ZIP code
33868
in Polk City, FloridaPopulation 13,827
43.17/ 100
Ranked #24,224 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 24%)
Ranked #800 of 974 Florida ZIPs (bottom 18%)
Ranked #20 of 38 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL ZIPs (bottom 47%)
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.
Humid extreme heat
195.6 days/year
in the top 0.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST76thUS99thDefinition & 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
50.2%
in the top 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST76thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Uninsured (under 65)
18%
in the top 6.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST77thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
42.7 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 5.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.2%
in the bottom 6.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST37thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
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 ›Short sleep
42.2%
in the top 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Walkability
2.8 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 13.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST3rdUS14thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
90.7%
in the top 16% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS84thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Obesity
40.5%
in the top 21% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS79thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
11 days/year
in the top 34% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS66thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
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
Polk City, Florida (ZIP 33868), overall, ranks in the bottom 24% nationally (24,224th) and the bottom 18% of Florida (800th).
This area's measures are easy to read as a mixed set: modeled arsenic sits in the bottom 6.9% nationally, modeled radon lands in the bottom 14.4% nationally, and homeownership lies in the top 16% nationally. Set against that, modeled humid heat stands in the top 0.7% nationally, floodplain exposure rests in the top 3.9% nationally, and modeled uninsured registers in the top 6.5% nationally. Fatal road crashes resides in the top 5.9% nationally, and modeled short sleep settles in the top 8.6% nationally. Modeled disaster risk is in the top 13.2% nationally, and walkability sits in the bottom 13.6% nationally.
Measured against the nearby ZIPs, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. ZIP 33809, 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 Lakeland-Winter Haven, 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 75%
14%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 57%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 54%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 43%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 37%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 14%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 15%
11%
Disability
healthier than 30%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 2%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 61%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 38%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 31%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 21%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 12%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 18%
8%
Disability
healthier than 34%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 14%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 15%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 65%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 81%
14%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 59%
21%
Disability
healthier than 57%
7%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 32%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 27%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 38%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 11%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 19%
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
33805
Floridashares a border
Score 38.71
Closest healthier
33809
Floridashares a border
Score 48.64
Similar health profile
34610
Florida99% similar profile
Score 45.95
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 | 29.2% | 26.4–31.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.7% | 34.3–41.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.3% | 8.5–10.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.2% | 7.4–9.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.3% | 8.4–10.3 |
| Depression among adults | 20.1% | 17.4–23.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.6% | 12.0–15.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.6% | 38.0–45.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.5% | 35.3–45.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.9–4.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.4% | 12.1–17.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 18.0% | 15.9–20.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.7% | 74.9–80.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.5% | 73.3–79.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.1% | 82.4–85.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.5% | 58.0–67.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 52.0% | 48.7–55.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.2% | 65.2–78.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.1% | 13.6–18.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.7% | 15.7–19.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.6% | 25.0–32.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 42.2% | 37.5–47.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.0% | 21.6–26.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.5% | 16.6–20.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.0% | 15.3–18.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.7% | 15.0–18.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.4% | 33.8–41.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.7–9.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.5% | 8.6–10.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.2% | 15.4–19.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.4–5.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.6% | 6.0–7.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | FL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 11.4% (5.3–23.2%) n=972 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 14.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 15.9% (7.1–27.2%) n=968 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 8.7% (2.9–20.6%) n=977 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 17.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 29.1% (12.7–56.0%) n=977 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (1.8–7.7%) n=968 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.3% (1.2–11.0%) n=972 |
| Broadband subscription | 95.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 91.9% (83.2–96.9%) n=972 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 33.2% (20.1–47.6%) n=972 |
| Homeownership rate | 90.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 74.9% (47.3–90.5%) n=972 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.2% (0.2–6.7%) n=972 |
| Foreign-born population | 8.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 11.5% (2.3–39.9%) n=977 |
| Single-parent households | 62.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.8% (38.7–75.3%) n=968 |
| Population 65+ | 19.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.4% (11.9–40.6%) n=977 |
| Median age | 42.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.0 yr (35.1–59.8) n=972 |
| Median household income | $74,289 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $72,857 ($48,246–$112,420) n=946 |
| Median home value | $247,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $334,600 ($168,120–$631,410) n=932 |
| Median gross rent | $1,180 | $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 | 79.5 yr ± 0.78 | 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 0.78 years of 79.5, 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