ZIP code
77853
in Dime Box, TexasPopulation 884
41.33/ 100
Ranked #25,795 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 20%)
Ranked #1,343 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (bottom 28%)
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.
PFAS in drinking water
5.3%
in the bottom 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
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 ›Dry extreme heat
83.6 days/year
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST54thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
145.1 days/year
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST64thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Short sleep
42.5%
in the top 7.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Recreation access
0.9 per 1,000 residents
in the top 11.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS89thDefinition & source ›
The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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 ›Uninsured (under 65)
16.1%
in the top 9.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST50thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
92.5%
in the top 12.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS87thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
44.7%
in the top 13.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS87thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, Dime Box, Texas (ZIP 77853) lands in the bottom 20% nationally (25,795th) and the bottom 28% of Texas (1,343rd).
Strengths and concerns sit side by side across the measures here: modeled pfas rests in the bottom 1.3% nationally, and recreation is in the top 11.2% nationally. Modeled arsenic stands in the bottom 12.3% nationally. On the other hand, modeled extreme heat settles in the top 4.5% nationally, humid heat lies in the top 6.0% nationally, and short sleep resides in the top 7.8% nationally. Fiber broadband lands at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled diabetes registers in the top 10.6% nationally, modeled uninsured sits in the top 9.0% nationally, and distance to a nursing home rests in the top 12.1% nationally.
To translate a couple of terms, pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, 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. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 77836, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 92%
14%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 50%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 22%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 34%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 20%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 16%
11%
Disability
healthier than 21%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 6%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 16%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 88%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 60%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 51%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 10%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 26%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Disability
healthier than 25%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 25%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 17%
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
77836
Texasshares a border
Score 47.31
Closest healthier
77879
Texasshares a border
Score 47.05
Similar health profile
39572
Mississippi99% similar profile
Score 40.01
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 | 31.2% | 27.6–35.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.7% | 40.3–49.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.5% | 7.7–9.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.9% | 9.6–12.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.7% | 7.7–9.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.4% | 8.1–10.8 |
| Depression among adults | 21.9% | 18.7–25.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.3% | 15.1–19.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.3% | 36.7–46.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.1% | 32.7–50.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.5–5.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.5% | 10.8–16.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 16.1% | 13.5–18.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.2% | 78.5–83.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.9% | 74.4–81.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.5% | 85.7–89.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 60.7% | 54.8–66.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 48.9% | 44.9–52.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.0% | 62.0–78.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.3% | 11.7–17.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.0% | 14.5–19.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.7% | 27.7–38.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 42.5% | 35.1–50.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 26.9% | 23.4–30.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.6% | 15.6–19.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.7% | 14.7–18.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.3% | 14.4–18.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.0% | 33.2–43.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.6–9.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.6% | 17.9–23.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.7% | 5.0–6.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.4–8.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 14.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 27.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 79.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 92.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 4.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 18.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 61.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 26.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 58.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $60,069 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $128,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $755 | $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 | 80.3 yr ± 1.90 | 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 1.90 years of 80.3, 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