ZIP code
77042
in Houston, TexasPopulation 38,721
52.77/ 100
Ranked #12,416 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 39%)
Ranked #379 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (top 20%)
Ranked #80 of 237 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX ZIPs (top 34%)
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.
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 ›Walkability
210 intersections/sq mi
in the top 2.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
26.3%
in the bottom 2.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST4thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
154.8 days/year
in the top 3.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS96thDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
40 per million
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Uninsured (under 65)
18.5%
in the top 5.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST61stUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFAS — man-made “forever chemicals” that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down — were detected in EPA testing.
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 ›Outer-floodplain exposure
7.1%
in the top 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST87thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›The read
In overall standing, ZIP 77042, one of several in Houston, Texas comes out in the top 39% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,416th) and the top 20% of Texas (379th).
Both sides of the picture show up plainly in this area's numbers: walkability registers in the top 2.3% nationally. By contrast, distance to a Superfund site stands at the national minimum, homeownership lands in the bottom 2.7% nationally, and modeled humid heat is in the top 3.4% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss resides in the top 4.1% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden rests in the top 4.3% nationally. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk lies in the top 4.5% nationally, and uninsured sits in the top 5.9% nationally. PFAS in drinking water settles at the national maximum, and outer-floodplain exposure registers in the top 5.3% nationally.
Relative to the ZIPs around it, outer-floodplain exposure runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain terms, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 77024, 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. 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 90%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 64%
8%
Disability
healthier than 62%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 87%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 50%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 41%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 40%
11%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 8%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 18%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 84%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 69%
8%
Disability
healthier than 70%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 90%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 86%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 47%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 58%
11%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 25%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 28%
13%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 78%
21%
Disability
healthier than 62%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 84%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 81%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 60%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 41%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 60%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 54%
8%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 35%
16%
“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 16.9; chronic-disease standing 90.4 (top 10%) — 74 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #16,696 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 40.0 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 78.5 ± 1.2 years.
Ranked #504 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
77024
Texasshares a border
Score 67.46
Closest healthier
77063
Texasshares a border
Score 54.42
Similar health profile
75062
Texas98% similar profile
Score 52.22
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 | 17.6% | 15.6–19.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 30.9% | 28.0–33.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 4.9% | 4.5–5.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.7% | 8.6–10.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.4% | 4.0–4.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.9% | 4.4–5.4 |
| Depression among adults | 20.4% | 17.9–23.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.2% | 9.9–12.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 32.6% | 29.6–35.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.4% | 33.0–41.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.8% | 2.6–3.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.5% | 7.9–11.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 18.5% | 16.7–20.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 70.3% | 67.2–73.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 73.2% | 69.9–76.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.9% | 81.0–84.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 58.0% | 54.2–61.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.6% | 51.7–57.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.7% | 66.4–78.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.2% | 14.8–19.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.3% | 10.8–14.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.3% | 21.3–27.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 40.7% | 37.1–44.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.9% | 17.7–22.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.2% | 15.4–19.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.7% | 10.4–13.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.7% | 14.1–17.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.3% | 26.1–32.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.5–5.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.3% | 7.5–9.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.9% | 10.5–13.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.7–6.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 32.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 45.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 9.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 91.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 43.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 26.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 8.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 34.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 38.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 10.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 34.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $59,097 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $411,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $1,346 | $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 | 78.5 yr ± 0.61 | 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 0.61 years of 78.5, 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