ZIP code
46217
in Indianapolis, IndianaPopulation 36,917
52.65/ 100
Ranked #12,552 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 39%)
Ranked #150 of 757 Indiana ZIPs (top 20%)
Ranked #62 of 115 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN ZIPs (bottom 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.
PFAS in drinking water
75.5%
in the top 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Lithium in drinking water
9.6 µg/L
in the bottom 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.
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 ›Floodplain exposure
45.2%
in the top 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Outer-floodplain exposure
4.2%
in the top 8.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
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 ›Lead in tap water
5.2 ppb
in the top 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
US90thDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
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 ›Home broadband subscription
97%
in the top 10.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
99.3%
in the top 10.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS89thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFAS — man-made “forever chemicals” that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down — were 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 ›Binge drinking
18.6%
in the top 14.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS86thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
6.0%
in the bottom 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS17thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
2.2%
in the bottom 18% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS18thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›The read
In overall standing, ZIP 46217, one of several in Indianapolis, Indiana comes out in the top 39% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,552nd) and the top 20% of Indiana (150th).
Several readings land clearly in this area's favor and shape the picture: lithium in drinking water lies in the bottom 3.9% nationally, and home broadband subscription sits in the top 10.4% nationally. Set against that, modeled pfas settles in the top 2.9% nationally, floodplain exposure registers in the top 5.0% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure stands in the top 8.5% nationally. Lead in tap water lands in the top 9.6% nationally, and PFAS in drinking water is in the top 10.7% nationally. Distance to a Superfund site resides in the bottom 10.9% nationally, and modeled expected annual loss rests in the top 11.6% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lies at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.
Relative to the ZIPs around it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain terms, pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 46142, 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN 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 73%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 74%
16%
Disability
healthier than 76%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 84%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 46%
11%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 23%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 32%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 12%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 93%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 81%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 65%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 70%
8%
Disability
healthier than 88%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 82%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 30%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 35%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 2%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 77%
21%
Disability
healthier than 63%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 68%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 54%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 41%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 49%
8%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 25%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 39%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the bottom 0.00%
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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 78.4 ± 1.3 years. A median household income of $92,029 predicts 79.8 years — 1.4 years below.
Ranked #1,686 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
46142
Indianashares a border
Score 54.75
Closest healthier
46113
Indianaabout 0.4 mi away
Score 55.34
Similar health profile
63471
Missouri98% similar profile
Score 53.18
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 | 24.5% | 22.8–26.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 34.6% | 32.4–37.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.3% | 6.7–7.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.8–12.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.7% | 5.1–6.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.1% | 6.4–7.8 |
| Depression among adults | 25.8% | 23.6–28.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.1% | 10.0–12.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.7% | 34.3–39.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.0% | 30.1–36.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.0% | 2.7–3.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.5% | 11.6–15.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.4% | 7.4–9.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 74.9% | 72.5–77.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.9% | 75.6–80.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.3% | 83.8–86.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.2% | 62.9–69.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.2% | 62.7–67.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.6% | 71.9–80.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.6% | 16.6–20.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.4% | 12.8–16.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.8% | 19.6–24.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.4% | 33.5–39.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.0% | 16.3–19.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.9% | 15.4–18.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.7% | 11.5–14.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.9% | 12.5–15.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.3% | 24.9–29.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.4–6.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.0% | 10.8–13.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.2% | 3.0–3.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–4.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.0% | 21.8–26.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.7% | 12.2–15.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.6% | 6.5–8.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.0% | 8.8–11.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.4–8.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.5% | 31.9–37.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 6.6–8.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.8% (3.3–23.6%) n=764 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.3% (2.5–19.0%) n=761 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 11.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 8.8% (3.0–19.3%) n=766 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 33.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.4% (8.1–38.5%) n=766 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.4% (0.0–8.2%) n=760 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.0–11.5%) n=764 |
| Broadband subscription | 97.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (76.7–95.9%) n=764 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 18.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 20.0% (9.8–33.1%) n=764 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 81.7% (58.9–94.5%) n=764 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–4.2%) n=764 |
| Foreign-born population | 17.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–8.8%) n=767 |
| Single-parent households | 50.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.2% (40.5–69.1%) n=756 |
| Population 65+ | 12.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.2% (11.0–26.5%) n=767 |
| Median age | 36.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 40.5 yr (32.5–49.6) n=756 |
| Median household income | $92,029 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $71,016 ($50,417–$99,531) n=721 |
| Median home value | $244,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $178,250 ($109,430–$287,310) n=724 |
| Median gross rent | $1,324 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $925 ($704–$1,261) n=640 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 78.4 yr ± 0.65 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 78.5 yr (75.1–81.5) n=754 |
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 0.65 years of 78.4, 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