ZIP code
48881
in Saranac, MichiganPopulation 5,499
51.90/ 100
Ranked #13,594 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 42%)
Ranked #408 of 973 Michigan ZIPs (top 42%)
Ranked #45 of 79 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI ZIPs (bottom 43%)
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.
Fatal road crashes
27.3 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS84thDefinition & 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 ›The read
By the composite measure, Saranac, Michigan (ZIP 48881) sits in the top 42% healthiest ZIPs nationally (13,594th) and the top 42% of Michigan (408th).
Reading across the measures, this area's clearest strengths come through: park land stands in the top 16% nationally, dental providers is in the top 20% nationally, and modeled tooth loss rests in the bottom 24% nationally. Modeled colon screening sits in the top 22% nationally, uninsured registers in the bottom 18% nationally, and air-toxics cancer risk lands in the bottom 25% nationally. By contrast, fatal road crashes resides in the top 16% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site lies in the bottom 19% nationally. Childcare settles at the national minimum, shared with about 42% of ZIPs. Walkability stands in the bottom 24% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs that surround it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain language, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. ZIP 48815, just across the boundary, ranks healthier overall.
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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, 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 86%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 75%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 81%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 51%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 54%
11%
Disability
healthier than 60%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 35%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 17%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 37%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 81%
14%
Disability
healthier than 61%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 60%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 44%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 48%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 42%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 43%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 39%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 34%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 63%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 46%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 20%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 28%
11%
Disability
healthier than 30%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 26%
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
48809
Michiganshares a border
Score 49.28
Closest healthier
48815
Michiganshares a border
Score 56.45
Similar health profile
49229
Michigan99% similar profile
Score 52.16
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 | 30.8% | 27.3–34.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.9% | 32.8–41.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.5% | 8.6–10.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.5% | 10.1–12.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.0% | 6.2–7.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.5% | 7.4–9.5 |
| Depression among adults | 27.5% | 23.6–31.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.5% | 9.8–13.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.5% | 31.2–39.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.8% | 32.2–47.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.5% | 3.2–3.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.8% | 7.9–12.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.3% | 5.3–7.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.9% | 72.7–79.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.6% | 76.1–82.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.6% | 85.8–89.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.8% | 64.9–74.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 68.7% | 65.3–72.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.9% | 69.4–83.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.9% | 13.9–20.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.8% | 13.4–18.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.2% | 20.1–28.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.3% | 28.1–40.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.6% | 16.0–21.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.1% | 16.0–20.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.3% | 12.5–16.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.6% | 12.8–16.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.8% | 26.5–35.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.5% | 6.7–8.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.4–9.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.6% | 11.7–15.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.3–4.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.0–5.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.0% | 18.6–25.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.0% | 11.0–15.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 12.1% | 10.1–14.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.1% | 8.6–11.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.2–8.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.8% | 26.8–37.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.4% | 6.4–8.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.7% (4.3–22.3%) n=974 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.8% (2.5–13.5%) n=975 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.7% (2.5–14.2%) n=974 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 23.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.1% (11.4–48.3%) n=974 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (1.3–10.0%) n=974 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.5% (0.9–10.8%) n=973 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (79.5–95.5%) n=973 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 20.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.5% (14.8–32.9%) n=973 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 85.3% (62.2–94.6%) n=973 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.6%) n=973 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.3–10.0%) n=975 |
| Single-parent households | 51.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.5% (43.6–74.2%) n=970 |
| Population 65+ | 19.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (13.7–35.2%) n=975 |
| Median age | 40.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (35.2–58.2) n=974 |
| Median household income | $78,607 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,216 ($47,282–$105,129) n=962 |
| Median home value | $226,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $192,350 ($116,360–$355,650) n=952 |
| Median gross rent | $720 | $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 | 80.5 yr ± 0.85 | 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 0.85 years of 80.5, 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