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ZIP code

22845

in Orkney Springs, VirginiaPopulation 48

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

55.84/ 100

Ranked #8,470 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 26%)

Ranked #242 of 873 Virginia ZIPs (top 28%)

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.

Tree cover

89.6%

in the top 1.5% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.

Full methodology ›

PFAS in drinking water

5.7%

in the bottom 1.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US2nd
Definition & source ›

The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.

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 ›

Housing-cost burden

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Park land

55%

in the top 2.0% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST98th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.

Full methodology ›

Transportation noise

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.

Full methodology ›

Poverty rate

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Full methodology ›

Homeownership rate

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Home broadband subscription

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

Colon-cancer screening

76%

in the top 1.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST98th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.

Full methodology ›

Lead in tap water

6.3 ppb

in the top 7.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

US93rd
Definition & 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 ›

The read

Orkney Springs, Virginia (ZIP 22845), on the composite measure, lands in the top 26% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,470th) and the top 28% of Virginia (242nd).

continue reading

Where the data leans one way, another reading answers it: modeled tree cover lies in the top 1.5% nationally, modeled pfas settles in the bottom 1.7% nationally, and housing-cost burden stands at the national minimum. Park land is in the top 2.0% nationally, modeled transportation noise rests at the national minimum, and poverty sits at the national minimum. Homeownership registers at the national maximum, and home broadband subscription lands at the national maximum. Modeled colon screening resides in the top 1.8% nationally. On the other hand, lead in tap water lies in the top 7.2% nationally.

Set against the neighboring ZIPs, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 22652, about 13 miles away.

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

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 94%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 95%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 85%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 70%

11%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 74%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 41%

21%

Mental Health

healthier than 48%

8%

Disability

healthier than 45%

7%

Holding it back

Healthcare Access

healthier than 20%

5%

Lifting this score

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 90%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 92%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 74%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 64%

11%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 89%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 59%

21%

Mental Health

healthier than 55%

8%

Disability

healthier than 56%

7%

Holding it back

Healthcare Access

healthier than 20%

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 adults31.2%27.5–34.7
High blood pressure among adults37.2%32.8–41.3
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.4%9.2–11.7
Current asthma among adults10.5%9.1–11.9
Coronary heart disease among adults8.7%7.3–10.2
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.5%6.4–10.8
Depression among adults23.3%19.6–27.0
Diagnosed diabetes among adults12.8%10.5–15.1
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened40.5%36.2–45.0
Obesity among adults32.1%25.3–39.2
Stroke among adults4.0%3.3–4.8
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years15.9%13.0–19.2
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.0%4.6–10.3
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure80.4%77.5–82.8
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults79.0%75.4–82.4
Cholesterol screening among adults85.7%82.7–88.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years76.0%71.0–80.3
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults67.6%64.1–71.0
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years78.9%71.8–84.8
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults15.0%12.4–18.0
Current cigarette smoking among adults13.1%9.2–17.2
No leisure-time physical activity among adults24.7%18.9–30.8
Short sleep duration among adults35.0%28.8–41.5
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults18.9%14.7–23.5
Frequent mental distress among adults16.8%13.9–19.5
Frequent physical distress among adults14.5%11.7–17.3
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults15.5%12.3–18.8
Any disability among adults34.7%28.6–40.8
Hearing disability among adults9.5%8.1–11.0
Independent living disability among adults8.5%6.7–10.5
Mobility disability among adults15.7%12.2–19.4
Self-care disability among adults3.7%2.8–4.8
Vision disability among adults4.8%3.8–5.9
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults19.5%15.6–23.6
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults9.8%6.6–13.6
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults7.8%5.1–11.1
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults7.3%5.2–9.5
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults6.2%4.7–7.8
Loneliness among adults32.4%27.0–37.8
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults4.6%3.5–5.8
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)VA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate0.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3649.2% (2.0–22.9%) n=863
Uninsured 18–64—9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2868.3% (0.0–19.2%) n=861
No HS diploma (25+)0.0%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5059.2% (1.9–20.7%) n=872
Bachelor's or higher (25+)0.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50526.0% (9.2–59.8%) n=872
Unemployment rate (16+)—3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.2% (0.0–8.2%) n=860
Households without a vehicle0.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.6% (0.0–11.3%) n=862
Broadband subscription100.0%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.9% (69.5–97.9%) n=862
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)0.0%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32223.1% (10.8–38.1%) n=862
Homeownership rate100.0%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32278.1% (52.2–95.9%) n=862
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=862
Foreign-born population0.0%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5532.9% (0.0–17.0%) n=874
Single-parent households—53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08754.3% (38.2–78.2%) n=855
Population 65+100.0%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.5% (10.8–37.3%) n=874
Median age—42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29243.6 yr (34.0–59.2) n=864
Median household income—$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,854 ($46,504–$141,698) n=804
Median home value—$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$274,800 ($123,240–$642,380) n=789
Median gross rent—$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 birth79.8 yr ± 2.1278.9 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 2.12 years of 79.8, 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