ZIP code
32455
in Ponce de Leon, FloridaPopulation 4,370
42.00/ 100
Ranked #25,205 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 21%)
Ranked #831 of 974 Florida ZIPs (bottom 14.7%)
Ranked #21 of 21 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL ZIPs (bottom 4.8%)
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
59.5 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 2.3% 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 ›Humid extreme heat
143.9 days/year
in the top 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS94thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
36.9%
in the top 7.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST59thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›High cholesterol
43.3%
in the top 9.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST77thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Walkability
3.3 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 18% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST3rdUS18thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
14.2%
in the bottom 20% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS20thDefinition & 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 ›Tree cover
40.3%
in the top 29% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS71stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Cross-source signals
Combined exposures in this ZIP
More than one environmental exposure stands out in this ZIP. Each is established independently and shown on its own above; they are grouped here for context — not because one causes the other.
This area ranks among the highest 10% of US ZIP codes for both humid-heat days and flood exposure.
See the full flooding, evacuation & humid-heat analysis →
The read
Overall, Ponce de Leon, Florida (ZIP 32455) lands in the bottom 21% nationally (25,205th) and the bottom 14.7% of Florida (831st).
The picture here is genuinely mixed, with readings on both sides: modeled industrial-pollution burden lies in the bottom 14.4% nationally, and radon lands in the bottom 19% nationally. On the other side, fatal road crashes sits in the top 2.3% nationally, and modeled humid heat is in the top 6.3% nationally. Floodplain exposure settles in the top 7.2% nationally, modeled high cholesterol resides in the top 9.4% nationally, and slow internet speeds registers in the top 14.7% nationally. Modeled coronary heart disease rests in the top 14.3% nationally. Recreation stands at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs. Walkability lies in the bottom 18% nationally.
A note on the terms: industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 32433, just across the boundary, ranks better 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 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL 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 90%
14%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 46%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 41%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 36%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 23%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Disability
healthier than 21%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 9%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 89%
14%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 48%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 35%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 21%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 11%
8%
Disability
healthier than 20%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 15%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 71%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
in the bottom 0.00%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 6%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 29%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 6%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 29%
8%
Disability
in the bottom 0.00%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 12%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 12%
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 90.0 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 18.9 — 71 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,011 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.
Nearby
32427
Floridashares a border
Score 34.15
Closest healthier
32433
Floridashares a border
Score 42.95
Similar health profile
75667
Texas100% similar profile
Score 43.46
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 | 32.8% | 30.3–35.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.6% | 38.7–44.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.4% | 9.7–11.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.5–11.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.5% | 8.7–10.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.3% | 10.2–12.4 |
| Depression among adults | 20.7% | 18.4–22.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.4% | 13.8–16.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.3% | 40.3–46.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 34.6% | 30.4–38.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.8% | 4.4–5.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 19.4% | 16.9–22.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.4% | 11.6–15.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.9% | 77.7–81.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.3% | 74.6–79.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.1% | 83.6–86.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.8% | 60.4–67.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 52.8% | 50.2–55.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 70.9% | 65.7–75.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.8% | 12.9–16.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.4% | 17.3–21.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.7% | 25.5–31.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.6% | 34.8–42.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.7% | 22.5–27.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.0% | 17.4–20.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.5% | 15.9–19.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.2% | 15.7–18.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.7% | 35.5–41.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.6% | 8.7–10.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.5% | 9.6–11.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.3% | 17.4–21.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.8–5.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.2–7.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | FL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 11.4% (5.3–23.2%) n=972 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 28.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 15.9% (7.1–27.2%) n=968 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 8.7% (2.9–20.6%) n=977 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 12.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 29.1% (12.7–56.0%) n=977 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (1.8–7.7%) n=968 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.3% (1.2–11.0%) n=972 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 91.9% (83.2–96.9%) n=972 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 20.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 33.2% (20.1–47.6%) n=972 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 74.9% (47.3–90.5%) n=972 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.2% (0.2–6.7%) n=972 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 11.5% (2.3–39.9%) n=977 |
| Single-parent households | 51.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.8% (38.7–75.3%) n=968 |
| Population 65+ | 22.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.4% (11.9–40.6%) n=977 |
| Median age | 43.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.0 yr (35.1–59.8) n=972 |
| Median household income | $50,952 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $72,857 ($48,246–$112,420) n=946 |
| Median home value | $109,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $334,600 ($168,120–$631,410) n=932 |
| Median gross rent | $720 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,604 ($968–$2,218) n=901 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | FL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 76.6 yr ± 1.39 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 78.2 yr (74.6–82.2) n=894 |
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 1.39 years of 76.6, 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