ZIP code
79312
in Amherst, TexasPopulation 1,130
38.65/ 100
Ranked #27,635 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 13.9%)
Ranked #1,567 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (bottom 16%)
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)
28.3%
in the top 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Nitrate in drinking water
41.3%
in the top 1.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams 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 ›Fatal road crashes
70.8 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
39.7%
in the top 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Poverty rate
38.4%
in the top 3.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
31.9%
in the top 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Vision disability
9.6%
in the top 5.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Crowded housing
10.8%
in the top 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
3.8%
in the bottom 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
55.6%
in the bottom 5.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST19thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Cross-source signals
Health need and barriers to care documented here
On our reading, this ZIP code carries the overlap at its acute level: acute means at least three of the six health-need readings and at least three of the six access barriers apply to the same place.
These are two separate readings of public data that both apply to this place — never a claim that one causes the other, never a severity score, and never a statement about any person who lives here.
Health need documented here
- People without health insurance
- People living in poverty
- Adults reporting fair or poor health
- Chronic conditions
Barriers to reaching care
- Distance to the nearest community health center
- Thin local supply of doctors
- Thin local supply of pharmacies
A reading appears below only where this ZIP code is among the most-affected 10% of US ZIP codes on it — one national bar, the same for every ZIP in the country.
See the full care-deserts analysis →The read
Amherst, Texas (ZIP 79312), in overall standing, comes out in the bottom 13.9% nationally (27,635th) and the bottom 16% of Texas (1,567th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
Here the data is straightforward about what defines the area: modeled uninsured lies in the top 1.5% nationally, modeled nitrate registers in the top 1.2% nationally, and fatal road crashes is in the top 1.3% nationally. Modeled arsenic lies in the top 1.6% nationally, poverty registers in the top 3.4% nationally, and modeled fair or poor health is in the top 5.4% nationally. Modeled vision disability lies in the top 5.8% nationally, and crowded housing registers in the top 4.1% nationally. Modeled colon screening is in the bottom 5.6% nationally. Better still, housing-cost burden lies in the bottom 4.5% nationally.
Set within its surrounding area, arsenic runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, for reference, nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 79339, just across the boundary. Beyond that, the ZIP also shows documented health need overlapping with barriers to reaching care, sitting in the most-affected 10% of US ZIP codes on several need measures and several access barriers.
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 67%
14%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 58%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 29%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 15%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 6%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 18%
11%
Disability
healthier than 9%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 23%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 6%
5%
Lifting this score
Mental Health
healthier than 63%
8%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 96%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 47%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 16%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 6%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 25%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 28%
11%
Disability
healthier than 10%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 4%
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
79031
Texasshares a border
Score 37.19
Closest healthier
79339
Texasshares a border
Score 40.45
Similar health profile
79235
Texas97% similar profile
Score 39.69
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 | 28.5% | 25.5–32.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.7% | 37.7–47.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.6% | 6.9–8.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.6% | 8.5–11.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.2% | 8.3–10.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.1% | 8.0–10.4 |
| Depression among adults | 21.0% | 17.9–25.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 18.7% | 16.6–21.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.6% | 36.3–46.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.5% | 33.3–52.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.9% | 4.5–5.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.2% | 11.7–17.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 28.3% | 23.9–33.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.1% | 76.5–81.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 75.0% | 71.2–79.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.4% | 82.4–86.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 55.6% | 50.2–61.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 48.0% | 44.2–51.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 69.9% | 61.3–77.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.7% | 12.1–18.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.3% | 14.0–18.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 38.5% | 33.2–44.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.7% | 30.7–45.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 31.9% | 28.3–36.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.4% | 15.5–19.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.1% | 16.0–20.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.3% | 16.2–20.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 41.6% | 36.9–47.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.4% | 10.0–12.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 22.1% | 19.6–25.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.5% | 5.8–7.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 9.6% | 8.6–10.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 38.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 58.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 20.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 12.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 3.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 10.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 32.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 53.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 15.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 37.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $64,722 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $49,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $779 | $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 | 78.2 yr ± 1.04 | 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 1.04 years of 78.2, 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