ZIP code
23850
in Ford, VirginiaPopulation 1,161
49.83/ 100
Ranked #16,481 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 49%)
Ranked #478 of 873 Virginia ZIPs (bottom 45%)
Ranked #62 of 93 Richmond, VA ZIPs (bottom 33%)
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.
Fatal road crashes
60.3 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Homeownership rate
96.3%
in the top 7.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
11.4 mi
in the top 8.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
10.1%
in the bottom 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
8.5 days/year
in the top 39% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS61stDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›The read
Ford, Virginia (ZIP 23850), overall, ranks in the bottom 49% nationally (16,481st) and the bottom 45% of Virginia (478th).
Reading the numbers as a whole, the picture lands somewhere in between: homeownership is in the top 7.1% nationally. Households without a vehicle sits at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Housing-cost burden lands in the bottom 9.6% nationally. Crowded housing lies at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility stands in the top 14.6% nationally. On the other side, fatal road crashes rests in the top 2.2% nationally, and distance to a nursing home registers in the top 8.8% nationally. Fiber broadband resides at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Distance to an emergency room settles in the top 11.1% nationally. Recreation is at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs.
Defined simply, 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. ZIP 23833, just across the boundary, comes out healthier overall.
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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 66%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 76%
13%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 44%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 58%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 52%
8%
Disability
healthier than 44%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 28%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 38%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 19%
5%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 61%
13%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 45%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 46%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 48%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 59%
8%
Disability
healthier than 55%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 37%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 25%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 19%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 71%
14%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 44%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 42%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 20%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 26%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 37%
13%
Disability
healthier than 34%
7%
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.
Nearby
23002
Virginiashares a border
Score 44.31
Closest healthier
23833
Virginiashares a border
Score 51.96
Similar health profile
23032
Virginia96% similar profile
Score 50.43
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 | 32.4% | 29.5–35.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.2% | 38.6–46.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.2% | 8.4–10.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.1% | 10.0–12.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.8% | 7.1–8.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.0% | 7.0–9.1 |
| Depression among adults | 22.7% | 19.8–25.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.3% | 13.6–17.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.4% | 37.7–45.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.3% | 32.9–46.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.4% | 4.0–4.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.0% | 13.5–18.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.3% | 6.8–10.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.8% | 78.5–82.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.0% | 78.1–83.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.5% | 87.0–90.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.2% | 63.9–72.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.8% | 60.6–66.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.5% | 70.3–81.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.9% | 11.8–16.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.7% | 12.5–17.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.1% | 24.0–32.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.5% | 31.1–42.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.0% | 18.5–23.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.9% | 15.1–18.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.0% | 13.4–16.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.2% | 13.3–17.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.7% | 30.8–38.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.9–8.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.8% | 7.8–9.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.3% | 15.3–19.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.8–5.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.8% | 19.8–26.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.3% | 11.1–15.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.0% | 9.2–13.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.9% | 9.3–12.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.4% | 6.4–8.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.1% | 30.6–39.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.0% | 6.0–8.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.5% | 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+) | 4.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.2% (1.9–20.7%) n=872 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.1% | 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 | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.0–11.3%) n=862 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.9% (69.5–97.9%) n=862 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 10.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.1% (10.8–38.1%) n=862 |
| Homeownership rate | 96.3% | 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 | 83.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (38.2–78.2%) n=855 |
| Population 65+ | 28.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (10.8–37.3%) n=874 |
| Median age | 50.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (34.0–59.2) n=864 |
| Median household income | $87,986 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,854 ($46,504–$141,698) n=804 |
| Median home value | $247,900 | $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 | 76.8 yr ± 0.84 | 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 0.84 years of 76.8, 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