ZIP code
43206
in Columbus, OhioPopulation 21,996
49.67/ 100
Ranked #16,694 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 48%)
Ranked #454 of 1,176 Ohio ZIPs (top 39%)
Ranked #58 of 127 Columbus, OH ZIPs (top 46%)
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 0.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Walkability
260 intersections/sq mi
in the top 1.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Radon
3.4 pCi/L
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
4.3%
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
0.00%
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Loneliness
39%
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›Transit access
4.3 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of public-transit stops inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
0.00%
in the bottom 6.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS7thDefinition & 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
31.2%
in the bottom 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›PFOA in drinking water
92.8%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOA, one of the man-made “forever chemicals,” was detected in EPA testing.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›The read
On the composite measure, ZIP 43206, one of several in Columbus, Ohio stands in the bottom 48% nationally (16,694th) and the top 39% of Ohio (454th).
Several readings make the pressure on this area plain: modeled industrial-pollution burden settles in the top 0.8% nationally, and radon rests in the top 6.0% nationally. Modeled tree cover lands at the national minimum, and loneliness settles in the top 6.0% nationally. PFOA in drinking water rests in the top 7.5% nationally. On the encouraging side, walkability lands in the top 1.2% nationally, modeled hearing disability settles in the bottom 2.8% nationally, and transit rests in the top 6.6% nationally. Floodplain exposure lands in the bottom 6.6% nationally, and modeled high cholesterol settles in the bottom 4.9% nationally.
Set beside the wider area around it, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, 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. PFOA in drinking water is one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. ZIP 43209, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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 Columbus, OH 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 76%
21%
Disability
healthier than 73%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 88%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 84%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 37%
16%
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.6%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 29%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 19%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 93%
21%
Disability
healthier than 73%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 95%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 81%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 41%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 56%
11%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 39%
16%
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.6%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 40%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 72%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the top 0.00%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 75%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 48%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 48%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 42%
8%
Disability
healthier than 57%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 30%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 2%
14%
“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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 73.4 ± 1.5 years. A median household income of $75,806 predicts 79.0 years — 5.6 years below.
Ranked #5,681 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 73.4 ± 1.5 years. The 45 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 77.5 years — 4.1 years below them.
Ranked #3,059 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 0.6 (bottom 1%); chronic-disease standing 75.5 — 75 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #16,820 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
43205
Ohioshares a border
Score 45.67
Closest healthier
43209
Ohioshares a border
Score 57.40
Similar health profile
45212
Ohio97% similar profile
Score 50.77
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 | 22.8% | 21.0–24.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 32.6% | 30.4–35.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.6% | 5.1–6.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.7% | 10.6–12.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.2% | 4.7–5.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.0% | 5.4–6.7 |
| Depression among adults | 26.2% | 23.8–28.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.2% | 11.0–13.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 31.2% | 28.8–33.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.7% | 32.4–39.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.2% | 3.0–3.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.7% | 15.2–20.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.1% | 7.0–9.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.2% | 72.8–77.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.1% | 76.6–81.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.2% | 83.5–86.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.6% | 60.1–66.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 61.3% | 58.7–63.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.5% | 73.5–82.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.0% | 16.7–21.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.2% | 12.6–16.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.5% | 21.1–26.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.2% | 36.0–42.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.9% | 17.0–20.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.7% | 17.1–20.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.5% | 11.2–13.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.3% | 12.9–15.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 25.6% | 23.3–28.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.9–4.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.0% | 7.2–8.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.8% | 10.6–13.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.7–5.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.4% | 20.5–26.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.4% | 16.2–20.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 16.7% | 14.7–18.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.0% | 13.2–16.9 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 39.0% | 35.0–42.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 11.9% | 10.5–13.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | OH median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.7% (3.5–26.2%) n=1,177 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.8% (2.5–18.1%) n=1,174 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.5% (2.3–17.0%) n=1,179 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 50.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.7% (8.1–45.8%) n=1,179 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.7% (0.0–9.8%) n=1,171 |
| Households without a vehicle | 9.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.4% (0.0–14.5%) n=1,177 |
| Broadband subscription | 95.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.9% (76.5–96.0%) n=1,177 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 30.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (11.2–34.6%) n=1,177 |
| Homeownership rate | 48.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.3% (52.8–91.8%) n=1,177 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.8% (0.0–3.5%) n=1,177 |
| Foreign-born population | 4.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–6.8%) n=1,180 |
| Single-parent households | 47.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.2% (36.6–68.1%) n=1,168 |
| Population 65+ | 13.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.1–27.2%) n=1,180 |
| Median age | 34.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.5 yr (33.2–50.5) n=1,169 |
| Median household income | $75,806 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $70,500 ($46,328–$101,197) n=1,127 |
| Median home value | $317,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $177,700 ($104,860–$310,980) n=1,117 |
| Median gross rent | $1,366 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $907 ($714–$1,294) n=1,007 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | OH median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 73.4 yr ± 0.76 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 77.9 yr (74.0–81.3) n=1,154 |
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 0.76 years of 73.4, 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