ZIP code
76856
in Mason, TexasPopulation 3,532
51.09/ 100
Ranked #14,697 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 46%)
Ranked #460 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (top 25%)
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.
Dry extreme heat
86.3 days/year
in the top 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST60thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
17 mi
in the top 6.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›Nitrate in drinking water
0.62%
in the top 7.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Distance to an emergency room
17.1 mi
in the top 8.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
11.7 mi
in the top 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Child-care access
0.56 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of child day-care services 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 ›Walkability
2.3 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 9.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
43%
in the top 10.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS89thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
33.6%
in the bottom 32% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS32ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›The read
In its overall standing, Mason, Texas (ZIP 76856) lands in the top 46% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,697th) and the top 25% of Texas (460th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
Reading the numbers as a whole, this area's strong points come through first: distance to a hazardous-chemical facility stands in the top 6.6% nationally, and childcare rests in the top 8.4% nationally. Distance to a community health center registers at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Poverty resides in the bottom 15% nationally. Set against that, modeled extreme heat settles in the top 3.9% nationally, and nitrate is in the top 7.1% nationally. Distance to an emergency room sits in the top 8.2% nationally, and distance to a nursing home lands in the top 8.3% nationally. Walkability lies in the bottom 9.5% nationally, and modeled high cholesterol stands in the top 10.6% nationally.
Put simply, distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. On the overall standing, ZIP 76820, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.
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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 73%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 95%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 77%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 81%
8%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 54%
13%
Disability
healthier than 41%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 35%
21%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 1%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 34%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 74%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 93%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 91%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 90%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 88%
8%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 50%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 21%
21%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 4%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 33%
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
76820
Texasshares a border
Score 52.79
Closest healthier
78618
Texasshares a border
Score 52.18
Similar health profile
77426
Texas99% similar profile
Score 50.08
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 | 32.2% | 30.0–34.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.7% | 39.2–44.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.6% | 10.9–12.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.6% | 8.8–10.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.9% | 8.0–9.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.0–9.8 |
| Depression among adults | 21.2% | 19.3–23.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.7% | 13.2–16.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.0% | 40.5–45.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.9% | 29.9–38.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.4% | 3.9–4.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.0% | 7.3–11.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 14.6% | 12.2–17.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 82.4% | 80.8–83.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.2% | 77.3–81.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.7% | 88.5–90.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.2% | 62.1–72.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.1% | 56.6–63.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.3% | 66.3–81.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.3% | 12.9–15.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 11.8% | 10.0–13.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.0% | 23.7–30.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.6% | 27.0–40.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.7% | 19.0–24.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.3% | 13.0–15.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.7% | 13.1–16.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.0% | 11.5–14.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.3% | 31.0–37.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.9% | 9.0–10.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.3% | 7.2–9.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.9% | 15.7–20.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.7–4.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.6% | 5.0–6.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 4.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 22.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 20.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 41.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 92.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 13.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 5.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 51.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 32.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 48.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $74,677 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $292,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $800 | $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 | 84.2 yr ± 1.75 | 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 1.75 years of 84.2, 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