ZIP code
78576
in Penitas, TexasPopulation 15,484
30.13/ 100
Ranked #30,738 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 4.2%)
Ranked #1,820 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (bottom 2.6%)
Ranked #24 of 27 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX ZIPs (bottom 11.2%)
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)
46.9%
in the top 0.02% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Vision disability
14.1%
in the top 0.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
42.8%
in the bottom 0.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
40.1%
in the top 0.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
24.7%
in the top 1.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
56.7%
in the top 0.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
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 ›Mammography
62.9%
in the bottom 1.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
122.1 days/year
in the top 0.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
194.7 days/year
in the top 0.7% 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 ›Crowded housing
24.4%
in the top 0.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›The read
Penitas, Texas (ZIP 78576), by its composite score, sits in the bottom 4.2% nationally (30,738th) and the bottom 2.6% of Texas (1,820th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The measures that define this area's challenges come through directly: modeled uninsured is in the top 0.02% nationally, and vision disability lands in the top 0.8% nationally. Modeled colon screening stands in the bottom 0.5% nationally, and fair or poor health registers in the top 0.7% nationally. Modeled cognitive disability settles in the top 1.2% nationally, arsenic sits in the top 0.4% nationally, and mammography lies in the bottom 1.5% nationally. Modeled extreme heat rests in the top 0.7% nationally, modeled humid heat resides in the top 0.7% nationally, and crowded housing is in the top 0.8% nationally.
Next to the surrounding area, crowded housing runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For anyone unfamiliar, 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. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 78541, 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 69%
21%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 48%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 44%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 10%
16%
Preventive Care
in the bottom 0.10%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 2%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 21%
8%
Disability
healthier than 3%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the bottom 0.01%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 58%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 40%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 3%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 31%
14%
Preventive Care
in the bottom 0.3%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 2%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 10%
8%
Disability
healthier than 3%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the bottom 0.01%
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
78541
Texasshares a border
Score 40.46
Closest healthier
78560
Texasshares a border
Score 38.83
Similar health profile
78742
Texas99% similar profile
Score 33.04
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 | 17.9% | 16.1–19.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 31.6% | 29.0–34.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 3.1% | 2.8–3.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.3% | 8.2–10.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.0% | 5.4–6.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.1% | 5.4–6.8 |
| Depression among adults | 21.9% | 19.2–24.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.3% | 15.7–19.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 33.3% | 30.4–36.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 47.0% | 42.5–51.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.5% | 3.2–3.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 26.8% | 23.0–30.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 46.9% | 42.5–51.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 68.9% | 66.1–71.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 68.2% | 64.7–71.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 74.6% | 71.9–77.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 42.8% | 38.6–47.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 34.8% | 32.0–37.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 62.9% | 55.5–69.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.9% | 14.5–19.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.9% | 14.8–19.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 43.5% | 39.6–47.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 42.9% | 38.6–47.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 40.1% | 36.7–43.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 21.3% | 19.2–23.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.6% | 16.8–20.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 24.7% | 22.4–27.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 44.1% | 40.3–48.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.5% | 6.7–8.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 14.2% | 12.8–15.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.4% | 18.4–22.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 7.8% | 7.1–8.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 14.1% | 12.9–15.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 36.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 65.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 47.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 7.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 91.6% | 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 | 84.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 24.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 31.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 35.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 5.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 22.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $49,137 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $131,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $697 | $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 | 84.7 yr ± 2.05 | 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 2.05 years of 84.7, 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