ZIP code
77049
in Houston, TexasPopulation 40,418
43.78/ 100
Ranked #23,633 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 26%)
Ranked #1,114 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (bottom 40%)
Ranked #157 of 237 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX ZIPs (bottom 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.
Uninsured (under 65)
28.9%
in the top 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 0.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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
50.1 per million
in the top 0.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Colon-cancer screening
50.9%
in the bottom 2.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST7thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
12.3%
in the top 3.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
151.2 days/year
in the top 4.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST73rdUS96thDefinition & 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 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Subsidized affordable housing
498 units
in the top 4.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS96thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
0.3 mi
in the bottom 4.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST3rdUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Slow internet speeds
2.1%
in the top 5.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›The read
In overall standing, ZIP 77049, one of several in Houston, Texas comes out in the bottom 26% nationally (23,633rd) and the bottom 40% of Texas (1,114th).
The profile opens on the burdens that define it most: modeled uninsured rests in the top 1.3% nationally, industrial-pollution burden lies in the top 0.2% nationally, and air-toxics cancer risk sits in the top 0.7% nationally. Modeled colon screening settles in the bottom 2.4% nationally, outer-floodplain exposure registers in the top 3.2% nationally, and modeled humid heat stands in the top 4.4% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss lands in the top 4.5% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site is in the bottom 4.7% nationally. More positively, subsidized affordable housing resides in the top 4.5% nationally. Distance to an emergency room rests at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs.
Relative to the ZIPs around it, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain terms, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 77044, 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 87%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 61%
8%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 42%
16%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.7%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 2%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 15%
11%
Disability
healthier than 40%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 9%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 80%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 66%
8%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 49%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 37%
16%
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.9%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 8%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 23%
11%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 71%
21%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 48%
8%
Disability
healthier than 43%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 26%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 4%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 15%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 29%
11%
“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.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 0.7 (bottom 1%); chronic-disease standing 87.5 — 87 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #17,673 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
77013
Texasshares a border
Score 32.81
Closest healthier
77044
Texasshares a border
Score 48.79
Similar health profile
77075
Texas98% similar profile
Score 45.43
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 | 16.6% | 14.8–18.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 30.4% | 27.6–33.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–4.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.4% | 8.3–10.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–5.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.9% | 4.4–5.5 |
| Depression among adults | 19.6% | 17.1–22.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.9% | 11.5–14.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 32.4% | 29.4–35.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.0% | 35.5–44.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.0% | 2.8–3.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.1% | 14.4–20.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 28.9% | 26.1–31.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 69.7% | 66.7–72.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 70.4% | 67.1–73.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 80.9% | 78.9–82.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 50.9% | 47.0–55.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 47.6% | 44.5–50.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 70.6% | 64.1–76.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.6% | 15.1–20.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.5% | 11.9–15.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.0% | 26.6–33.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 42.8% | 39.2–46.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.6% | 22.1–27.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.1% | 16.2–20.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.5% | 12.1–15.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.3% | 16.4–20.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.2% | 29.9–36.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.5–5.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.3–10.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.9% | 12.4–15.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.4–5.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.8% | 7.2–8.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 20.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 36.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 25.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 14.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 42.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 7.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 26.3% | 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+ | 7.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 30.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $62,971 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $217,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $1,587 | $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 unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled. | |||
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