ZIP code
12983
in Saranac Lake, New YorkPopulation 7,296
57.18/ 100
Ranked #7,095 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 22%)
Ranked #852 of 1,730 New York ZIPs (top 49%)
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.
Air-toxics cancer risk
10 per million
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›Elder-services access
0.42 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 3.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
6.7 days/year
in the bottom 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS4thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.
Full methodology ›Park land
24.2%
in the top 5.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Mental-health provider access
0.14 per 1,000 residents
in the top 7.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health 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 ›Physician access
1.8 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST89thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Tree cover
70.4%
in the top 9.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST86thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.4%
in the bottom 11.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS12thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Uninsured (under 65)
5.3%
in the bottom 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST36thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›The read
In overall standing, Saranac Lake, New York (ZIP 12983) comes out in the top 22% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,095th) and the top 49% of New York (852nd), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The data is generous to this ZIP in several places worth naming: modeled air-toxics cancer risk is in the bottom 2.8% nationally, elder services resides in the top 3.0% nationally, and modeled industrial-pollution burden rests in the bottom 3.1% nationally. Modeled humid heat lies in the bottom 4.3% nationally. Distance to an emergency room sits at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Park land settles in the top 5.8% nationally, and mental-health providers registers in the top 7.2% nationally. Physicians stands in the top 8.3% nationally, and modeled tree cover lands in the top 9.0% nationally. Modeled extreme heat is at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs.
Relative to the ZIPs around it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain terms, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 12913, 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.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.8%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 84%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 62%
8%
Disability
healthier than 66%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.00%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 74%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 50%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 52%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 56%
11%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.02%
14%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.00%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 66%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 46%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 46%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 45%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 25%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 19%
8%
Disability
healthier than 35%
7%
“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.
Above what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 83.7 ± 2.0 years. A median household income of $65,985 predicts 78.4 years — 5.3 years above.
Ranked #41 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
12913
New Yorkshares a border
Score 61.11
Closest healthier
12939
New Yorkshares a border
Score 57.39
Similar health profile
55741
Minnesota96% similar profile
Score 53.93
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 | 30.4% | 27.8–33.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.2% | 32.2–38.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.0% | 9.3–10.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.4% | 10.3–12.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.1% | 6.5–7.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.8% | 7.0–8.8 |
| Depression among adults | 22.1% | 19.6–24.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.1% | 9.9–12.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.6% | 34.5–40.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.9% | 33.0–43.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–3.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 12.4% | 10.7–14.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.3% | 4.5–6.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.0% | 75.7–80.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.4% | 77.9–82.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.5% | 88.2–90.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.8% | 67.4–74.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.9% | 61.2–66.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.6% | 72.3–82.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.1% | 14.8–19.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.5% | 11.9–15.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.9% | 21.8–28.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.1% | 31.0–39.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.4% | 15.5–19.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.2% | 14.8–17.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.0% | 12.7–15.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.7% | 11.4–14.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.9% | 25.9–32.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.7% | 6.1–7.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.3–9.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.3% | 12.6–16.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.5–4.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.6% | 4.2–5.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.8% | 19.2–24.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.5% | 10.7–14.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 10.0–13.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.6% | 9.3–12.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.4–8.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.7% | 27.1–34.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.8% | 6.0–7.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NY median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.5% (2.5–22.6%) n=1,734 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.0% (0.0–13.1%) n=1,734 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.1% (1.2–17.5%) n=1,743 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 45.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 31.8% (13.9–62.1%) n=1,743 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (0.0–9.7%) n=1,730 |
| Households without a vehicle | 10.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 5.7% (0.0–28.9%) n=1,730 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 91.5% (81.1–98.3%) n=1,730 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.2% (14.2–45.5%) n=1,730 |
| Homeownership rate | 57.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 80.2% (40.9–94.8%) n=1,730 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.0% (0.0–6.6%) n=1,730 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–28.7%) n=1,746 |
| Single-parent households | 66.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.0% (36.7–74.5%) n=1,716 |
| Population 65+ | 25.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.0% (12.0–33.2%) n=1,746 |
| Median age | 44.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.5 yr (34.6–56.1) n=1,733 |
| Median household income | $65,985 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $81,837 ($55,470–$145,610) n=1,626 |
| Median home value | $225,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $247,700 ($121,180–$801,380) n=1,629 |
| Median gross rent | $872 | $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 | 83.7 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 83.7, 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