ZIP code
77562
in Highlands, TexasPopulation 8,914
40.83/ 100
Ranked #26,170 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 18%)
Ranked #1,392 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (bottom 25%)
Ranked #183 of 237 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 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.
Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 0.4% 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 ›Uninsured (under 65)
21.6%
in the top 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST73rdUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
45.1 per million
in the top 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›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 ›Humid extreme heat
150.7 days/year
in the top 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST72ndUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Floodplain exposure
43.3%
in the top 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
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 ›Colon-cancer screening
57.2%
in the bottom 7.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST26thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Radon
0.6 pCi/L
in the bottom 1.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST12thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›Lithium in drinking water
11 µg/L
in the bottom 11.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS11thDefinition & source ›
The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.
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 ›Dry extreme heat
34.4 days/year
in the top 13.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS87thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Cross-source signals
Combined exposures in this ZIP
More than one environmental exposure stands out in this ZIP. Each is established independently and shown on its own above; they are grouped here for context — not because one causes the other.
This area ranks among the highest 10% of US ZIP codes for both humid-heat days and flood exposure.
See the full flooding, evacuation & humid-heat analysis →
The read
In its overall standing, Highlands, Texas (ZIP 77562) lands in the bottom 18% nationally (26,170th) and the bottom 25% of Texas (1,392nd).
Several serious readings shape the profile and deserve first mention: modeled industrial-pollution burden sits in the top 0.4% nationally, uninsured lands in the top 3.6% nationally, and air-toxics cancer risk lies in the top 1.5% nationally. Distance to a Superfund site stands at the national minimum, modeled humid heat rests in the top 4.6% nationally, and floodplain exposure registers in the top 5.4% nationally. Modeled colon screening resides in the bottom 7.8% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure settles in the top 10.4% nationally. On the better side, modeled radon is in the bottom 1.7% nationally, and lithium in drinking water sits in the bottom 11.0% nationally.
Against the wider neighborhood, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put simply, 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. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. On the overall standing, ZIP 77049, 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. 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.
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 59%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 49%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 3%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 6%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 21%
11%
Disability
healthier than 29%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 3%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 46%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 46%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 3%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 24%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 33%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 36%
8%
Disability
healthier than 34%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 10%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 41%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 29%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 32%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 15%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 35%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 21%
8%
Disability
healthier than 31%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 17%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 19%
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
4 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 72.6 ± 2.1 years. A median household income of $57,364 predicts 77.9 years — 5.3 years below.
Ranked #5,617 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 72.6 ± 2.1 years. The 45 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 76.8 years — 4.2 years below them.
Ranked #3,124 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 3.2 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 58.6 — 55 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #14,938 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 45.1 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 72.6 ± 2.1 years.
Ranked #287 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
77049
Texasshares a border
Score 43.78
Closest healthier
77521
Texasshares a border
Score 44.93
Similar health profile
77541
Texas98% similar profile
Score 39.76
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 | 23.9% | 21.4–26.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.4% | 32.3–38.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 6.9% | 6.2–7.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.9% | 8.7–11.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.8% | 6.1–7.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.9% | 7.0–8.8 |
| Depression among adults | 22.7% | 19.9–25.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.0% | 12.4–15.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.1% | 34.8–41.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.8% | 34.2–43.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.9% | 3.6–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.6% | 13.9–19.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 21.6% | 19.0–24.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.5% | 72.6–78.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 73.0% | 69.8–76.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.3% | 81.6–85.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 57.2% | 53.0–61.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 52.1% | 49.0–55.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 69.2% | 62.7–75.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.4% | 15.0–20.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.8% | 13.7–18.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.3% | 24.8–31.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.5% | 35.9–43.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.9% | 21.3–26.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.1% | 16.3–20.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.2% | 13.5–17.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.7% | 15.8–19.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.3% | 31.6–38.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.5% | 6.6–8.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.7–10.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.6% | 14.7–18.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.6–5.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.6–7.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 35.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 19.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 11.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 9.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 94.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 25.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 15.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 55.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 21.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 40.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $57,364 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $217,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $1,058 | $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 | 72.6 yr ± 1.05 | 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 1.05 years of 72.6, 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