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ZIP code

49769

in Pellston, MichiganPopulation 1,718

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

52.63/ 100

Ranked #12,586 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 39%)

Ranked #382 of 973 Michigan ZIPs (top 39%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Arsenic in groundwater

1.1%

in the bottom 3.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US3rd
Definition & source ›

The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms 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 ›

Floodplain exposure

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & 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 ›

Industrial-pollution burden

in the bottom 3.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US4th
Definition & 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 ›

Park land

29.9%

in the top 4.7% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST94th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.

Full methodology ›

Air-toxics cancer risk

10.2 per million

in the bottom 5.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST12th
US5th
Definition & 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 ›

PFAS in drinking water

57.8%

in the top 9.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST84th
US91st
Definition & 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 ›

Tree cover

53.7%

in the top 19% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST91st
US81st
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.

Full methodology ›

The read

Overall, Pellston, Michigan (ZIP 49769) places in the top 39% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,586th) and the top 39% of Michigan (382nd).

continue reading

Where the data is kindest to this area, a few readings lead the way: modeled arsenic lies in the bottom 3.2% nationally, and floodplain exposure rests at the national minimum. Modeled industrial-pollution burden resides in the bottom 3.7% nationally, and park land is in the top 4.7% nationally. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk lands in the bottom 5.3% nationally. Modeled extreme heat stands at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Distance to a community health center registers at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility settles in the top 12.1% nationally, and modeled humid heat sits in the bottom 16% nationally. On the other hand, modeled pfas lies in the top 9.0% nationally.

Beside the areas that surround it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For readers new to these terms, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 49706, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 98%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 76%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 63%

11%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 97%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 50%

21%

Disability

healthier than 55%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 49%

5%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 34%

16%

Mental Health

healthier than 13%

8%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 95%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 62%

11%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 95%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 59%

21%

Preventive Care

healthier than 45%

13%

Disability

healthier than 56%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 51%

5%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 37%

16%

Mental Health

healthier than 32%

8%

“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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults30.1%26.9–33.3
High blood pressure among adults36.1%32.2–39.9
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.4%8.6–10.2
Current asthma among adults12.0%10.7–13.4
Coronary heart disease among adults7.1%6.4–7.8
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.5%7.5–9.6
Depression among adults27.7%24.0–31.7
Diagnosed diabetes among adults11.6%10.1–13.2
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened35.7%31.8–39.7
Obesity among adults35.4%28.3–42.7
Stroke among adults3.6%3.3–3.9
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years13.3%11.2–15.6
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years6.2%5.0–7.8
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure76.4%73.5–78.9
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults79.6%76.0–82.7
Cholesterol screening among adults87.0%85.0–88.6
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years68.6%64.3–72.7
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults69.4%66.3–72.4
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years78.0%71.5–83.2
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults17.3%14.2–20.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults16.1%13.8–18.6
No leisure-time physical activity among adults23.3%19.4–27.4
Short sleep duration among adults31.4%25.9–37.1
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults18.8%16.4–21.4
Frequent mental distress among adults18.7%16.6–20.8
Frequent physical distress among adults14.5%12.9–16.3
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults15.2%13.4–17.2
Any disability among adults31.7%27.6–35.7
Hearing disability among adults7.8%7.0–8.6
Independent living disability among adults8.7%7.7–9.7
Mobility disability among adults13.9%12.1–15.7
Self-care disability among adults3.7%3.4–4.2
Vision disability among adults4.7%4.2–5.2
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults22.6%19.5–26.2
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults13.5%11.3–15.9
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults12.6%10.5–14.9
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.7%9.1–12.5
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults7.8%6.8–8.9
Loneliness among adults32.5%28.0–37.3
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults7.8%6.8–9.0
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MI median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate9.6%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36410.7% (4.3–22.3%) n=974
Uninsured 18–647.4%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2866.8% (2.5–13.5%) n=975
No HS diploma (25+)4.3%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5056.7% (2.5–14.2%) n=974
Bachelor's or higher (25+)23.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50522.1% (11.4–48.3%) n=974
Unemployment rate (16+)6.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.6% (1.3–10.0%) n=974
Households without a vehicle2.4%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.5% (0.9–10.8%) n=973
Broadband subscription86.5%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.8% (79.5–95.5%) n=973
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)24.3%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32222.5% (14.8–32.9%) n=973
Homeownership rate78.1%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32285.3% (62.2–94.6%) n=973
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.2%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–3.6%) n=973
Foreign-born population0.2%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.8% (0.3–10.0%) n=975
Single-parent households50.8%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08756.5% (43.6–74.2%) n=970
Population 65+13.7%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.5% (13.7–35.2%) n=975
Median age34.3 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29243.6 yr (35.2–58.2) n=974
Median household income$67,558$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$68,216 ($47,282–$105,129) n=962
Median home value$160,000$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$192,350 ($116,360–$355,650) n=952
Median gross rent$1,016$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$972 ($719–$1,368) n=849
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MI median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth79.3 yr ± 0.8178.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30878.6 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 0.81 years of 79.3, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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