ZIP code
78591
in Santa Elena, TexasPopulation 158
45.20/ 100
Ranked #22,198 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 31%)
Ranked #950 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (bottom 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.
Uninsured (under 65)
31.4%
in the top 0.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
24.4%
in the top 0.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Vision disability
11.6%
in the top 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
49.6%
in the top 0.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Dry extreme heat
115.6 days/year
in the top 0.9% 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 ›Fair or poor health
34.3%
in the top 3.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
182.6 days/year
in the top 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Home broadband subscription
55.3%
in the bottom 2.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST2ndUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
24.6%
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Self-care disability
7.2%
in the top 5.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›The read
Santa Elena, Texas (ZIP 78591) ranks in the bottom 31% nationally (22,198th) and the bottom 49% of Texas (950th).
A number of readings press hard on the profile and set its tone: modeled uninsured settles in the top 0.9% nationally, and diabetes rests in the top 0.6% nationally. Modeled vision disability lands in the top 2.6% nationally, and arsenic settles in the top 0.8% nationally. Modeled extreme heat rests in the top 0.9% nationally, fair or poor health lands in the top 3.2% nationally, and humid heat settles in the top 1.6% nationally. Home broadband subscription rests in the bottom 2.2% nationally, modeled mobility disability lands in the top 4.0% nationally, and modeled self-care disability settles in the top 5.1% nationally.
For context, 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. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 78536, 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 96%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 97%
8%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 41%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 29%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 34%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 15%
13%
Disability
healthier than 7%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 10%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 10%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
Mental Health
in the top 0.4%
8%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 59%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 48%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 16%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 27%
16%
Disability
healthier than 8%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 9%
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
78536
Texasshares a border
Score 45.80
Closest healthier
78563
Texasshares a border
Score 46.61
Similar health profile
39769
Mississippi93% similar profile
Score 47.44
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 | 29.0% | 25.3–32.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 45.1% | 40.5–49.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 6.7% | 6.0–7.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 7.9% | 6.9–8.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.8% | 8.5–11.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.7% | 5.5–8.0 |
| Depression among adults | 16.0% | 13.3–18.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 24.4% | 21.3–27.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 44.7% | 39.9–49.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 42.3% | 34.0–51.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.3–5.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.6% | 8.5–13.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 31.4% | 25.3–38.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.7% | 78.9–84.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.5% | 73.8–80.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.9% | 85.7–89.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 60.7% | 55.3–66.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 52.8% | 49.0–56.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.6% | 62.9–78.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.7% | 10.4–15.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.0% | 9.5–14.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 41.9% | 35.6–48.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.2% | 29.4–43.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 34.3% | 29.3–39.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 13.3% | 11.5–15.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.3% | 15.7–21.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.1% | 12.6–17.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 40.9% | 35.4–46.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.8% | 9.4–12.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.1–11.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 24.6% | 20.9–28.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 7.2% | 5.9–8.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 11.6% | 9.8–13.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 28.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 14.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 12.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 20.0% | 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 | 9.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 55.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 13.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 89.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 6.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 24.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 67.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 14.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 56.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $35,750 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | — | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 76.5 yr ± 1.92 | 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 1.92 years of 76.5, 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