ZIP code
78742
in Austin, TexasPopulation 847
33.04/ 100
Ranked #30,038 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 6.4%)
Ranked #1,779 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (bottom 4.8%)
Ranked #89 of 89 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX ZIPs (bottom 1.2%)
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)
38.6%
in the top 0.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
46%
in the bottom 0.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST2ndUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Vision disability
11.8%
in the top 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
36%
in the top 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
34.6%
in the top 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
30.7%
in the top 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Self-care disability
7.5%
in the top 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›PFOS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOS, one of the most common “forever chemicals,” was 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 ›Unemployment rate
20.3%
in the top 2.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
55.9%
in the bottom 2.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST2ndUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Cross-source signals
Combined exposures in this ZIP
More than one environmental exposure stands out in this ZIP. Each is established independently and shown on its own above; they are grouped here for context — not because one causes the other.
This area ranks among the highest 10% of US ZIP codes for both humid-heat days and flood exposure.
See the full flooding, evacuation & humid-heat analysis →
The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, ZIP 78742, one of several in Austin, Texas ranks in the bottom 6.4% nationally (30,038th) and the bottom 4.8% of Texas (1,779th).
The burdens that read clearest in the data come first: modeled uninsured settles in the top 0.3% nationally, and colon screening lies in the bottom 0.9% nationally. Modeled vision disability resides in the top 2.3% nationally, and fair or poor health lands in the top 2.1% nationally. Modeled transportation noise registers in the top 1.0% nationally, outer-floodplain exposure sits in the top 1.4% nationally, and modeled self-care disability rests in the top 4.1% nationally. PFOS in drinking water is at the national maximum, unemployment stands in the top 2.0% nationally, and home broadband subscription settles in the bottom 2.3% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, transportation noise runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, PFOS in drinking water is a common one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 78617, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 74%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 55%
21%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 16%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 27%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 1%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 7%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 21%
8%
Disability
healthier than 5%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the bottom 0.09%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 67%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 43%
21%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 7%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 17%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 4%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 9%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 10%
8%
Disability
healthier than 6%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the bottom 1.0%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
in the bottom 0.00%
16%
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.00%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 1%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the bottom 0.00%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 4%
8%
Disability
in the bottom 0.00%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the bottom 0.00%
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
78617
Texasshares a border
Score 43.07
Closest healthier
78702
Texasshares a border
Score 61.02
Similar health profile
78576
Texas99% similar profile
Score 30.13
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 | 21.2% | 19.2–23.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.8% | 31.1–36.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 4.6% | 4.1–5.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.9% | 8.8–11.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.0% | 6.2–7.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.1% | 7.0–9.3 |
| Depression among adults | 23.1% | 20.6–25.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.2% | 14.3–18.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.0% | 33.2–38.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.2% | 37.1–45.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 26.9% | 22.9–31.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 38.6% | 32.3–44.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 70.3% | 67.1–73.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 69.2% | 65.9–72.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 78.8% | 75.6–82.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 46.0% | 41.8–50.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 41.0% | 38.1–43.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.6% | 64.7–77.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.4% | 14.2–18.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.9% | 15.7–22.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 40.1% | 35.1–45.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.1% | 33.5–40.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 36.0% | 31.2–40.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.4% | 18.2–22.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.5% | 16.1–20.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 22.1% | 18.9–25.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 40.3% | 35.8–45.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.8% | 6.9–8.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 13.3% | 11.4–15.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.7% | 18.0–23.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 7.5% | 6.5–8.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 11.8% | 10.2–13.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 30.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 41.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 32.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 10.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 20.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 55.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 38.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 57.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 22.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 57.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 10.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 44.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | — | $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 | $1,328 | $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 | 76.4 yr ± 2.38 | 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 2.38 years of 76.4, 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