ZIP code
78557
in Hidalgo, TexasPopulation 14,498
42.19/ 100
Ranked #25,053 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 22%)
Ranked #1,276 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (bottom 32%)
Ranked #4 of 27 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX ZIPs (top 14.9%)
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)
36.3%
in the top 0.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
51%
in the bottom 2.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
112.1 days/year
in the top 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
189 days/year
in the top 1.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Vision disability
10.6%
in the top 3.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
32.1%
in the top 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Crowded housing
10.3%
in the top 4.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Obesity
43.8%
in the top 6.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Lithium in drinking water
58 µg/L
in the top 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Elder-services access
0.14 per 1,000 residents
in the top 10.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS89thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›The read
Hidalgo, Texas (ZIP 78557) ranks in the bottom 22% nationally (25,053rd) and the bottom 32% of Texas (1,276th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
Several readings make the pressure on this area plain: modeled uninsured is in the top 0.4% nationally, and colon screening registers in the bottom 2.5% nationally. Modeled extreme heat lies in the top 1.0% nationally, and humid heat is in the top 1.1% nationally. Modeled vision disability registers in the top 3.7% nationally, modeled fair or poor health lies in the top 5.2% nationally, and crowded housing is in the top 4.4% nationally. Modeled obesity registers in the top 6.7% nationally, and lithium in drinking water lies in the top 9.6% nationally. On the encouraging side, elder services is in the top 10.6% nationally.
Against its neighbors, expected annual loss runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 78504, about 6.2 miles away.
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 81%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 80%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 62%
8%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 29%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 2%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 17%
11%
Disability
healthier than 16%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the bottom 0.01%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 72%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 64%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 67%
8%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 42%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 20%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 8%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 26%
11%
Disability
healthier than 19%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the bottom 0.03%
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
78503
Texasshares a border
Score 40.64
Closest healthier
78504
Texasabout 6.2 mi away
Score 52.49
Similar health profile
78118
Texas99% similar profile
Score 40.91
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 | 18.5% | 16.6–20.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 31.2% | 28.5–34.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 8.6% | 7.7–9.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.6% | 5.0–6.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.9% | 4.2–5.5 |
| Depression among adults | 19.8% | 17.5–22.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.5% | 14.8–18.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.2% | 31.4–37.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 43.8% | 39.5–48.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.2% | 2.9–3.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.4% | 13.0–18.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 36.3% | 31.6–41.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 72.5% | 69.7–75.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 71.2% | 68.0–74.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 80.6% | 78.3–82.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 51.0% | 46.7–55.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 43.9% | 40.9–47.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 70.8% | 64.2–76.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.3% | 14.9–19.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.1% | 10.3–14.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 36.0% | 32.1–40.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.9% | 35.8–44.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 32.1% | 28.7–35.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.8–19.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.8% | 14.1–17.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 19.1% | 16.7–21.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.3% | 33.4–41.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.1–7.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.6% | 9.3–12.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.7% | 15.7–19.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.3–6.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 10.6% | 9.5–11.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 21.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 39.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 29.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 22.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 30.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 10.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 37.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 37.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 12.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 31.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $59,441 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $163,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $842 | $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 | 79.8 yr ± 1.06 | 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 1.06 years of 79.8, 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