ZIP code
12986
in Tupper Lake, New YorkPopulation 5,326
53.33/ 100
Ranked #11,590 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 36%)
Ranked #1,208 of 1,730 New York ZIPs (bottom 30%)
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.
Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS2ndDefinition & 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 ›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 ›Humid extreme heat
7 days/year
in the bottom 4.4% 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 ›Slow internet speeds
1.5%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
73.6%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST88thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Walkability
2.3 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 9.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST7thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.5%
in the bottom 13.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS13thDefinition & 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 ›Obesity
40.4%
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS78thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
30.1 mi
in the top 28% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS72ndDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›The read
Tupper Lake, New York (ZIP 12986), by its overall standing, sits in the top 36% healthiest ZIPs nationally (11,590th) and the bottom 30% of New York (1,208th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The measures fall on both sides of the ledger for this area: modeled industrial-pollution burden lands in the bottom 1.9% nationally, air-toxics cancer risk is in the bottom 2.8% nationally, and humid heat resides in the bottom 4.4% nationally. Modeled tree cover rests in the top 7.5% nationally. Modeled extreme heat lies at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Park land sits in the top 11.1% nationally. Distance to a community health center settles at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Dental providers registers in the top 12.6% nationally. Set against that, slow internet speeds stands in the top 7.5% nationally, and walkability lands in the bottom 9.4% nationally.
Held up against its neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 12847, 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
healthier than 98%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 80%
13%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.00%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 82%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 52%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 55%
8%
Disability
healthier than 48%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 33%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 40%
11%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.08%
14%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.00%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 76%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 47%
16%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 10%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 38%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 29%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 14%
8%
Disability
healthier than 17%
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.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 79.1 ± 2.2 years. The 50 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 82.4 years — 3.2 years below them.
Ranked #2,515 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.
Nearby
12847
New Yorkshares a border
Score 60.47
Closest healthier
12945
New Yorkshares a border
Score 57.66
Similar health profile
14569
New York97% similar profile
Score 52.11
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 | 32.7% | 29.4–36.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.8% | 33.9–41.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.4% | 9.5–11.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.4% | 10.2–12.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.0% | 7.1–8.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.1% | 7.9–10.2 |
| Depression among adults | 22.2% | 19.1–25.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.4% | 10.7–14.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.9% | 34.9–43.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.4% | 34.0–47.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.1% | 3.7–4.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.7% | 11.3–16.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.2% | 5.0–7.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.3% | 76.4–81.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.5% | 77.2–83.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.0% | 87.6–90.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.8% | 66.2–75.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.9% | 55.4–62.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.8% | 71.3–83.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.2% | 13.5–19.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.7% | 13.4–18.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.7% | 24.5–33.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.0% | 30.5–41.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.7% | 17.2–22.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.9% | 15.0–18.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.4% | 13.6–17.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.7% | 12.0–15.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.8% | 27.9–36.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.7–8.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.1% | 8.0–10.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.3% | 14.3–18.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.4% | 3.9–4.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.7–5.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.4% | 20.2–26.9 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.5% | 12.3–17.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.7% | 11.6–16.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 10.1–13.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.9% | 6.9–9.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.6% | 27.1–36.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.4% | 6.4–8.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NY median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.5% (2.5–22.6%) n=1,734 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 1.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.0% (0.0–13.1%) n=1,734 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.1% (1.2–17.5%) n=1,743 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 22.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 31.8% (13.9–62.1%) n=1,743 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (0.0–9.7%) n=1,730 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 5.7% (0.0–28.9%) n=1,730 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 91.5% (81.1–98.3%) n=1,730 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 19.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.2% (14.2–45.5%) n=1,730 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.7% | 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 | 1.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–28.7%) n=1,746 |
| Single-parent households | 58.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.0% (36.7–74.5%) n=1,716 |
| Population 65+ | 26.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.0% (12.0–33.2%) n=1,746 |
| Median age | 48.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.5 yr (34.6–56.1) n=1,733 |
| Median household income | $67,883 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $81,837 ($55,470–$145,610) n=1,626 |
| Median home value | $158,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $247,700 ($121,180–$801,380) n=1,629 |
| Median gross rent | $790 | $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 | 79.1 yr ± 1.12 | 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 1.12 years of 79.1, 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