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ZipVitals

ZIP code

46324

in Hammond, IndianaPopulation 21,409

44.95/ 100

Ranked #22,460 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 30%)

Ranked #541 of 757 Indiana ZIPs (bottom 29%)

Ranked #324 of 374 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN ZIPs (bottom 13.4%)

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.

Short sleep

45.3%

in the top 2.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.

Full methodology ›

Walkability

180 intersections/sq mi

in the top 3.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST94th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.

Full methodology ›

Outer-floodplain exposure

11.1%

in the top 3.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US97th
Definition & 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 ›

Industrial-pollution burden

in the top 4.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST89th
US96th
Definition & 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 ›

Tree cover

0.00%

at the national minimum

Higher is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.

Full methodology ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$0

in the top 7.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.

Full methodology ›

Loud transportation noise

1.9%

in the top 7.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST93rd
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.

Full methodology ›

Subsidized affordable housing

276 units

in the top 8.9% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST91st
US91st
Definition & source ›

The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.

Full methodology ›

Utility shut-off threat

13.7%

in the top 9.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US91st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Food insecurity

24.9%

in the top 11.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US89th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

The read

On the composite measure, ZIP 46324, one of several in Hammond, Indiana stands in the bottom 30% nationally (22,460th) and the bottom 29% of Indiana (541st).

continue reading

A profile of give and take, with clear readings each way: walkability resides in the top 3.2% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing stands in the top 8.9% nationally. On the other side, modeled short sleep sits in the top 2.7% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure resides in the top 3.5% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden stands in the top 4.3% nationally, tree cover sits at the national minimum, and expected annual loss resides in the top 7.0% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise stands in the top 7.8% nationally, modeled utility shutoff sits in the top 9.4% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site resides in the bottom 10.2% nationally.

Set beside the wider area around it, walkability 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. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. ZIP 46321, 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-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

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 78%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 86%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 48%

21%

Mental Health

healthier than 53%

8%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 22%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 9%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 26%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 5%

11%

Disability

healthier than 37%

7%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 72%

21%

Mental Health

healthier than 91%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 89%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 84%

5%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 13%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 11%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 10%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 3%

11%

Disability

healthier than 24%

7%

Lifting this score

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 81%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 70%

5%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 45%

14%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 15%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 20%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 28%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 5%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 17%

8%

Disability

healthier than 15%

7%

“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

2 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 73.7 ± 1.4 years. A median household income of $63,052 predicts 78.3 years — 4.6 years below.

    Ranked #5,367 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 73.7 ± 1.4 years. The 47 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 75.7 years — 2.0 years below them.

    Ranked #1,589 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 adults25.8%23.6–28.0
High blood pressure among adults37.1%34.4–39.9
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults6.4%5.8–7.0
Current asthma among adults11.7%10.5–13.0
Coronary heart disease among adults6.5%5.9–7.1
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.1%7.3–8.9
Depression among adults20.4%18.1–22.9
Diagnosed diabetes among adults15.0%13.5–16.6
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened33.6%30.8–36.3
Obesity among adults42.0%38.1–46.0
Stroke among adults3.7%3.4–4.0
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years22.0%19.2–24.9
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years14.3%12.6–16.2
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure75.9%73.3–78.3
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults77.8%75.0–80.4
Cholesterol screening among adults84.7%83.1–86.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years64.6%61.2–67.8
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults51.7%48.9–54.4
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years77.1%72.2–81.3
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults17.2%14.9–19.7
Current cigarette smoking among adults18.6%16.6–20.8
No leisure-time physical activity among adults30.5%27.4–33.5
Short sleep duration among adults45.3%42.0–48.6
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults26.0%23.7–28.5
Frequent mental distress among adults18.4%16.7–20.3
Frequent physical distress among adults15.7%14.1–17.3
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults16.8%15.2–18.5
Any disability among adults32.7%29.7–35.8
Hearing disability among adults6.6%5.9–7.4
Independent living disability among adults9.4%8.5–10.4
Mobility disability among adults16.0%14.5–17.8
Self-care disability among adults4.8%4.4–5.3
Vision disability among adults6.9%6.3–7.5
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults28.8%25.9–31.9
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults24.9%22.4–27.5
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults15.0%13.2–16.8
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults18.4%16.3–20.4
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults11.6%10.4–12.8
Loneliness among adults33.9%30.5–37.3
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults13.7%12.2–15.3
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IN median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate10.8%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3649.8% (3.3–23.6%) n=764
Uninsured 18–6412.4%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2868.3% (2.5–19.0%) n=761
No HS diploma (25+)14.9%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5058.8% (3.0–19.3%) n=766
Bachelor's or higher (25+)16.5%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50519.4% (8.1–38.5%) n=766
Unemployment rate (16+)3.8%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.4% (0.0–8.2%) n=760
Households without a vehicle5.3%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.6% (0.0–11.5%) n=764
Broadband subscription90.2%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.8% (76.7–95.9%) n=764
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)27.7%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32220.0% (9.8–33.1%) n=764
Homeownership rate68.0%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32281.7% (58.9–94.5%) n=764
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.3%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–4.2%) n=764
Foreign-born population10.5%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.3% (0.0–8.8%) n=767
Single-parent households43.7%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08753.2% (40.5–69.1%) n=756
Population 65+12.8%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55318.2% (11.0–26.5%) n=767
Median age37.8 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29240.5 yr (32.5–49.6) n=756
Median household income$63,052$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$71,016 ($50,417–$99,531) n=721
Median home value$158,800$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$178,250 ($109,430–$287,310) n=724
Median gross rent$1,172$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 birth73.7 yr ± 0.7178.9 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 0.71 years of 73.7, 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