ZIP code
49332
in Mecosta, MichiganPopulation 3,044
47.26/ 100
Ranked #19,846 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 38%)
Ranked #673 of 973 Michigan ZIPs (bottom 31%)
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.
Elder-services access
0.36 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›Nitrate in drinking water
0.20%
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 9.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Coronary heart disease
10.1%
in the top 9.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST87thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
10.1 mi
in the top 10.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS89thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
72.3%
in the top 9.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST72ndUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Mecosta, Michigan (ZIP 49332) sits in the bottom 38% nationally (19,846th) and the bottom 31% of Michigan (673rd).
An even profile, with readings pulling both ways: elder services lands in the top 3.6% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise rests at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Floodplain exposure settles in the bottom 11.2% nationally, and modeled colon screening lands in the top 9.5% nationally. Against that, modeled nitrate rests in the top 7.9% nationally, and disaster risk settles in the top 9.2% nationally. Modeled coronary heart disease lands in the top 9.0% nationally, and distance to a nursing home rests in the top 10.8% nationally. Unemployment settles in the top 12.8% nationally, and modeled pfas lands in the top 14.9% nationally.
Put plainly, nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. 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. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 49342, 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 85%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 88%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 60%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 94%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 14%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 27%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 28%
8%
Disability
healthier than 27%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 16%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 81%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 71%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 66%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 86%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 56%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 28%
16%
Disability
healthier than 17%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 10%
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 85.3; chronic-disease standing 13.9 — 71 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #988 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
48850
Michiganshares a border
Score 45.98
Closest healthier
49342
Michiganshares a border
Score 50.61
Similar health profile
15828
Pennsylvania98% similar profile
Score 49.32
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 | 37.5% | 33.9–41.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.4% | 39.2–47.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 12.1% | 11.0–13.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.3–12.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.1% | 9.1–11.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.5% | 10.2–13.0 |
| Depression among adults | 26.8% | 23.3–30.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.6% | 12.8–16.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.6% | 36.4–45.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.5% | 30.6–45.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.9% | 4.5–5.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.4% | 11.0–16.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.0% | 5.7–8.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.9% | 79.3–84.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.6% | 79.5–85.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.0% | 87.4–90.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 72.3% | 67.6–76.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 67.3% | 63.8–70.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.4% | 68.0–81.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.1% | 11.6–16.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.0% | 14.7–19.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.6% | 24.4–33.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.1% | 27.3–39.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.9% | 20.2–26.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.8% | 15.1–18.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.8% | 14.9–18.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.1% | 13.5–17.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.8% | 33.6–42.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.4% | 9.3–11.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.9% | 8.9–11.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.9% | 16.6–21.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.9% | 5.3–6.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.3% | 18.9–26.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.5% | 12.1–17.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 14.4% | 12.1–16.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.2% | 8.7–12.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.7% | 6.7–8.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.0% | 26.0–36.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 6.7–9.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 18.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.7% (4.3–22.3%) n=974 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.8% (2.5–13.5%) n=975 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.7% (2.5–14.2%) n=974 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 17.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.1% (11.4–48.3%) n=974 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (1.3–10.0%) n=974 |
| Households without a vehicle | 7.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.5% (0.9–10.8%) n=973 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (79.5–95.5%) n=973 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.5% (14.8–32.9%) n=973 |
| Homeownership rate | 88.4% | 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 | 6.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.3–10.0%) n=975 |
| Single-parent households | 61.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.5% (43.6–74.2%) n=970 |
| Population 65+ | 30.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (13.7–35.2%) n=975 |
| Median age | 54.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (35.2–58.2) n=974 |
| Median household income | $59,509 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,216 ($47,282–$105,129) n=962 |
| Median home value | $182,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $192,350 ($116,360–$355,650) n=952 |
| Median gross rent | $888 | $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 | 79.1 yr ± 1.13 | 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 1.13 years of 79.1, 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