ZIP code
49436
in Mears, MichiganPopulation 1,644
51.21/ 100
Ranked #14,522 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 45%)
Ranked #437 of 973 Michigan ZIPs (top 45%)
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
0 per 100,000 residents per year
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Unemployment rate
13.6%
in the top 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Recreation access
1.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 5.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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 ›Colon-cancer screening
74%
in the top 4.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST87thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
12.5 days/year
in the bottom 9.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST15thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
10.0%
in the top 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Fiber broadband
83.4%
in the top 21% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS79thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›The read
In overall standing, Mears, Michigan (ZIP 49436) comes out in the top 45% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,522nd) and the top 45% of Michigan (437th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The profile opens balanced, with readings on either hand: fatal road crashes is at the national minimum, recreation resides in the top 5.5% nationally, and modeled colon screening rests in the top 4.8% nationally. Modeled humid heat lies in the bottom 9.4% nationally, homeownership sits in the top 12.5% nationally, and modeled loneliness settles in the bottom 14.9% nationally. By contrast, unemployment registers in the top 4.8% nationally, and modeled coronary heart disease stands in the top 9.7% nationally. Modeled pfas lands in the top 11.9% nationally, and hearing disability is in the top 13.5% nationally.
Relative to the ZIPs around it, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain terms, 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. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 49449, 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 89%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 92%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 77%
11%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.4%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 47%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 14%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 38%
16%
Disability
healthier than 36%
7%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 85%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 83%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 78%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 86%
8%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 43%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 60%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Disability
healthier than 30%
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
49420
Michiganshares a border
Score 47.51
Closest healthier
49449
Michiganshares a border
Score 56.17
Similar health profile
48468
Michigan99% similar profile
Score 50.17
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 | 38.2% | 34.1–41.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.3% | 38.5–47.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 12.7% | 11.4–13.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.1% | 9.8–12.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.0% | 8.7–11.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.6% | 8.9–12.4 |
| Depression among adults | 25.2% | 21.4–28.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.9% | 12.7–17.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.5% | 36.8–45.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.4% | 30.8–47.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.4% | 10.7–16.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.5% | 5.2–8.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 83.0% | 80.3–85.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.4% | 79.3–85.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 90.2% | 88.8–91.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 74.0% | 69.4–78.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 67.9% | 64.3–71.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.5% | 67.8–82.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.7% | 11.1–16.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.0% | 12.3–18.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.5% | 21.5–31.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.5% | 25.3–38.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.0% | 17.7–24.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.6% | 13.5–17.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.3% | 14.1–18.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.4% | 11.5–15.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.2% | 30.3–39.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.5% | 9.2–11.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.9% | 7.6–10.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.9% | 15.1–20.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.4% | 3.8–5.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.7–6.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.5% | 17.3–24.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.5% | 10.3–15.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.8% | 9.6–14.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.5–10.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.7% | 5.8–7.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.1% | 24.5–34.1 |
| 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 | 8.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.7% (4.3–22.3%) n=974 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.8% (2.5–13.5%) n=975 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.7% (2.5–14.2%) n=974 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 26.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.1% (11.4–48.3%) n=974 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 13.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (1.3–10.0%) n=974 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.5% (0.9–10.8%) n=973 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (79.5–95.5%) n=973 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.5% (14.8–32.9%) n=973 |
| Homeownership rate | 92.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 85.3% (62.2–94.6%) n=973 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.6%) n=973 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.3–10.0%) n=975 |
| Single-parent households | 69.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.5% (43.6–74.2%) n=970 |
| Population 65+ | 33.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (13.7–35.2%) n=975 |
| Median age | 59.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (35.2–58.2) n=974 |
| Median household income | $67,279 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,216 ($47,282–$105,129) n=962 |
| Median home value | $255,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $192,350 ($116,360–$355,650) n=952 |
| Median gross rent | $1,013 | $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 | 78.8 yr ± 0.82 | 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 0.82 years of 78.8, 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