ZIP code
46616
in South Bend, IndianaPopulation 5,979
44.47/ 100
Ranked #22,942 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 28%)
Ranked #560 of 757 Indiana ZIPs (bottom 26%)
Ranked #22 of 27 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI ZIPs (bottom 19%)
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.
Walkability
320 intersections/sq mi
in the top 0.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›PFOA in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›PFAS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Households without a vehicle
14.4%
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST81stUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a Superfund site
1.4 mi
in the bottom 8.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST10thUS9thDefinition & 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 ›Park land
10.3%
in the top 11.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Utility shut-off threat
12.8%
in the top 11.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
3.3 per 100,000 residents per year
in the bottom 12.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS12thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
41%
in the top 12.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS87thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, ZIP 46616, one of several in South Bend, Indiana lands in the bottom 28% nationally (22,942nd) and the bottom 26% of Indiana (560th).
Where this area bears down hardest, the measures speak first: PFOA in drinking water stands at the national maximum, and PFAS in drinking water settles at the national maximum. Households without a vehicle lies in the top 7.9% nationally, and modeled industrial-pollution burden resides in the top 8.3% nationally. Distance to a Superfund site lands in the bottom 8.7% nationally, modeled tooth loss registers in the top 11.2% nationally, and lead in tap water sits in the top 11.7% nationally. On the encouraging side, walkability rests in the top 0.6% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise is at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Park land stands in the top 11.6% nationally.
Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, walkability runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of terms, PFOA in drinking water is one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. PFAS in drinking water is the family of man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 46556, 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 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 89%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 51%
21%
Disability
healthier than 46%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 17%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 16%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 34%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 20%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 9%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 77%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 86%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 10%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 22%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 15%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 16%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 8%
8%
Disability
healthier than 39%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 31%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 64%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 80%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 40%
14%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 16%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 16%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 16%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 20%
8%
Disability
healthier than 36%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 8%
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
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 74.8 ± 2.2 years. A median household income of $58,537 predicts 78.0 years — 3.2 years below.
Ranked #4,314 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 74.8 ± 2.2 years. The 49 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 78.0 years — 3.2 years below them.
Ranked #2,501 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.
Nearby
46556
Indianashares a border
Score 49.35
Closest healthier
46617
Indianashares a border
Score 55.57
Similar health profile
43204
Ohio96% similar profile
Score 41.61
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 | 25.9% | 23.5–28.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.4% | 34.3–40.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 6.6% | 6.0–7.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.9% | 10.7–13.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.9% | 5.3–6.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.9% | 7.0–8.8 |
| Depression among adults | 27.8% | 24.7–31.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.3% | 11.9–15.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.7% | 32.5–39.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.8% | 34.2–44.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.5% | 3.2–3.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 22.6% | 18.9–26.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.0% | 8.5–11.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.1% | 72.5–77.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.5% | 76.6–82.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.5% | 82.7–86.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.4% | 61.0–69.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 55.2% | 51.8–58.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.5% | 67.9–80.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.4% | 13.9–19.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.9% | 14.8–19.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.7% | 24.4–31.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 41.0% | 36.3–45.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.1% | 20.7–25.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.0% | 17.9–22.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.8% | 12.3–15.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.0% | 15.2–19.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.0% | 29.7–36.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.4–6.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.3% | 8.3–10.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.3% | 12.6–16.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.4% | 4.0–4.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.9% | 5.4–6.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.7% | 23.2–30.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 20.5% | 17.8–23.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 14.2% | 12.3–16.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.2% | 14.0–18.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.9% | 9.5–12.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.6% | 31.3–39.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 12.8% | 11.2–14.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.8% (3.3–23.6%) n=764 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.3% (2.5–19.0%) n=761 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 9.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 8.8% (3.0–19.3%) n=766 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 41.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.4% (8.1–38.5%) n=766 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.4% (0.0–8.2%) n=760 |
| Households without a vehicle | 14.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.0–11.5%) n=764 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (76.7–95.9%) n=764 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 32.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 20.0% (9.8–33.1%) n=764 |
| Homeownership rate | 57.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 81.7% (58.9–94.5%) n=764 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–4.2%) n=764 |
| Foreign-born population | 8.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–8.8%) n=767 |
| Single-parent households | 49.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.2% (40.5–69.1%) n=756 |
| Population 65+ | 13.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.2% (11.0–26.5%) n=767 |
| Median age | 33.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 40.5 yr (32.5–49.6) n=756 |
| Median household income | $58,537 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $71,016 ($50,417–$99,531) n=721 |
| Median home value | $153,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $178,250 ($109,430–$287,310) n=724 |
| Median gross rent | $1,084 | $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 | 74.8 yr ± 1.13 | 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 1.13 years of 74.8, 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