ZIP code
78570
in Mercedes, TexasPopulation 34,348
31.11/ 100
Ranked #30,522 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 4.9%)
Ranked #1,805 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (bottom 3.4%)
Ranked #21 of 27 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX ZIPs (bottom 22%)
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)
43.1%
in the top 0.09% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Vision disability
15.0%
in the top 0.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
40.3%
in the top 0.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Self-care disability
8.8%
in the top 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
50.1%
in the bottom 2.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST6thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
84.2%
in the top 1.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
185.6 days/year
in the top 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Diabetes
20.7%
in the top 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
14.5%
in the top 3.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
22.8%
in the top 2.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›The read
Mercedes, Texas (ZIP 78570), on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 4.9% nationally (30,522nd) and the bottom 3.4% of Texas (1,805th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
Where this area is stretched, the data is unambiguous: modeled uninsured rests in the top 0.09% nationally, vision disability sits in the top 0.5% nationally, and fair or poor health registers in the top 0.6% nationally. Modeled self-care disability lands in the top 1.6% nationally, colon screening resides in the bottom 2.0% nationally, and pfas lies in the top 1.2% nationally. Modeled humid heat settles in the top 1.3% nationally, and diabetes stands in the top 2.8% nationally. Modeled independent living disability is in the top 3.3% nationally, and cognitive disability rests in the top 2.7% nationally.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, 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. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 78538, 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 60%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 89%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 43%
21%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 8%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 2%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 5%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 36%
8%
Disability
healthier than 2%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the bottom 0.01%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 89%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 40%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 30%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 2%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 5%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 6%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 29%
8%
Disability
healthier than 2%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the bottom 0.04%
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 its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 77.1 ± 1.1 years. The 47 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 80.2 years — 3.1 years below them.
Ranked #2,453 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
78538
Texasshares a border
Score 31.45
Closest healthier
78559
Texasshares a border
Score 39.95
Similar health profile
73950
Oklahoma99% similar profile
Score 43.28
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 | 22.7% | 20.6–24.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.8% | 34.0–39.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 4.6% | 4.1–5.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.2% | 8.3–10.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.0% | 7.3–8.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.7% | 7.0–8.5 |
| Depression among adults | 21.2% | 18.7–23.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 20.7% | 18.8–22.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.4% | 34.4–40.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 47.2% | 42.8–51.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.5% | 4.2–4.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 19.9% | 17.1–23.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 43.1% | 39.8–46.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.2% | 72.8–77.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 71.9% | 68.8–75.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 78.4% | 76.4–80.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 50.1% | 45.8–54.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 38.1% | 35.2–41.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 67.8% | 60.8–74.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.3% | 13.1–17.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.4% | 14.6–18.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 43.5% | 40.0–47.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 40.9% | 36.8–45.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 40.3% | 37.4–43.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.7% | 17.9–21.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 19.6% | 17.8–21.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 22.8% | 20.9–24.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 45.0% | 41.6–48.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.3% | 8.4–10.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 14.5% | 13.3–15.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 23.9% | 21.9–26.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 8.8% | 8.1–9.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 15.0% | 14.0–16.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 36.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 46.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 37.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 11.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 11.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 7.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 78.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 28.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 15.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 20.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 38.5% | 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 | 27.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $41,965 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $86,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $803 | $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 | 77.1 yr ± 0.58 | 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 0.58 years of 77.1, 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