ZIP code
46514
in Elkhart, IndianaPopulation 42,389
43.66/ 100
Ranked #23,741 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 26%)
Ranked #597 of 757 Indiana ZIPs (bottom 21%)
Ranked #8 of 11 Elkhart-Goshen, IN ZIPs (bottom 27%)
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
84.1%
in the top 1.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a Superfund site
In this ZIP
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Nitrate in drinking water
2.4%
in the top 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 6.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Obesity
44.3%
in the top 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
294 units
in the top 8.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Physician access
1.7 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of physicians’ offices located 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 ›Grocery access
0.14 per 1,000 residents
in the top 12.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS87thDefinition & source ›
The number of full supermarkets 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. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”
Full methodology ›Transit access
1.9 per 1,000 residents
in the top 15% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS85thDefinition & 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 ›The read
On the composite measure, ZIP 46514, one of several in Elkhart, Indiana stands in the bottom 26% nationally (23,741st) and the bottom 21% of Indiana (597th).
The weightiest signals in the profile are worth naming up front: modeled pfas lands in the top 1.2% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site settles at the national minimum. Modeled industrial-pollution burden rests in the top 4.0% nationally, and nitrate lands in the top 5.4% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss settles in the top 6.4% nationally, and obesity rests in the top 5.6% nationally. More positively, subsidized affordable housing lands in the top 8.4% nationally, and physicians settles in the top 9.8% nationally. Distance to a community health center rests at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Grocery lands in the top 12.6% nationally.
Set beside the wider area around it, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, 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. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. ZIP 46507, 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 Elkhart-Goshen, IN metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 71%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 73%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 50%
16%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 28%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 2%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 34%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 40%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 18%
8%
Disability
healthier than 35%
7%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 76%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 72%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 48%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 53%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 35%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 1%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 16%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 29%
8%
Disability
healthier than 20%
7%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 70%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 60%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 40%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 50%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 50%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 10%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 30%
14%
Disability
healthier than 20%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 30%
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
46507
Indianashares a border
Score 45.78
Closest healthier
46530
Indianashares a border
Score 59.93
Similar health profile
15084
Pennsylvania98% similar profile
Score 45.99
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 | 29.5% | 26.8–32.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.1% | 36.7–43.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.4% | 7.6–9.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.7% | 10.4–13.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.6% | 6.8–8.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.5% | 8.6–10.4 |
| Depression among adults | 25.7% | 22.5–28.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.1% | 12.5–15.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.4% | 35.8–42.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 44.3% | 38.9–49.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.9% | 3.6–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 19.5% | 16.2–23.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.3% | 9.8–12.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.6% | 73.9–79.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.1% | 77.1–82.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.8% | 83.1–86.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.4% | 58.6–67.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.0% | 53.6–60.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.8% | 67.5–81.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.7% | 13.2–18.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.7% | 15.6–19.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.5% | 23.1–30.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.4% | 31.5–41.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.2% | 20.8–25.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.1% | 17.1–21.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.6% | 14.0–17.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.2% | 15.4–18.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.7% | 32.1–39.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.0% | 7.2–8.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.5% | 8.5–10.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.6% | 14.7–18.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–4.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.6–6.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.7% | 21.6–27.9 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.7% | 15.6–19.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.2% | 9.8–12.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.7% | 12.1–15.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 8.2–10.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.0% | 29.8–38.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.1% | 8.9–11.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.8% (3.3–23.6%) n=764 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.3% (2.5–19.0%) n=761 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 8.8% (3.0–19.3%) n=766 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 20.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.4% (8.1–38.5%) n=766 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.4% (0.0–8.2%) n=760 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.0–11.5%) n=764 |
| Broadband subscription | 92.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (76.7–95.9%) n=764 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 25.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 20.0% (9.8–33.1%) n=764 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 81.7% (58.9–94.5%) n=764 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–4.2%) n=764 |
| Foreign-born population | 9.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–8.8%) n=767 |
| Single-parent households | 55.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.2% (40.5–69.1%) n=756 |
| Population 65+ | 17.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.2% (11.0–26.5%) n=767 |
| Median age | 38.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 40.5 yr (32.5–49.6) n=756 |
| Median household income | $65,833 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $71,016 ($50,417–$99,531) n=721 |
| Median home value | $197,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $178,250 ($109,430–$287,310) n=724 |
| Median gross rent | $1,113 | $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 | 78.3 yr ± 0.60 | 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 0.60 years of 78.3, 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