ZIP code
48880
in St. Louis, MichiganPopulation 9,994
44.81/ 100
Ranked #22,610 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 29%)
Ranked #802 of 973 Michigan ZIPs (bottom 18%)
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.
Arsenic in groundwater
57.5%
in the top 0.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms 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 ›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 ›Lead in tap water
0 ppb
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
US1stDefinition & 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 ›Lithium in drinking water
10 µg/L
in the bottom 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Utility shut-off threat
13.8%
in the top 9.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
12.3%
in the top 12.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS88thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
17.8%
in the top 12.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS87thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
23.6%
in the top 13.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS87thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Loneliness
35.3%
in the top 21% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS79thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
18%
in the top 20% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS80thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›The read
St. Louis, Michigan (ZIP 48880), on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 29% nationally (22,610th) and the bottom 18% of Michigan (802nd).
The main burdens in the data show plainly and lead the picture: modeled arsenic settles in the top 0.4% nationally, distance to a Superfund site stands at the national minimum, and modeled utility shutoff is in the top 9.2% nationally. Modeled transportation rests in the top 12.3% nationally, housing insecurity sits in the top 12.7% nationally, and food insecurity registers in the top 13.1% nationally. More positively, lead in tap water lands at the national minimum, and lithium in drinking water resides in the bottom 6.8% nationally. Distance to a community health center lies at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Mental-health providers settles in the top 11.4% nationally.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, arsenic runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 48615, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 63%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 90%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 90%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 50%
21%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 21%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 12%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 18%
8%
Disability
healthier than 30%
7%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 70%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 92%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 58%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 54%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 46%
8%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 11%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 4%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 7%
11%
Disability
healthier than 21%
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 75.6 ± 1.2 years. A median household income of $59,922 predicts 78.1 years — 2.4 years below.
Ranked #3,356 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 75.6 ± 1.2 years. The 50 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 78.8 years — 3.2 years below them.
Ranked #2,508 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
48615
Michiganshares a border
Score 50.24
Closest healthier
48640
Michiganshares a border
Score 57.24
Similar health profile
48216
Michigan98% similar profile
Score 43.76
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 | 27.5% | 24.8–30.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.6% | 34.8–42.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.3% | 6.7–8.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.9% | 9.8–12.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.5% | 6.8–8.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.4% | 8.4–10.5 |
| Depression among adults | 25.1% | 21.9–28.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.9% | 11.4–14.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.1% | 30.5–37.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.0% | 33.9–48.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.9% | 3.6–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.1% | 11.5–16.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.3% | 9.5–13.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 72.6% | 69.7–75.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.8% | 73.3–80.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 81.7% | 79.5–83.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.6% | 60.1–68.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.9% | 54.3–61.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.0% | 67.1–80.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.5% | 14.6–20.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 21.1% | 18.5–23.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.7% | 25.5–34.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.3% | 31.2–43.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.7% | 21.9–27.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.6% | 17.6–21.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.7% | 14.0–17.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.0% | 16.1–20.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.0% | 31.9–40.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.9% | 7.1–8.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.4% | 9.3–11.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.3% | 13.5–17.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.5–5.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.5% | 5.9–7.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 27.4% | 24.0–31.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 23.6% | 20.6–27.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 24.1% | 21.1–27.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.8% | 15.5–20.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 12.3% | 10.9–14.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.3% | 30.7–40.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 13.8% | 12.2–15.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.7% (4.3–22.3%) n=974 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.8% (2.5–13.5%) n=975 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 11.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.7% (2.5–14.2%) n=974 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 9.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.1% (11.4–48.3%) n=974 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (1.3–10.0%) n=974 |
| Households without a vehicle | 7.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.5% (0.9–10.8%) n=973 |
| Broadband subscription | 85.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (79.5–95.5%) n=973 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.5% (14.8–32.9%) n=973 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 85.3% (62.2–94.6%) n=973 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.6%) n=973 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.3–10.0%) n=975 |
| Single-parent households | 61.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.5% (43.6–74.2%) n=970 |
| Population 65+ | 15.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (13.7–35.2%) n=975 |
| Median age | 39.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (35.2–58.2) n=974 |
| Median household income | $59,922 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,216 ($47,282–$105,129) n=962 |
| Median home value | $144,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $192,350 ($116,360–$355,650) n=952 |
| Median gross rent | $802 | $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 | 75.6 yr ± 0.62 | 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 0.62 years of 75.6, 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