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ZIP code

22503

in Lancaster, VirginiaPopulation 4,296

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

45.26/ 100

Ranked #22,130 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 31%)

Ranked #650 of 873 Virginia ZIPs (bottom 26%)

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.

Binge drinking

10.2%

in the bottom 1.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US2nd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.

Full methodology ›

Unemployment rate

18.9%

in the top 2.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.

Full methodology ›

High blood pressure

50.2%

in the top 3.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.

Full methodology ›

High cholesterol

46.5%

in the top 2.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.

Full methodology ›

Diabetes

19.4%

in the top 4.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.

Full methodology ›

Stroke

5.9%

in the top 4.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.

Full methodology ›

Coronary heart disease

10.9%

in the top 4.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.

Full methodology ›

Mobility disability

22.7%

in the top 7.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a community health center

20.3 mi

in the top 8.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US92nd
Definition & 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 ›

Home broadband subscription

73.4%

in the bottom 8.5% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST14th
US8th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

The read

On balance, and by the composite measure, Lancaster, Virginia (ZIP 22503) ranks in the bottom 31% nationally (22,130th) and the bottom 26% of Virginia (650th).

continue reading

The burdens that read clearest in the data come first: unemployment rests in the top 2.3% nationally, and modeled high blood pressure is in the top 3.3% nationally. Modeled high cholesterol stands in the top 2.1% nationally, and diabetes settles in the top 4.8% nationally. Modeled stroke lies in the top 4.7% nationally, coronary heart disease resides in the top 4.7% nationally, and mobility disability lands in the top 7.5% nationally. Distance to a community health center registers in the top 8.1% nationally, and home broadband subscription sits in the bottom 8.5% nationally. Better still, modeled binge drinking rests in the bottom 1.6% nationally.

In plainer terms, distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 22460, 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%

Preventive Care

healthier than 91%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 68%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 72%

8%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 44%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 5%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 22%

16%

Disability

healthier than 17%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 8%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 84%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 88%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 61%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 81%

8%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 6%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 19%

16%

Disability

healthier than 17%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 37%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 7%

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 ›

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.

  • Clean environment, heavy chronic burden

    Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions

    Environmental-hazard standing 89.4; chronic-disease standing 4.6 (bottom 10%) — 85 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #287 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.

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 adults39.9%35.9–44.1
High blood pressure among adults50.2%45.6–54.8
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults11.5%10.4–12.6
Current asthma among adults11.4%10.1–13.0
Coronary heart disease among adults10.9%9.6–12.3
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults11.0%9.3–12.8
Depression among adults21.4%18.1–25.0
Diagnosed diabetes among adults19.4%16.9–22.3
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened46.5%41.9–51.3
Obesity among adults37.7%30.2–45.9
Stroke among adults5.9%5.2–6.6
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years18.9%15.6–22.6
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years8.7%7.1–10.8
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure85.1%82.7–87.2
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults84.0%81.0–86.6
Cholesterol screening among adults90.6%89.1–91.9
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years71.0%66.1–75.9
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults62.9%59.2–66.4
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years77.2%69.8–83.7
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults10.2%8.3–12.3
Current cigarette smoking among adults15.5%12.9–18.6
No leisure-time physical activity among adults31.2%26.1–37.0
Short sleep duration among adults36.9%30.3–43.9
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults25.4%21.7–29.3
Frequent mental distress among adults15.5%13.7–17.8
Frequent physical distress among adults17.2%15.0–19.8
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults15.2%13.1–17.6
Any disability among adults39.1%34.2–44.6
Hearing disability among adults10.2%9.0–11.6
Independent living disability among adults10.6%9.1–12.3
Mobility disability among adults22.7%19.6–26.1
Self-care disability among adults5.7%5.0–6.6
Vision disability among adults7.1%6.2–8.1
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults22.1%18.5–25.9
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults17.0%14.0–20.2
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults16.0%13.2–19.2
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults12.1%10.1–14.2
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults8.7%7.4–10.1
Loneliness among adults31.9%26.7–37.2
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults8.6%7.3–9.9
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)VA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate8.4%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3649.2% (2.0–22.9%) n=863
Uninsured 18–6411.1%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2868.3% (0.0–19.2%) n=861
No HS diploma (25+)13.7%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5059.2% (1.9–20.7%) n=872
Bachelor's or higher (25+)35.6%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50526.0% (9.2–59.8%) n=872
Unemployment rate (16+)18.9%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.2% (0.0–8.2%) n=860
Households without a vehicle5.2%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.6% (0.0–11.3%) n=862
Broadband subscription73.4%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.9% (69.5–97.9%) n=862
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)22.3%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32223.1% (10.8–38.1%) n=862
Homeownership rate90.2%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32278.1% (52.2–95.9%) n=862
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=862
Foreign-born population2.5%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5532.9% (0.0–17.0%) n=874
Single-parent households68.4%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08754.3% (38.2–78.2%) n=855
Population 65+31.6%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.5% (10.8–37.3%) n=874
Median age53.2 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29243.6 yr (34.0–59.2) n=864
Median household income$74,051$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,854 ($46,504–$141,698) n=804
Median home value$272,000$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$274,800 ($123,240–$642,380) n=789
Median gross rent$1,094$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,144 ($742–$2,191) n=615
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)VA median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth78.0 yr ± 1.1278.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30877.6 yr (74.5–81.4) n=826

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 78.0, 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