ZIP code
76255
in Nocona, TexasPopulation 6,053
40.21/ 100
Ranked #26,606 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 17%)
Ranked #1,438 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (bottom 23%)
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.
Lead in tap water
9.2 ppb
in the top 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
US96thDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Distance to a community health center
30 mi
in the top 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
14.3%
in the top 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
79 days/year
in the top 5.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST49thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Elder-services access
0.18 per 1,000 residents
in the top 7.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Nitrate in drinking water
0.08%
in the top 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams 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 ›Energy-cost burden
4.6%
in the top 14.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS86thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
0.27%
in the top 23% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS77thDefinition & source ›
The share of days in the year when modeled fine-particle (PM2.5) pollution was above the EPA’s daily limit of 35 micrograms per cubic meter.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, Nocona, Texas (ZIP 76255) lands in the bottom 17% nationally (26,606th) and the bottom 23% of Texas (1,438th).
Strengths and concerns sit side by side across the measures here: distance to an emergency room lands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Elder services registers in the top 7.9% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site sits in the top 11.5% nationally. On the other hand, lead in tap water rests in the top 3.9% nationally, distance to a community health center is in the top 4.1% nationally, and unemployment stands in the top 4.2% nationally. Modeled extreme heat settles in the top 5.1% nationally, disaster risk lies in the top 5.5% nationally, and nitrate resides in the top 8.3% nationally. Modeled mammography lands in the bottom 11.0% nationally.
To translate a couple of terms, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 76230, 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 82%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 24%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 19%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 30%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 33%
8%
Disability
healthier than 22%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 13%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 5%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 68%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 75%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 58%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 44%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 12%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 5%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 25%
8%
Disability
healthier than 26%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 3%
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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 74.1 ± 2.4 years. A median household income of $55,841 predicts 77.8 years — 3.7 years below.
Ranked #4,871 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 74.1 ± 2.4 years. The 47 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 77.7 years — 3.7 years below them.
Ranked #2,848 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 81.4; chronic-disease standing 24.1 — 57 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,931 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
73456
Oklahomashares a border
Score 31.99
Closest healthier
76230
Texasshares a border
Score 42.52
Similar health profile
77987
Texas98% similar profile
Score 42.21
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 | 31.9% | 28.3–35.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.5% | 37.1–45.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.2–11.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.3–11.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.1% | 8.2–10.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.1% | 8.9–11.4 |
| Depression among adults | 24.4% | 20.7–28.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.2% | 13.2–17.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.0% | 36.4–45.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.9% | 27.9–44.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.7% | 4.3–5.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.0% | 14.6–21.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 15.0% | 12.8–17.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.3% | 77.5–82.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.4% | 72.6–79.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.2% | 84.3–87.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.9% | 57.1–68.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 53.1% | 49.1–57.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 69.2% | 60.0–77.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.2% | 12.5–18.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.5% | 14.2–19.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.6% | 25.8–35.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.3% | 30.6–46.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.1% | 22.0–28.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.8–20.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.6% | 14.6–18.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.4% | 14.5–18.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.9% | 33.2–42.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.0% | 8.9–11.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.4% | 9.2–11.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.5% | 17.0–22.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.6–5.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.6% | 5.9–7.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 19.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 45.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 18.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 14.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 81.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 25.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 5.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 48.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 24.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 43.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $55,841 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $164,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $796 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,154 ($764–$1,815) n=1,508 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 74.1 yr ± 1.20 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 78.2 yr (75.1–81.7) n=1,772 |
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 1.20 years of 74.1, 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