ZIP code
49009
in Kalamazoo, MichiganPopulation 47,971
58.25/ 100
Ranked #6,194 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 19%)
Ranked #160 of 973 Michigan ZIPs (top 16%)
Ranked #5 of 18 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI ZIPs (top 28%)
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.
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 ›Subsidized affordable housing
729 units
in the top 2.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
27%
in the bottom 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
63.1%
in the top 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Floodplain exposure
0.53%
in the bottom 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST24thUS10thDefinition & 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 ›Colon-cancer screening
72.5%
in the top 8.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST74thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Mammography
79.7%
in the top 12.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS87thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
9.6%
in the bottom 13.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS13thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS83rdDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Transit access
1.5 per 1,000 residents
in the top 17% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS83rdDefinition & 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
ZIP 49009, one of several in Kalamazoo, Michigan, by its composite score, sits in the top 19% healthiest ZIPs nationally (6,194th) and the top 16% of Michigan (160th).
The measures fall on both sides for this area, fairly evenly: subsidized affordable housing resides in the top 2.6% nationally, and modeled short sleep is in the bottom 1.5% nationally. Floodplain exposure lands in the bottom 9.8% nationally, and modeled colon screening stands in the top 8.9% nationally. Distance to a nursing home registers at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Modeled mammography settles in the top 12.9% nationally. Pulling the other way, distance to a Superfund site sits at the national minimum, modeled pfas lies in the top 6.8% nationally, and modeled expected annual loss rests in the top 13.5% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility resides at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.
Next to the surrounding area, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For anyone unfamiliar, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. 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. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 49024, 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 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 73%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 70%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 88%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 88%
11%
Disability
healthier than 78%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 84%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 66%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 24%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 21%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 84%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 74%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 72%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 90%
11%
Disability
healthier than 80%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 69%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 54%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 49%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 14%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 82%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 71%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 65%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 65%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 65%
8%
Disability
healthier than 71%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 71%
5%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 24%
14%
“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.
Above what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 80.8 ± 0.9 years. A median household income of $80,930 predicts 79.2 years — 1.6 years above.
Ranked #1,209 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Above its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 80.8 ± 0.9 years. The 47 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 78.4 years — 2.5 years above them.
Ranked #1,163 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
49004
Michiganshares a border
Score 51.02
Closest healthier
49024
Michiganshares a border
Score 60.87
Similar health profile
15102
Pennsylvania99% similar profile
Score 64.24
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 | 26.3% | 24.2–28.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 31.9% | 29.4–34.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.0% | 8.2–9.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.3% | 10.1–12.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.9% | 5.3–6.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.5% | 5.9–7.3 |
| Depression among adults | 27.7% | 25.0–30.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.6% | 8.5–10.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.5% | 31.8–37.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.2% | 32.3–40.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.0% | 2.8–3.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.1% | 7.3–11.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.6% | 4.8–6.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.2% | 73.7–78.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.1% | 77.5–82.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.8% | 86.4–89.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 72.5% | 68.5–76.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 73.3% | 70.5–76.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.7% | 73.5–85.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.3% | 15.0–19.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 11.7% | 10.3–13.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.5% | 19.0–24.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 27.0% | 22.8–31.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.6% | 13.9–17.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.2% | 15.6–18.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.2% | 11.0–13.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.1% | 11.8–14.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.4% | 24.8–30.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.7% | 6.1–7.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.9–8.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.3% | 10.0–12.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.0% | 2.8–3.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.8–4.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.6% | 18.8–24.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.4% | 10.8–14.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.3% | 9.9–12.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.6% | 8.3–11.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.1% | 6.3–8.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.8% | 29.9–37.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.1% | 6.2–8.0 |
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 | 5.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.8% (2.5–13.5%) n=975 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.7% (2.5–14.2%) n=974 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 49.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.1% (11.4–48.3%) n=974 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.1% | 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 | 92.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (79.5–95.5%) n=973 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 29.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.5% (14.8–32.9%) n=973 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 85.3% (62.2–94.6%) n=973 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.6%) n=973 |
| Foreign-born population | 8.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.3–10.0%) n=975 |
| Single-parent households | 47.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.5% (43.6–74.2%) n=970 |
| Population 65+ | 17.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (13.7–35.2%) n=975 |
| Median age | 35.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (35.2–58.2) n=974 |
| Median household income | $80,930 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,216 ($47,282–$105,129) n=962 |
| Median home value | $346,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $192,350 ($116,360–$355,650) n=952 |
| Median gross rent | $1,137 | $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 | 80.8 yr ± 0.48 | 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 0.48 years of 80.8, 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