ZIP code
23056
in Foster, VirginiaPopulation 175
52.08/ 100
Ranked #13,347 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 42%)
Ranked #375 of 873 Virginia ZIPs (top 43%)
Ranked #76 of 123 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC ZIPs (bottom 38%)
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.
Housing-cost burden
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
8.3%
in the top 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a community health center
16.6 mi
in the top 10.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS89thDefinition & 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 ›Floodplain exposure
24.6%
in the top 13.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS87thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
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 ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Foster, Virginia (ZIP 23056) ranks in the top 42% healthiest ZIPs nationally (13,347th) and the top 43% of Virginia (375th).
The measures split the difference for this area: housing-cost burden is at the national minimum, and homeownership stands at the national maximum. Home broadband subscription settles at the national maximum. Unemployment lies at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Households without a vehicle resides at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lands in the top 13.8% nationally. Against that, outer-floodplain exposure registers in the top 4.6% nationally, distance to a community health center sits in the top 10.7% nationally, and floodplain exposure rests in the top 13.4% nationally. Modeled high cholesterol is in the top 10.6% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". 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 23021, 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 72%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 86%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 85%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 73%
11%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 58%
8%
Disability
healthier than 44%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 29%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 25%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 11%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 64%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 79%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 74%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 68%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 64%
8%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 45%
21%
Disability
healthier than 55%
7%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 11%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 11%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 62%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 63%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 62%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 68%
8%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 60%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 54%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 24%
21%
Disability
healthier than 32%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 16%
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
23021
Virginiashares a border
Score 52.33
Closest healthier
23025
Virginiashares a border
Score 53.03
Similar health profile
36861
Alabama96% similar profile
Score 50.49
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 | 33.0% | 29.3–36.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.8% | 37.3–46.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.6% | 9.5–11.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.3–12.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.8% | 7.6–10.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.6% | 6.9–10.5 |
| Depression among adults | 23.3% | 19.8–27.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.7% | 12.6–17.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.0% | 38.4–47.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.7% | 28.7–45.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.3% | 3.7–5.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.9% | 9.6–14.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.8% | 5.8–10.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.8% | 77.9–83.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.2% | 77.8–84.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.3% | 87.5–91.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.1% | 64.2–73.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 68.0% | 64.7–71.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.7% | 70.5–84.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.7% | 11.1–16.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.8% | 11.8–18.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.7% | 20.8–31.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.8% | 27.7–40.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.4% | 16.8–24.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.8% | 13.7–18.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.3% | 13.0–17.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.4% | 12.2–16.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.1% | 30.1–40.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.1% | 7.9–10.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.3% | 6.9–9.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.1% | 14.2–20.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.4–4.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.3–6.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.8% | 17.1–24.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 8.8–14.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.8% | 7.2–12.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.3% | 7.2–11.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.4–7.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.5% | 26.2–37.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.3% | 5.0–7.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.2% (2.0–22.9%) n=863 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 0.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.3% (0.0–19.2%) n=861 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 0.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.2% (1.9–20.7%) n=872 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 41.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.0% (9.2–59.8%) n=872 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.0–8.2%) n=860 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.0–11.3%) n=862 |
| Broadband subscription | 100.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.9% (69.5–97.9%) n=862 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 0.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.1% (10.8–38.1%) n=862 |
| Homeownership rate | 100.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.1% (52.2–95.9%) n=862 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=862 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.9% (0.0–17.0%) n=874 |
| Single-parent households | 26.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (38.2–78.2%) n=855 |
| Population 65+ | 22.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (10.8–37.3%) n=874 |
| Median age | 26.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (34.0–59.2) n=864 |
| Median household income | $79,205 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,854 ($46,504–$141,698) n=804 |
| Median home value | $340,500 | $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
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 80.0 yr ± 0.97 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 77.6 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 0.97 years of 80.0, 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