ZIP code
77978
in Point Comfort, TexasPopulation 304
45.54/ 100
Ranked #21,831 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 32%)
Ranked #906 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (top 49%)
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 0.03% 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 ›Floodplain exposure
93.9%
in the top 0.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
46.2 per million
in the top 1.4% 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 ›Median household income
$142,500
in the top 4.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
153.5 days/year
in the top 3.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST80thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Housing-cost burden
0.81%
in the bottom 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
0.04%
in the bottom 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Distance to a community health center
22.3 mi
in the top 7.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
1.2 mi
in the bottom 7.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST6thUS8thDefinition & 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 ›Uninsured (under 65)
16.9%
in the top 7.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST54thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
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
By the composite health measure, Point Comfort, Texas (ZIP 77978) ranks in the bottom 32% nationally (21,831st) and the top 49% of Texas (906th).
Several measures weigh most on this area's profile, and they come first: modeled industrial-pollution burden is in the top 0.03% nationally, and floodplain exposure settles in the top 0.5% nationally. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk resides in the top 1.4% nationally, and humid heat registers in the top 3.7% nationally. Distance to a community health center rests in the top 7.0% nationally. On the better side, household income stands in the top 4.8% nationally, housing-cost burden lies in the bottom 3.8% nationally, and modeled transportation noise lands in the bottom 6.8% nationally. Unemployment sits at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Households without a vehicle is at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs.
Read against the ZIPs closest to it, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To spell things out, 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. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". Close by, ZIP 77969, just across the boundary, ranks healthier 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.
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 76%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 67%
16%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 54%
8%
Disability
healthier than 57%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 1%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 15%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 34%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the bottom 0.8%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 8%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 67%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 67%
16%
Disability
healthier than 65%
7%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 50%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 57%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 2%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 3%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 6%
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
77969
Texasshares a border
Score 46.15
Closest healthier
77979
Texasshares a border
Score 46.39
Similar health profile
77532
Texas94% similar profile
Score 48.49
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 | 24.1% | 21.0–27.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.9% | 29.9–38.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–11.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.2% | 5.4–7.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.2% | 5.3–7.4 |
| Depression among adults | 21.9% | 18.5–25.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.1% | 10.4–13.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.2% | 31.8–40.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.9% | 26.0–42.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 3.0–3.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.8% | 8.7–13.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 16.9% | 14.1–20.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.6% | 72.4–78.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 73.6% | 69.4–77.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.8% | 83.6–87.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 60.3% | 54.9–65.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 55.7% | 51.9–59.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.1% | 66.0–81.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.9% | 14.6–21.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.1% | 10.8–15.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.1% | 22.5–32.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.4% | 31.4–45.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.7% | 17.8–24.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.2% | 15.1–19.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.7% | 11.9–15.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.9% | 12.9–17.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.8% | 27.3–36.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.1% | 6.3–8.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.0% | 6.9–9.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.3% | 12.3–16.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.3–4.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.8–6.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 0.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 0.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 91.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 0.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 92.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 24.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 54.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $142,500 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $251,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $1,175 | $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 | 80.2 yr ± 1.20 | 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 1.20 years of 80.2, 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