ZIP code
23221
in Richmond, VirginiaPopulation 14,402
65.45/ 100
Ranked #1,830 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 5.8%)
Ranked #76 of 873 Virginia ZIPs (top 8.8%)
Ranked #6 of 93 Richmond, VA ZIPs (top 6.5%)
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 top 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & 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
45.6 per million
in the top 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Stroke
1.9%
in the bottom 2.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS2ndDefinition & 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
3.8%
in the bottom 2.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Walkability
170 intersections/sq mi
in the top 3.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
7.7%
in the bottom 2.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
4.4%
in the bottom 3.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
11.1%
in the bottom 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
26.3%
in the bottom 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
7.4%
in the bottom 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, ZIP 23221, one of several in Richmond, Virginia lands in the top 5.8% healthiest ZIPs nationally (1,830th) and the top 8.8% of Virginia (76th).
Strengths and concerns sit side by side across the measures here: modeled stroke registers in the bottom 2.0% nationally, and coronary heart disease sits in the bottom 2.7% nationally. Walkability rests in the top 3.9% nationally, and modeled mobility disability is in the bottom 2.7% nationally. Modeled hearing disability stands in the bottom 3.2% nationally, fair or poor health settles in the bottom 1.9% nationally, and high blood pressure lies in the bottom 3.9% nationally. Modeled food insecurity resides in the bottom 5.0% nationally. On the other hand, modeled industrial-pollution burden lands in the top 1.4% nationally, and air-toxics cancer risk registers in the top 1.4% nationally.
Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of 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. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 23226, 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 Richmond, VA 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 96%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 92%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 76%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 89%
11%
Disability
healthier than 96%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 73%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 49%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 12%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 95%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 87%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 61%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 87%
11%
Disability
healthier than 95%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 65%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 84%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 56%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 3%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 97%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 86%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 84%
11%
Disability
healthier than 97%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 98%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 76%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 23%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 38%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 37%
8%
“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
3 of our published findings list 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.
Above its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 80.9 ± 1.9 years. The 46 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 78.2 years — 2.7 years above them.
Ranked #1,017 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 12.6; chronic-disease standing 96.2 (top 10%) — 84 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #17,457 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Highest-risk tenth
Air toxics and the years between the two ends of the risk scale
Modeled air-toxics cancer risk is 45.6 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 80.9 ± 1.9 years.
Ranked #273 of the 4,173 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by modeled air-toxics risk, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
23220
Virginiashares a border
Score 53.98
Closest healthier
23226
Virginiashares a border
Score 66.01
Similar health profile
55369
Minnesota99% similar profile
Score 64.31
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 | 19.7% | 17.4–22.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 26.3% | 23.2–29.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 6.6% | 6.0–7.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 3.8% | 3.3–4.2 |
| Depression among adults | 24.6% | 21.4–28.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 7.3% | 6.3–8.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 32.1% | 28.6–35.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 29.6% | 24.4–35.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 1.9% | 1.8–2.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 4.5% | 3.6–5.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.8% | 4.8–7.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 69.3% | 66.5–72.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 75.9% | 72.3–79.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.4% | 84.7–88.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 74.7% | 71.1–78.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 76.3% | 73.7–78.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.6% | 74.0–84.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 20.1% | 16.9–23.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 8.7% | 7.3–10.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 15.1% | 12.6–18.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 29.0% | 25.0–33.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 11.1% | 9.6–12.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.8% | 14.0–17.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 9.2% | 8.1–10.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.2% | 10.7–13.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 23.6% | 20.4–27.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.4% | 3.9–5.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 5.5% | 4.8–6.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.7–8.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.0% | 1.8–2.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 2.8% | 2.5–3.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 17.4% | 14.9–20.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.4% | 6.1–8.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 5.8% | 4.7–7.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.1–8.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.2% | 4.5–6.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.9% | 29.4–38.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 4.7% | 4.0–5.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.2% (2.0–22.9%) n=863 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 3.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.3% (0.0–19.2%) n=861 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 1.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.2% (1.9–20.7%) n=872 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 78.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.0% (9.2–59.8%) n=872 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.0–8.2%) n=860 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.0–11.3%) n=862 |
| Broadband subscription | 97.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.9% (69.5–97.9%) n=862 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 28.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.1% (10.8–38.1%) n=862 |
| Homeownership rate | 51.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.1% (52.2–95.9%) n=862 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=862 |
| Foreign-born population | 4.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.9% (0.0–17.0%) n=874 |
| Single-parent households | 55.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (38.2–78.2%) n=855 |
| Population 65+ | 12.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (10.8–37.3%) n=874 |
| Median age | 36.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (34.0–59.2) n=864 |
| Median household income | $99,816 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,854 ($46,504–$141,698) n=804 |
| Median home value | $582,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $274,800 ($123,240–$642,380) n=789 |
| Median gross rent | $1,518 | $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 | 80.9 yr ± 0.98 | 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 0.98 years of 80.9, 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