ZIP code
48609
in Saginaw, MichiganPopulation 11,966
51.70/ 100
Ranked #13,842 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 43%)
Ranked #414 of 973 Michigan ZIPs (top 43%)
Ranked #7 of 19 Saginaw, MI ZIPs (top 37%)
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.
Floodplain exposure
51.6%
in the top 3.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & 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
7.6%
in the top 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Colon-cancer screening
73.6%
in the top 5.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST84thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›The read
On the composite measure, ZIP 48609, one of several in Saginaw, Michigan stands in the top 43% healthiest ZIPs nationally (13,842nd) and the top 43% of Michigan (414th).
The bright spots in the data define much of the story here: modeled colon screening registers in the top 5.7% nationally. Distance to a nursing home lies at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Modeled short sleep is in the bottom 18% nationally, distance to an emergency room registers in the bottom 19% nationally, and modeled radon lies in the bottom 29% nationally. On the other side, floodplain exposure is in the top 3.7% nationally, outer-floodplain exposure registers in the top 5.0% nationally, and unemployment lies in the top 19% nationally. Childcare is at the national minimum, shared with about 42% of ZIPs. Modeled expected annual loss registers in the top 21% nationally.
Set beside the wider area around it, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". ZIP 48603, 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 Saginaw, MI metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 93%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 74%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 74%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 47%
16%
Disability
healthier than 47%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 32%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 33%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 12%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 92%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 87%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 75%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 73%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 77%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 52%
16%
Disability
healthier than 45%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 32%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the bottom 0.6%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 78%
16%
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.00%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 94%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 83%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 78%
8%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 56%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 33%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 6%
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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 93.7 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 32.0 — 62 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,606 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
48601
Michiganshares a border
Score 27.01
Closest healthier
48603
Michiganshares a border
Score 55.53
Similar health profile
02558
Massachusetts98% similar profile
Score 51.95
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 | 34.9% | 31.5–38.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.3% | 36.3–44.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.7% | 10.7–12.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.3–13.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.5% | 7.6–9.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.6 |
| Depression among adults | 26.3% | 22.7–29.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.1% | 11.4–14.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.0% | 33.8–42.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.3% | 27.3–39.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.2% | 8.2–12.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.3% | 5.3–7.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.6% | 78.9–83.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.3% | 79.4–85.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.0% | 87.6–90.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 73.6% | 69.4–77.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 71.2% | 68.1–74.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.1% | 71.4–83.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.4% | 11.9–17.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.3% | 12.3–16.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.4% | 23.4–31.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.6% | 26.6–36.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.3% | 17.8–22.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.5% | 14.7–18.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.4% | 13.5–17.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.8% | 12.1–15.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.7% | 29.7–37.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.1% | 8.0–10.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.8% | 7.8–9.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.4% | 14.3–18.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.5–4.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.4–5.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.1% | 18.6–25.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.7% | 10.8–14.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.4% | 9.7–13.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.6–10.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.8–7.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.9% | 27.1–36.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.8% | 5.8–7.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.7% (4.3–22.3%) n=974 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.8% (2.5–13.5%) n=975 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.7% (2.5–14.2%) n=974 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 26.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.1% (11.4–48.3%) n=974 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (1.3–10.0%) n=974 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.5% (0.9–10.8%) n=973 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (79.5–95.5%) n=973 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 24.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.5% (14.8–32.9%) n=973 |
| Homeownership rate | 86.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 85.3% (62.2–94.6%) n=973 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.6%) n=973 |
| Foreign-born population | 5.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.3–10.0%) n=975 |
| Single-parent households | 56.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.5% (43.6–74.2%) n=970 |
| Population 65+ | 28.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (13.7–35.2%) n=975 |
| Median age | 49.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (35.2–58.2) n=974 |
| Median household income | $78,218 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,216 ($47,282–$105,129) n=962 |
| Median home value | $170,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $192,350 ($116,360–$355,650) n=952 |
| Median gross rent | $929 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $972 ($719–$1,368) n=849 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.6 yr ± 0.94 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 78.6 yr (75.7–81.6) n=940 |
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 0.94 years of 79.6, 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