ZIP code
78221
in San Antonio, TexasPopulation 42,178
43.53/ 100
Ranked #23,875 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 26%)
Ranked #1,139 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (bottom 39%)
Ranked #93 of 117 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX ZIPs (bottom 21%)
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)
33.5%
in the top 0.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
102 days/year
in the top 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Vision disability
9.8%
in the top 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST87thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
672 units
in the top 3.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
54.8%
in the bottom 4.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST17thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
152.9 days/year
in the top 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST78thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Fair or poor health
30.8%
in the top 7.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
42.6%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
1.2 mi
in the bottom 7.7% 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 ›Crowded housing
7.3%
in the top 8.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 78221, one of several in San Antonio, Texas ranks in the bottom 26% nationally (23,875th) and the bottom 39% of Texas (1,139th).
Several readings make the pressure on this area plain: modeled uninsured registers in the top 0.7% nationally, and extreme heat lies in the top 1.4% nationally. Modeled vision disability is in the top 5.3% nationally, and colon screening registers in the bottom 4.8% nationally. Modeled humid heat lies in the top 3.9% nationally, fair or poor health is in the top 7.0% nationally, and short sleep registers in the top 7.5% nationally. Distance to a Superfund site lies in the bottom 7.7% nationally, and crowded housing is in the top 8.0% nationally. On the encouraging side, subsidized affordable housing registers in the top 3.0% nationally.
Against its neighbors, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 78112, 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 San Antonio-New Braunfels, 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 72%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 79%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 83%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 42%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 55%
8%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 3%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 10%
11%
Disability
healthier than 17%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 5%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 62%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 64%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 80%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 59%
8%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 37%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 14%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 14%
11%
Disability
healthier than 20%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 24%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 71%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 51%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 52%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 44%
8%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 24%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 18%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 19%
11%
Disability
healthier than 20%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 20%
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
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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 75.7 ± 1.0 years. A median household income of $63,811 predicts 78.3 years — 2.6 years below.
Ranked #3,574 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
78112
Texasshares a border
Score 45.56
Closest healthier
78224
Texasshares a border
Score 44.73
Similar health profile
78417
Texas99% similar profile
Score 42.00
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 | 23.1% | 20.7–25.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.8% | 32.7–38.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 4.8% | 4.4–5.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 8.8% | 7.8–9.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.5% | 5.9–7.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.7% | 5.1–6.4 |
| Depression among adults | 21.4% | 18.7–24.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.8% | 15.9–19.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.2% | 32.0–38.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.3% | 32.8–41.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–3.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.8% | 12.4–17.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 33.5% | 30.1–36.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 73.6% | 70.8–76.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 70.9% | 67.6–74.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 81.9% | 79.9–83.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 54.8% | 50.7–59.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 47.5% | 44.5–50.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 70.4% | 64.2–76.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.1% | 12.9–17.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.9% | 12.1–15.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 39.8% | 35.8–43.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 42.6% | 39.0–46.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 30.8% | 28.0–33.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.4% | 15.5–19.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.2% | 15.4–19.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.7% | 16.8–20.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.6% | 35.1–42.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.8–8.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.1% | 9.1–11.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.0% | 17.1–21.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.8% | 5.3–6.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 9.8% | 9.0–10.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 30.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 22.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 12.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 9.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 85.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 34.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 7.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 15.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 38.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 11.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 34.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $63,811 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $171,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $1,228 | $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 | 75.7 yr ± 0.51 | 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 0.51 years of 75.7, 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