ZIP code
78957
in Smithville, TexasPopulation 10,543
47.32/ 100
Ranked #19,769 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 38%)
Ranked #743 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (top 40%)
Ranked #76 of 89 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX ZIPs (bottom 14.7%)
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.
Distance to an emergency room
27.4 mi
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
153.3 days/year
in the top 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST79thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Dry extreme heat
85.2 days/year
in the top 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST57thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
55.8 mi
in the top 10.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST84thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Radon
0.7 pCi/L
in the bottom 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST33rdUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Short sleep
33.3%
in the bottom 30% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS30thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›The read
Smithville, Texas (ZIP 78957) ranks in the bottom 38% nationally (19,769th) and the top 40% of Texas (743rd).
A profile of give and take, with clear readings each way: distance to a Superfund site settles in the top 10.0% nationally, and modeled radon rests in the bottom 5.5% nationally. Distance to a nursing home lands at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Modeled arsenic settles in the bottom 18% nationally. On the other side, distance to an emergency room rests in the top 2.4% nationally, modeled humid heat lands in the top 3.8% nationally, and modeled extreme heat settles in the top 4.2% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure rests in the top 11.9% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lands at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Crowded housing settles in the top 18% nationally.
Against its neighbors, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 78602, 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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 57%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 53%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 46%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 38%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 29%
13%
Disability
healthier than 39%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 5%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 38%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 91%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 73%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 73%
11%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 55%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 46%
8%
Disability
healthier than 48%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 24%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 19%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 36%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 96%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 58%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 5%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 16%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 30%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 27%
8%
Disability
healthier than 17%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 17%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 13%
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 93.8 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 37.6 — 56 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #2,018 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
78602
Texasshares a border
Score 50.60
Closest healthier
78659
Texasshares a border
Score 50.60
Similar health profile
32011
Florida99% similar profile
Score 47.29
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 | 29.9% | 26.7–33.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.3% | 36.3–44.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.4% | 8.5–10.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.8% | 7.0–8.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.4–9.3 |
| Depression among adults | 23.5% | 20.2–27.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.2% | 12.4–16.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.0% | 36.6–45.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.8% | 32.6–47.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.1% | 10.8–15.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 14.2% | 12.4–15.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.5% | 76.7–82.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.8% | 73.2–80.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.5% | 86.0–88.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.4% | 60.6–70.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 56.8% | 53.2–60.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.4% | 63.4–78.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.2% | 13.4–19.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.6% | 12.7–16.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.5% | 25.3–34.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.3% | 27.8–39.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.5% | 19.9–25.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.9% | 15.2–18.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.0% | 13.3–16.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.8% | 13.2–16.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.1% | 30.1–38.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.6–9.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.0% | 8.0–10.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.3% | 15.2–19.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–4.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.8% | 5.3–6.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 27.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 9.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 23.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 4.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 7.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 54.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 20.0% | 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 | $69,149 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $259,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $1,383 | $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 | 76.8 yr ± 1.00 | 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 1.00 years of 76.8, 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