ZIP code
77017
in Houston, TexasPopulation 29,640
37.54/ 100
Ranked #28,263 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 11.9%)
Ranked #1,624 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (bottom 13.1%)
Ranked #201 of 237 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX ZIPs (bottom 15%)
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.
Uninsured (under 65)
39%
in the top 0.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
47.5%
in the bottom 1.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST3rdUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Vision disability
11.4%
in the top 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 0.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a Superfund site
In this ZIP
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
41.3 per million
in the top 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Outer-floodplain exposure
16.4%
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
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 ›Mammography
65.9%
in the bottom 3.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST4thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
32.4%
in the top 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
154.5 days/year
in the top 3.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS97thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Overall, ZIP 77017, one of several in Houston, Texas lands in the bottom 11.9% nationally (28,263rd) and the bottom 13.1% of Texas (1,624th).
Where the load on this area runs deepest, the data leads: modeled uninsured resides in the top 0.3% nationally, and colon screening registers in the bottom 1.3% nationally. Modeled vision disability rests in the top 2.8% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden stands in the top 0.7% nationally. Distance to a Superfund site lies at the national minimum, modeled air-toxics cancer risk lands in the top 1.9% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure sits in the top 2.4% nationally. Modeled mammography is in the bottom 3.8% nationally, fair or poor health settles in the top 4.9% nationally, and humid heat resides in the top 3.5% nationally.
Set beside the nearby areas, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. A note on the terms: industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 77015, just across the boundary, ranks better overall.
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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 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 69%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 65%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 81%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 23%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 1%
14%
Preventive Care
in the bottom 1.0%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 9%
11%
Disability
healthier than 9%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 16%
5%
Lifting this score
Mental Health
healthier than 71%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 86%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 77%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 58%
21%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 15%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 2%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 3%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 12%
11%
Disability
healthier than 11%
7%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 79%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 65%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 43%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 56%
8%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 11%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 10%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 6%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 16%
11%
Disability
healthier than 13%
7%
“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
2 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.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 0.3 (bottom 1%); chronic-disease standing 68.8 — 69 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #16,267 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 41.3 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 78.2 ± 1.8 years.
Ranked #381 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
77012
Texasshares a border
Score 35.87
Closest healthier
77015
Texasshares a border
Score 39.07
Similar health profile
77053
Texas98% similar profile
Score 41.84
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 | 19.4% | 17.3–21.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.6% | 30.6–36.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 8.8% | 7.9–9.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.5% | 5.9–7.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.5% | 5.8–7.2 |
| Depression among adults | 19.4% | 16.8–21.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.2% | 15.3–19.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.3% | 34.1–40.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.1% | 36.4–45.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.5–4.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 19.5% | 16.5–22.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 39.0% | 35.2–42.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 72.7% | 69.8–75.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 69.8% | 66.5–73.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 79.1% | 76.9–81.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 47.5% | 43.4–51.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 41.7% | 38.7–44.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 65.9% | 58.9–72.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.0% | 13.7–18.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.6% | 13.6–17.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 37.8% | 33.8–41.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 41.7% | 38.0–45.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 32.4% | 29.4–35.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.9–19.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.0% | 15.2–18.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 20.8% | 18.7–23.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.9% | 36.2–43.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.4% | 6.6–8.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.2% | 10.1–12.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.2% | 17.2–21.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.6% | 6.1–7.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 11.4% | 10.4–12.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 23.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 46.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 39.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 11.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 38.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 51.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 9.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 38.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 38.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 11.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 33.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $51,079 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $158,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $1,066 | $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 | 78.2 yr ± 0.91 | 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 0.91 years of 78.2, 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