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ZipVitals

ZIP code

46259

in Indianapolis, IndianaPopulation 15,169

60.38/ 100

Ranked #4,566 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 14.3%)

Ranked #28 of 757 Indiana ZIPs (top 3.7%)

Ranked #22 of 115 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN ZIPs (top 19%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Lithium in drinking water

9.6 µg/L

in the bottom 4.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST9th
US4th
Definition & 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 ›

Median household income

$129,345

in the top 7.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST98th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.

Full methodology ›

Binge drinking

19.9%

in the top 6.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US93rd
Definition & 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 ›

Mammography

81.5%

in the top 5.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.

Full methodology ›

Homeownership rate

95.5%

in the top 8.0% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST91st
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.

Full methodology ›

Lack of transportation

5.1%

in the bottom 8.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST4th
US9th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Housing insecurity

7.3%

in the bottom 9.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST4th
US9th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Lead in tap water

5.1 ppb

in the top 9.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

US90th
Definition & 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 ›

Energy-cost burden

1.8%

in the bottom 8.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST2nd
US9th
Definition & 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 ›

Independent-living disability

5.9%

in the bottom 8.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST3rd
US8th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.

Full methodology ›

The read

ZIP 46259, one of several in Indianapolis, Indiana, by its overall standing, sits in the top 14.3% healthiest ZIPs nationally (4,566th) and the top 3.7% of Indiana (28th).

continue reading

Several readings land clearly in this area's favor and shape the picture: lithium in drinking water stands in the bottom 4.0% nationally, household income lands in the top 7.1% nationally, and modeled mammography is in the top 5.2% nationally. Homeownership resides in the top 8.0% nationally, modeled transportation rests in the bottom 8.7% nationally, and modeled housing insecurity lies in the bottom 9.5% nationally. Modeled energy burden sits in the bottom 8.7% nationally. Set against that, modeled binge drinking settles in the top 6.6% nationally, and lead in tap water registers in the top 9.8% nationally. Modeled arsenic stands in the top 11.1% nationally.

Held up against its neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, 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. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 46204, about 7.9 miles away.

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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 77%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 90%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 85%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 67%

11%

Disability

healthier than 90%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 74%

5%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 47%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 46%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 54%

5%

Nothing measured is holding this score back.

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 95%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 95%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 66%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 92%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 89%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 86%

8%

Disability

healthier than 97%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 73%

5%

Holding it back

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 39%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 85%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 79%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 88%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 81%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 72%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 66%

8%

Disability

healthier than 83%

7%

About typical

Healthcare Access

healthier than 55%

5%

Holding it back

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 37%

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.

  • Above its nearby ZIPs

    The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors

    Estimated life expectancy is 80.8 ± 1.9 years. The 47 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 76.7 years — 4.1 years above them.

    Ranked #313 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.

Nearby & similar ZIPs

Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults25.7%24.0–27.6
High blood pressure among adults34.6%32.5–36.9
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults8.5%7.8–9.2
Current asthma among adults10.7%9.8–11.9
Coronary heart disease among adults5.4%4.9–6.0
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults6.0%5.3–6.9
Depression among adults25.7%23.7–28.1
Diagnosed diabetes among adults10.1%9.1–11.2
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened37.4%35.2–39.8
Obesity among adults32.7%30.0–35.8
Stroke among adults2.7%2.5–3.0
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years7.6%6.6–8.8
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years6.2%5.1–7.5
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure76.5%74.2–78.7
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults79.4%77.3–81.5
Cholesterol screening among adults88.5%87.1–89.8
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years68.1%65.1–70.8
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults71.7%69.6–73.7
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years81.5%77.7–84.7
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults19.9%17.8–22.1
Current cigarette smoking among adults12.0%10.2–14.0
No leisure-time physical activity among adults17.7%15.6–20.0
Short sleep duration among adults33.9%31.2–36.5
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults14.7%13.1–16.6
Frequent mental distress among adults15.4%13.9–17.0
Frequent physical distress among adults11.5%10.4–12.8
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults11.8%10.4–13.2
Any disability among adults24.2%21.9–26.7
Hearing disability among adults5.7%5.1–6.4
Independent living disability among adults5.9%5.2–6.7
Mobility disability among adults10.5%9.3–11.9
Self-care disability among adults2.6%2.3–3.0
Vision disability among adults3.4%3.1–3.8
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults20.5%18.4–22.7
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults8.8%7.4–10.5
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults4.5%3.6–5.5
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults7.3%6.2–8.5
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults5.1%4.4–5.9
Loneliness among adults31.4%28.9–34.1
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults5.6%4.8–6.4
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IN median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate6.8%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3649.8% (3.3–23.6%) n=764
Uninsured 18–645.8%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2868.3% (2.5–19.0%) n=761
No HS diploma (25+)8.1%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5058.8% (3.0–19.3%) n=766
Bachelor's or higher (25+)47.2%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50519.4% (8.1–38.5%) n=766
Unemployment rate (16+)2.8%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.4% (0.0–8.2%) n=760
Households without a vehicle1.2%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.6% (0.0–11.5%) n=764
Broadband subscription91.7%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.8% (76.7–95.9%) n=764
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)12.1%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32220.0% (9.8–33.1%) n=764
Homeownership rate95.5%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32281.7% (58.9–94.5%) n=764
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.5%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–4.2%) n=764
Foreign-born population8.8%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.3% (0.0–8.8%) n=767
Single-parent households50.0%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08753.2% (40.5–69.1%) n=756
Population 65+11.8%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55318.2% (11.0–26.5%) n=767
Median age37.7 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29240.5 yr (32.5–49.6) n=756
Median household income$129,345$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$71,016 ($50,417–$99,531) n=721
Median home value$342,000$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$178,250 ($109,430–$287,310) n=724
Median gross rent$1,220$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$925 ($704–$1,261) n=640
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IN median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth80.8 yr ± 0.9878.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30878.5 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 0.98 years of 80.8, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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