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ZIP code

71272

in Ruston, LouisianaPopulation 1,969

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

49.13/ 100

Ranked #17,477 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 45%)

Ranked #65 of 508 Louisiana ZIPs (top 12.8%)

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.

High cholesterol

14.5%

in the bottom 0.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.

Full methodology ›

Cognitive disability

29.1%

in the top 0.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.

Full methodology ›

Diabetes

2.2%

in the bottom 0.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.

Full methodology ›

High blood pressure

16.6%

in the bottom 0.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.

Full methodology ›

Coronary heart disease

1.2%

in the bottom 0.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.

Full methodology ›

Stroke

0.70%

in the bottom 0.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.

Full methodology ›

Slow internet speeds

100%

at the national maximum

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.

Full methodology ›

Binge drinking

23.6%

in the top 0.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.

Full methodology ›

Loneliness

46.1%

in the top 0.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.

Full methodology ›

Mobility disability

4.8%

in the bottom 0.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.

Full methodology ›

The read

ZIP 71272, one of several in Ruston, Louisiana ranks in the bottom 45% nationally (17,477th) and the top 12.8% of Louisiana (65th).

continue reading

A number of readings press hard on the profile and set its tone: modeled cognitive disability rests in the top 0.2% nationally, and slow internet speeds lands at the national maximum. Modeled binge drinking settles in the top 0.9% nationally, and loneliness rests in the top 0.5% nationally. On the brighter side, modeled high cholesterol lands in the bottom 0.6% nationally, diabetes settles in the bottom 0.5% nationally, and high blood pressure rests in the bottom 0.9% nationally. Modeled coronary heart disease lands in the bottom 0.6% nationally, stroke settles in the bottom 0.6% nationally, and mobility disability rests in the bottom 0.9% nationally.

Against its neighbors, slow internet speeds runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 71225, about 13 miles away.

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

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 99%

21%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 77%

5%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 48%

14%

Disability

healthier than 51%

7%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 27%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 7%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 21%

11%

Mental Health

in the bottom 0.00%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 32%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 99%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 65%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 80%

11%

Disability

healthier than 88%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 97%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 69%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 30%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 1%

13%

Mental Health

in the bottom 0.00%

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 ›

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.

  • Heavy environment, light chronic burden

    Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions

    Environmental-hazard standing 47.7; chronic-disease standing 98.7 (top 10%) — 51 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #14,490 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.

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 adults5.6%4.4–7.0
High blood pressure among adults16.6%13.3–20.3
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults0.8%0.7–0.9
Current asthma among adults10.8%9.2–12.6
Coronary heart disease among adults1.2%0.9–1.6
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults2.9%1.8–4.3
Depression among adults34.3%29.0–40.0
Diagnosed diabetes among adults2.2%1.8–2.8
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened14.5%12.1–17.5
Obesity among adults32.7%25.1–41.1
Stroke among adults0.7%0.5–0.9
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years26.7%20.7–33.2
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years8.1%5.2–13.7
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure23.8%19.7–29.0
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults71.7%66.7–76.5
Cholesterol screening among adults61.9%53.9–68.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years63.6%57.3–69.3
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults54.8%50.4–59.0
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years77.7%70.4–84.4
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults23.6%19.4–28.4
Current cigarette smoking among adults9.7%5.4–14.6
No leisure-time physical activity among adults22.9%16.1–31.2
Short sleep duration among adults39.0%32.4–45.8
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults19.4%13.7–26.9
Frequent mental distress among adults29.1%23.1–34.2
Frequent physical distress among adults10.2%7.5–13.2
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults29.1%21.5–36.6
Any disability among adults40.4%31.3–49.7
Hearing disability among adults3.4%2.6–4.3
Independent living disability among adults13.3%9.4–17.7
Mobility disability among adults4.8%3.3–6.7
Self-care disability among adults2.1%1.5–2.8
Vision disability among adults6.0%4.4–8.0
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults28.4%22.3–35.0
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults27.6%18.1–38.4
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults21.6%13.2–30.9
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults16.6%11.3–21.9
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults19.3%13.8–25.0
Loneliness among adults46.1%39.1–53.4
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults12.7%8.9–16.1
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)LA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate—10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36417.8% (6.0–36.8%) n=504
Uninsured 18–641.2%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28610.4% (2.9–20.5%) n=505
No HS diploma (25+)0.0%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50514.0% (4.3–26.4%) n=508
Bachelor's or higher (25+)83.3%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50516.6% (5.9–37.1%) n=508
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2745.5% (0.0–13.6%) n=501
Households without a vehicle—3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3226.0% (0.0–15.0%) n=504
Broadband subscription—89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32284.4% (64.1–94.5%) n=504
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)—23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32223.1% (9.3–41.8%) n=504
Homeownership rate—78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32277.4% (50.9–92.7%) n=504
Crowded housing (>1 per room)—1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.5% (0.0–4.8%) n=504
Foreign-born population3.6%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.2% (0.0–7.6%) n=508
Single-parent households—53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08748.0% (29.6–65.8%) n=495
Population 65+0.0%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55317.3% (10.2–29.0%) n=508
Median age19.6 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29239.6 yr (33.0–52.4) n=500
Median household income—$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$56,458 ($34,647–$88,928) n=457
Median home value—$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$163,450 ($86,100–$284,620) n=452
Median gross rent—$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$915 ($606–$1,325) n=389
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)LA median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled.
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