top 6.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST93rd
US93rd
Definition & 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 ›

Distance to an emergency room

17.4 mi

in the top 7.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.

Full methodology ›

Housing-cost burden

12.2%

in the bottom 12.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST8th
US13th
Definition & source ›

The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.

Full methodology ›

Energy-cost burden

4.7%

in the top 13.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US86th
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.

A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.

Full methodology ›

Home broadband subscription

81.1%

in the bottom 19% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST10th
US19th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

Mammography

71.4%

in the bottom 21% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST1st
US21st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.

Full methodology ›

Median household income

$54,981

in the bottom 21% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST10th
US21st
Definition & source ›

The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.

Full methodology ›

The read

Judged by its overall standing, Mooers Forks, New York (ZIP 12959) sits in the bottom 45% nationally (17,610th) and the bottom 13.3% of New York (1,500th).

continue reading

An even profile, with readings pulling both ways: modeled industrial-pollution burden rests in the bottom 1.9% nationally, homeownership settles in the top 6.2% nationally, and distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lands in the top 6.6% nationally. Modeled extreme heat rests at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled disaster risk settles in the bottom 11.4% nationally, and housing-cost burden lands in the bottom 12.7% nationally. Modeled tree cover rests in the top 13.7% nationally. Against that, distance to a nursing home settles in the top 4.4% nationally, and distance to an emergency room lands in the top 7.8% nationally. Walkability rests in the bottom 12.7% nationally.

Put plainly, 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. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 12910, 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.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 89%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 80%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 48%

21%

Preventive Care

healthier than 56%

13%

Disability

healthier than 51%

7%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 20%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 28%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 27%

8%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 11%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 95%

14%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 49%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 23%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 18%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 20%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 18%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 3%

8%

Disability

healthier than 19%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 10%

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.

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 adults29.8%26.6–33.2
High blood pressure among adults35.6%32.0–39.5
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.0%8.1–10.0
Current asthma among adults12.3%10.9–13.9
Coronary heart disease among adults7.2%6.3–8.2
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults9.0%7.6–10.6
Depression among adults24.0%20.8–27.7
Diagnosed diabetes among adults11.5%9.9–13.4
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened36.9%33.1–40.8
Obesity among adults35.7%30.1–41.9
Stroke among adults3.8%3.3–4.3
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years11.5%9.4–14.0
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years6.4%4.7–8.3
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure76.8%73.6–79.7
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults79.6%76.4–82.6
Cholesterol screening among adults87.9%85.9–89.8
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years68.7%64.1–73.2
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults61.6%58.2–65.0
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years71.4%64.0–78.1
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults16.6%13.8–19.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults18.0%14.8–21.5
No leisure-time physical activity among adults29.1%24.4–34.3
Short sleep duration among adults35.9%30.9–41.0
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults20.3%17.1–24.0
Frequent mental distress among adults18.9%16.6–21.4
Frequent physical distress among adults15.9%13.7–18.3
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults15.1%12.9–17.6
Any disability among adults30.4%26.0–34.9
Hearing disability among adults6.7%5.9–7.6
Independent living disability among adults9.2%7.9–10.8
Mobility disability among adults14.6%12.3–17.3
Self-care disability among adults4.4%3.7–5.2
Vision disability among adults5.2%4.5–6.1
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults24.1%20.4–28.1
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults15.4%12.0–19.1
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults15.0%11.7–18.5
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults12.9%10.5–15.5
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults8.4%7.0–9.9
Loneliness among adults33.5%28.5–38.7
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults8.3%6.9–9.8
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NY median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate9.7%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3649.5% (2.5–22.6%) n=1,734
Uninsured 18–642.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.0% (0.0–13.1%) n=1,734
No HS diploma (25+)17.9%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5057.1% (1.2–17.5%) n=1,743
Bachelor's or higher (25+)13.8%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50531.8% (13.9–62.1%) n=1,743
Unemployment rate (16+)3.3%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.4% (0.0–9.7%) n=1,730
Households without a vehicle4.1%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3225.7% (0.0–28.9%) n=1,730
Broadband subscription81.1%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32291.5% (81.1–98.3%) n=1,730
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)12.2%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32227.2% (14.2–45.5%) n=1,730
Homeownership rate97.3%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32280.2% (40.9–94.8%) n=1,730
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.0% (0.0–6.6%) n=1,730
Foreign-born population5.3%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5534.8% (0.0–28.7%) n=1,746
Single-parent households61.0%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08754.0% (36.7–74.5%) n=1,716
Population 65+21.8%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.0% (12.0–33.2%) n=1,746
Median age45.3 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29243.5 yr (34.6–56.1) n=1,733
Median household income$54,981$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$81,837 ($55,470–$145,610) n=1,626
Median home value$175,200$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
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NY median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth81.2 yr ± 1.9578.9 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 1.95 years of 81.2, 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