ZIP code
49706
in Alanson, MichiganPopulation 4,920
53.18/ 100
Ranked #11,810 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 37%)
Ranked #348 of 973 Michigan ZIPs (top 36%)
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.
Air-toxics cancer risk
19.6 per million
in the bottom 7.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST16thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 8.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
0.27%
in the bottom 8.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST21stUS8thDefinition & 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 ›Park land
13.5%
in the top 9.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST87thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Alanson, Michigan (ZIP 49706) ranks in the top 37% healthiest ZIPs nationally (11,810th) and the top 36% of Michigan (348th).
Taken together, the profile's clearest strengths surface right away: modeled air-toxics cancer risk rests in the bottom 7.4% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden is in the bottom 8.5% nationally. Floodplain exposure stands in the bottom 8.5% nationally, and park land settles in the top 9.6% nationally. Modeled extreme heat lies at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled colon screening resides in the top 12.3% nationally, modeled arsenic lands in the bottom 17% nationally, and childcare registers in the top 17% nationally. Modeled short sleep sits in the bottom 18% nationally, and humid heat rests in the bottom 18% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 49717, 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 90%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 79%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 65%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 96%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 48%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 53%
16%
Disability
healthier than 54%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Mental Health
healthier than 17%
8%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 86%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 64%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 93%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 56%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 57%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 43%
8%
Disability
healthier than 56%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 54%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
“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
49716
Michiganshares a border
Score 52.49
Closest healthier
49717
Michiganshares a border
Score 53.86
Similar health profile
48732
Michigan99% similar profile
Score 52.58
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 | 31.0% | 27.8–34.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.0% | 33.1–40.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.9% | 9.1–10.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.8% | 10.5–13.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.4% | 6.6–8.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.8% | 7.8–9.9 |
| Depression among adults | 27.4% | 23.8–31.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.8% | 10.3–13.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.4% | 32.6–40.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.8% | 29.1–42.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.3% | 8.5–12.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.3% | 5.2–7.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.1% | 74.4–79.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.0% | 76.9–82.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.5% | 85.9–89.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 71.6% | 67.6–75.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 69.3% | 66.3–72.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.3% | 69.7–81.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.8% | 14.1–19.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.1% | 14.0–18.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.6% | 20.1–27.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.6% | 26.3–37.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.0% | 16.7–21.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.1% | 16.2–20.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.6% | 13.0–16.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.8% | 13.2–16.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.7% | 27.8–35.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.0% | 7.1–8.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.7–9.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.2% | 12.5–16.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.3–5.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.2% | 19.1–25.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.3% | 11.3–15.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 12.8% | 10.8–14.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.4% | 8.8–11.9 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 6.6–8.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.8% | 27.4–36.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.7% | 6.6–8.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.7% (4.3–22.3%) n=974 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.8% (2.5–13.5%) n=975 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.7% (2.5–14.2%) n=974 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 27.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.1% (11.4–48.3%) n=974 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (1.3–10.0%) n=974 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.5% (0.9–10.8%) n=973 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.3% | 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 | 81.7% | 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 | 0.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.3–10.0%) n=975 |
| Single-parent households | 63.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.5% (43.6–74.2%) n=970 |
| Population 65+ | 20.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (13.7–35.2%) n=975 |
| Median age | 39.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (35.2–58.2) n=974 |
| Median household income | $76,906 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,216 ($47,282–$105,129) n=962 |
| Median home value | $248,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $192,350 ($116,360–$355,650) n=952 |
| Median gross rent | $1,146 | $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 ± 0.84 | 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 0.84 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