ZIP code
71422
in Dodson, LouisianaPopulation 1,868
38.06/ 100
Ranked #27,973 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 12.8%)
Ranked #281 of 508 Louisiana ZIPs (bottom 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.
PFAS in drinking water
7.3%
in the bottom 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS4thDefinition & 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 ›Fatal road crashes
48.2 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 4.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
139.1 days/year
in the top 7.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST30thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Cognitive disability
20.2%
in the top 8.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST59thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$36,111
in the bottom 3.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST13thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Obesity
43.3%
in the top 8.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST69thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Radon
0.7 pCi/L
in the bottom 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST62ndUS4thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 14.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS14thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Dodson, Louisiana (ZIP 71422), on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 12.8% nationally (27,973rd) and the bottom 45% of Louisiana (281st).
The profile cuts both ways, and the readings bear that out: modeled pfas is in the bottom 3.8% nationally, and radon rests in the bottom 3.9% nationally. Working the other way, fatal road crashes sits in the top 4.4% nationally, modeled humid heat registers in the top 7.6% nationally, and modeled cognitive disability lands in the top 8.5% nationally. Fiber broadband resides at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Household income lies in the bottom 3.8% nationally, and modeled obesity settles in the top 8.0% nationally. Slow internet speeds stands in the top 12.5% nationally, and modeled extreme heat is in the top 12.6% nationally.
In everyday language, 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. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 71031, 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%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 60%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 55%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 16%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 18%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 8%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 6%
8%
Disability
healthier than 13%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 13%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 84%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 70%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 54%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 47%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 44%
11%
Disability
healthier than 42%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 49%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 37%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 23%
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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 90.1 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 15.9 — 74 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #810 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.
Nearby
71031
Louisianashares a border
Score 41.18
Closest healthier
71410
Louisianaabout 2.8 mi away
Score 41.73
Similar health profile
70403
Louisiana99% similar profile
Score 39.12
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 | 34.1% | 30.4–38.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.9% | 40.4–49.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.2% | 8.3–10.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.2–11.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.2% | 8.2–10.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.1% | 9.6–12.7 |
| Depression among adults | 29.5% | 25.5–34.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.9% | 13.8–18.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.1% | 37.6–46.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 43.3% | 34.9–52.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.9% | 14.7–21.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.7% | 7.0–10.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.3% | 77.4–83.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.2% | 77.6–84.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.7% | 83.6–87.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.3% | 59.2–69.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.9% | 55.0–62.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.0% | 68.4–82.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.8% | 13.7–20.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 21.0% | 17.7–24.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 33.6% | 28.2–39.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.5% | 31.6–45.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 26.8% | 23.2–30.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.4% | 18.1–23.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.6% | 15.4–20.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 20.2% | 17.7–22.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 42.7% | 37.5–48.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.5% | 10.1–13.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.1% | 17.4–23.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.5% | 4.9–6.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.0% | 6.3–7.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.8% | 22.6–30.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 21.0% | 17.6–24.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 18.3% | 15.3–21.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.2% | 12.0–16.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.4% | 9.0–11.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.0% | 29.3–40.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.8% | 9.2–12.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | LA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 17.8% (6.0–36.8%) n=504 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 13.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 10.4% (2.9–20.5%) n=505 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 14.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 14.0% (4.3–26.4%) n=508 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 11.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.6% (5.9–37.1%) n=508 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 5.5% (0.0–13.6%) n=501 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 6.0% (0.0–15.0%) n=504 |
| Broadband subscription | 83.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.4% (64.1–94.5%) n=504 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.1% (9.3–41.8%) n=504 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.4% (50.9–92.7%) n=504 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.8%) n=504 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.2% (0.0–7.6%) n=508 |
| Single-parent households | 33.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.0% (29.6–65.8%) n=495 |
| Population 65+ | 11.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.3% (10.2–29.0%) n=508 |
| Median age | 36.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 39.6 yr (33.0–52.4) n=500 |
| Median household income | $36,111 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $56,458 ($34,647–$88,928) n=457 |
| Median home value | $108,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $163,450 ($86,100–$284,620) n=452 |
| Median gross rent | $840 | $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 | 77.0 yr ± 1.16 | 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 1.16 years of 77.0, 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