ZIP code
70817
in Baton Rouge, LouisianaPopulation 33,482
56.46/ 100
Ranked #7,801 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 24%)
Ranked #14 of 508 Louisiana ZIPs (top 2.8%)
Ranked #3 of 83 Baton Rouge, LA ZIPs (top 3.7%)
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
48.4 per million
in the top 1.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS99thDefinition & 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 top 1.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Mammography
84.2%
in the top 1.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
59.4%
in the top 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST77thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
151.9 days/year
in the top 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Slow internet speeds
2.8%
in the top 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 8.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Radon
0.7 pCi/L
in the bottom 3.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST53rdUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
72.8%
in the top 7.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Cross-source signals
Combined exposures in this ZIP
More than one environmental exposure stands out in this ZIP. Each is established independently and shown on its own above; they are grouped here for context — not because one causes the other.
This area ranks among the highest 10% of US ZIP codes for both humid-heat days and flood exposure.
See the full flooding, evacuation & humid-heat analysis →
The read
ZIP 70817, one of several in Baton Rouge, Louisiana ranks in the top 24% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,801st) and the top 2.8% of Louisiana (14th).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: modeled mammography is in the top 1.2% nationally. Distance to an emergency room registers at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled radon lies in the bottom 3.2% nationally. By contrast, modeled air-toxics cancer risk is in the top 1.2% nationally, modeled industrial-pollution burden registers in the top 1.7% nationally, and floodplain exposure lies in the top 2.6% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss is in the top 3.6% nationally, modeled humid heat registers in the top 4.2% nationally, and slow internet speeds lies in the top 4.3% nationally. Modeled disaster risk is in the top 8.5% nationally.
Against its neighbors, industrial-pollution burden runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, 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. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 70809, 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 Baton Rouge, LA 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 78%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 79%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 95%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 65%
11%
Disability
healthier than 80%
7%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 23%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 38%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 1%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 94%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 97%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 98%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 98%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 96%
8%
Disability
healthier than 98%
7%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 17%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 7%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 86%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 97%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 94%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 95%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 92%
8%
Disability
healthier than 98%
7%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 46%
14%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 6%
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
3 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 its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 79.0 ± 1.2 years. The 45 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 76.0 years — 3.0 years above them.
Ranked #839 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 23.4; chronic-disease standing 78.4 — 55 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #14,896 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Highest-risk tenth
Air toxics and the years between the two ends of the risk scale
Modeled air-toxics cancer risk is 48.4 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 79.0 ± 1.2 years.
Ranked #225 of the 4,173 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by modeled air-toxics risk, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
70726
Louisianashares a border
Score 44.63
Closest healthier
70809
Louisianashares a border
Score 59.20
Similar health profile
70123
Louisiana99% similar profile
Score 55.28
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 | 27.3% | 24.6–30.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.6% | 33.3–40.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.5% | 7.7–9.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.3% | 8.2–10.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.7% | 5.1–6.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.7% | 5.0–6.4 |
| Depression among adults | 26.1% | 23.0–29.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.1% | 9.7–12.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.5% | 34.0–40.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 30.5% | 26.1–35.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.0% | 2.7–3.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.1% | 6.5–9.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.5% | 4.6–6.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.3% | 75.6–80.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.8% | 79.0–84.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.9% | 88.5–91.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 72.8% | 68.8–76.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 69.9% | 66.9–72.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 84.2% | 79.1–88.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.9% | 16.2–21.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 11.2% | 9.6–12.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 18.7% | 16.0–21.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.2% | 31.9–40.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.7% | 13.9–17.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.0% | 14.3–17.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.6% | 10.3–13.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.8% | 12.3–15.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.6% | 25.4–31.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.6% | 5.8–7.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.5% | 5.8–7.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.5% | 10.1–13.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.0% | 2.7–3.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.6–4.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.6% | 20.7–26.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.5% | 10.0–13.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.5% | 7.3–9.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.0% | 8.7–11.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.9–7.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.3% | 28.5–36.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.0% | 6.1–8.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | LA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 17.8% (6.0–36.8%) n=504 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 10.4% (2.9–20.5%) n=505 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 14.0% (4.3–26.4%) n=508 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 51.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.6% (5.9–37.1%) n=508 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 5.5% (0.0–13.6%) n=501 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 6.0% (0.0–15.0%) n=504 |
| Broadband subscription | 96.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.4% (64.1–94.5%) n=504 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 24.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.1% (9.3–41.8%) n=504 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.4% (50.9–92.7%) n=504 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.8%) n=504 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.2% (0.0–7.6%) n=508 |
| Single-parent households | 53.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.0% (29.6–65.8%) n=495 |
| Population 65+ | 21.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.3% (10.2–29.0%) n=508 |
| Median age | 40.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 39.6 yr (33.0–52.4) n=500 |
| Median household income | $102,639 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $56,458 ($34,647–$88,928) n=457 |
| Median home value | $293,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $163,450 ($86,100–$284,620) n=452 |
| Median gross rent | $1,426 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $915 ($606–$1,325) n=389 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | LA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.0 yr ± 0.62 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 75.9 yr (73.2–79.0) n=494 |
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 0.62 years of 79.0, 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