ZIP code
78638
in Kingsbury, TexasPopulation 2,135
45.91/ 100
Ranked #21,447 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 33%)
Ranked #869 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (top 47%)
Ranked #79 of 117 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX ZIPs (bottom 32%)
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.
Dry extreme heat
93.4 days/year
in the top 2.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST87thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
60.9 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
149.8 days/year
in the top 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST71stUS95thDefinition & 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 ›PFAS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFAS — man-made “forever chemicals” that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down — were detected in EPA testing.
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 ›Crowded housing
9.5%
in the top 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Slow internet speeds
1.5%
in the top 7.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Radon
0.7 pCi/L
in the bottom 5.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST31stUS5thDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite measure, Kingsbury, Texas (ZIP 78638) sits in the bottom 33% nationally (21,447th) and the top 47% of Texas (869th).
What the numbers press hardest on defines much of the story here: modeled extreme heat lands in the top 2.0% nationally, fatal road crashes resides in the top 2.2% nationally, and modeled humid heat lies in the top 4.8% nationally. PFAS in drinking water settles at the national maximum, crowded housing stands in the top 5.0% nationally, and slow internet speeds is in the top 7.6% nationally. Modeled uninsured rests in the top 11.1% nationally. On the encouraging side, modeled pfas sits in the bottom 10.9% nationally, and radon registers in the bottom 5.1% nationally. Modeled energy burden lands in the bottom 12.7% nationally.
In plain language, PFAS in drinking water is the family of man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. 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. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. ZIP 78622, just across the boundary, ranks healthier overall.
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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 91%
14%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 58%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 43%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 37%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 24%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 29%
11%
Disability
healthier than 36%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 5%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 86%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 66%
13%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 57%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 44%
11%
Disability
healthier than 44%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 24%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 40%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 24%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 85%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 62%
13%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 43%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 34%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 19%
8%
Disability
healthier than 40%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 21%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 29%
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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 90.8 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 37.1 — 54 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #2,198 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
78155
Texasshares a border
Score 45.84
Closest healthier
78622
Texasshares a border
Score 47.16
Similar health profile
75143
Texas99% similar profile
Score 42.50
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 | 31.9% | 28.7–35.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.0% | 37.2–45.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.2% | 8.4–10.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.1% | 7.2–9.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.7% | 7.5–9.9 |
| Depression among adults | 24.0% | 20.8–27.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.7% | 13.8–17.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.6% | 36.7–44.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.6% | 30.9–43.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.8% | 9.6–14.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 15.1% | 12.9–17.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.1% | 77.4–82.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.5% | 74.2–80.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.5% | 85.8–89.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.5% | 57.6–67.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.9% | 51.3–58.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 70.5% | 62.6–77.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.0% | 14.3–20.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.9% | 13.6–18.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.2% | 24.0–32.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.6% | 32.1–43.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.3% | 20.4–26.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.9% | 15.0–18.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.6% | 13.7–17.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.1% | 13.3–16.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.4% | 31.1–39.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.8% | 7.8–9.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.9% | 7.8–10.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.5% | 15.3–19.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.6% | 4.2–5.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.4–6.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 19.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 15.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 23.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 9.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 62.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 20.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 45.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $69,250 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $317,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $1,135 | $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 | 80.3 yr ± 1.88 | 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 1.88 years of 80.3, 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