ZIP code
14228
in Buffalo, New YorkPopulation 25,350
61.76/ 100
Ranked #3,660 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 11.5%)
Ranked #472 of 1,730 New York ZIPs (top 27%)
Ranked #22 of 86 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY ZIPs (top 26%)
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.
Outer-floodplain exposure
45.2%
in the top 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Lead in tap water
9.8 ppb
in the top 3.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
US97thDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Elder-services access
0.29 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›High blood pressure
27.1%
in the bottom 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
2 per 100,000 residents per year
in the bottom 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST18thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
5.0%
in the bottom 6.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST15thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
301 units
in the top 8.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Mental-health provider access
0.13 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Park land
14.9%
in the top 8.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Transit access
3.1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 10.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS90thDefinition & 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 ›The read
ZIP 14228, one of several in Buffalo, New York ranks in the top 11.5% healthiest ZIPs nationally (3,660th) and the top 27% of New York (472nd).
Several signals sit on each side of the ledger here: elder services registers in the top 4.8% nationally, and modeled high blood pressure lies in the bottom 4.8% nationally. Fatal road crashes is in the bottom 6.8% nationally, and modeled hearing disability registers in the bottom 6.4% nationally. Subsidized affordable housing lies in the top 8.2% nationally, mental-health providers is in the top 8.3% nationally, and park land registers in the top 8.9% nationally. Transit lies in the top 10.0% nationally. Working the other way, outer-floodplain exposure is in the top 1.0% nationally, and lead in tap water registers in the top 3.5% nationally.
Against its neighbors, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 14051, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 88%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 75%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 66%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 77%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 63%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 73%
8%
Disability
healthier than 87%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 61%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 43%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 81%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 69%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 63%
14%
Disability
healthier than 68%
7%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 53%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 35%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 32%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 12%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 95%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 60%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 60%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 68%
11%
Disability
healthier than 71%
7%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 55%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 27%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 8%
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
14051
New Yorkshares a border
Score 68.63
Closest healthier
14068
New Yorkshares a border
Score 66.70
Similar health profile
10011
New York99% similar profile
Score 71.03
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 | 22.2% | 20.1–24.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 27.1% | 24.5–29.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.1% | 6.4–7.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 9.7–12.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.1% | 4.5–5.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.5% | 4.8–6.2 |
| Depression among adults | 20.2% | 17.5–22.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 8.6% | 7.5–9.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 33.0% | 30.1–35.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 28.5% | 24.7–32.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.7% | 2.4–2.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.3% | 11.0–15.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.4% | 4.5–6.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 74.8% | 72.2–77.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.9% | 78.0–83.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.7% | 83.8–87.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.6% | 66.0–72.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.6% | 61.8–67.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.3% | 75.4–84.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.1% | 15.5–20.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.2% | 8.7–11.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.4% | 19.6–25.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.8% | 33.1–40.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.0% | 13.2–16.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.2% | 14.5–18.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.2% | 10.0–12.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.8% | 10.4–13.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 22.7% | 20.2–25.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.4–5.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 10.1% | 8.8–11.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.9% | 2.6–3.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.7–4.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.0% | 20.9–27.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.3% | 11.3–15.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.2% | 9.6–13.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.0% | 9.5–12.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.9% | 6.9–9.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.7% | 28.7–36.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.9% | 6.0–7.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NY median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.5% (2.5–22.6%) n=1,734 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 5.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.0% (0.0–13.1%) n=1,734 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.1% (1.2–17.5%) n=1,743 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 48.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 31.8% (13.9–62.1%) n=1,743 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.4% | 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 | 87.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 91.5% (81.1–98.3%) n=1,730 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 33.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.2% (14.2–45.5%) n=1,730 |
| Homeownership rate | 53.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 80.2% (40.9–94.8%) n=1,730 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.0% (0.0–6.6%) n=1,730 |
| Foreign-born population | 16.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–28.7%) n=1,746 |
| Single-parent households | 44.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.0% (36.7–74.5%) n=1,716 |
| Population 65+ | 16.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.0% (12.0–33.2%) n=1,746 |
| Median age | 33.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.5 yr (34.6–56.1) n=1,733 |
| Median household income | $74,871 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $81,837 ($55,470–$145,610) n=1,626 |
| Median home value | $274,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $247,700 ($121,180–$801,380) n=1,629 |
| Median gross rent | $1,334 | $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 unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled. | |||
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