ZIP code
78934
in Columbus, TexasPopulation 6,731
46.94/ 100
Ranked #20,232 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 37%)
Ranked #774 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (top 41%)
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.
Fatal road crashes
52 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 3.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS97thDefinition & 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
152.7 days/year
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST78thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Physician access
2.4 per 1,000 residents
in the top 5.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of physicians’ offices located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
69.3 days/year
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST41stUS94thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Crowded housing
7.6%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Child-care access
0.59 per 1,000 residents
in the top 7.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of child day-care services inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Recreation access
1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
3.6%
in the top 9.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST79thUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Radon
0.7 pCi/L
in the bottom 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST17thUS2ndDefinition & 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 ›Uninsured (under 65)
16.3%
in the top 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST51stUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Columbus, Texas (ZIP 78934) lands in the bottom 37% nationally (20,232nd) and the top 41% of Texas (774th).
The picture here is genuinely mixed, with readings on both sides: physicians lands in the top 5.4% nationally. Distance to an emergency room sits at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Childcare is in the top 7.5% nationally, recreation settles in the top 8.3% nationally, and modeled radon resides in the bottom 2.4% nationally. On the other side, fatal road crashes registers in the top 3.4% nationally, modeled humid heat rests in the top 4.0% nationally, and modeled extreme heat stands in the top 6.0% nationally. Crowded housing lies in the top 7.5% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure lands in the top 9.5% nationally.
Set beside the nearby areas, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. A note on the terms: radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 78938, just across the boundary, ranks better 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 87%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 65%
8%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 52%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 52%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 36%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 27%
13%
Disability
healthier than 31%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 5%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 24%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 77%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 70%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 72%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 71%
8%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 50%
16%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 23%
21%
Disability
healthier than 38%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 22%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 25%
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 86.7; chronic-disease standing 35.9 — 51 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #2,434 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
77442
Texasshares a border
Score 29.51
Closest healthier
78938
Texasshares a border
Score 52.37
Similar health profile
32190
Florida99% similar profile
Score 46.39
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 | 29.8% | 26.6–33.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.0% | 36.8–45.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.6% | 8.8–10.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.9% | 8.9–11.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.5–9.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.5% | 7.5–9.7 |
| Depression among adults | 21.6% | 18.5–24.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.0% | 13.2–17.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.2% | 35.9–44.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.9% | 28.0–44.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–4.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.5% | 13.7–19.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 16.3% | 14.2–18.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.4% | 77.9–82.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.2% | 73.6–80.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.2% | 85.6–88.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.4% | 60.3–70.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.7% | 51.1–58.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.6% | 63.4–79.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.1% | 12.5–18.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.0% | 12.1–16.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.7% | 25.2–34.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.8% | 29.1–43.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.7% | 20.9–26.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.2% | 14.4–18.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.1% | 13.4–16.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.9% | 13.2–16.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.4% | 31.2–40.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.1% | 8.1–10.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.4% | 8.4–10.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.2% | 16.1–20.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.4% | 5.8–7.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 19.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 9.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 27.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 80.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 19.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 7.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 9.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 52.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 21.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 41.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $58,302 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $234,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $869 | $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 | 77.2 yr ± 1.20 | 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 1.20 years of 77.2, 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