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ZipVitals

ZIP code

79560

in Sylvester, TexasPopulation 37

48.31/ 100

Ranked #18,542 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 42%)

Ranked #657 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (top 35%)

Ranked #7 of 24 Abilene, TX ZIPs (top 29%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Broad coverage across health domains

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

94.6 days/year

in the top 1.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.

Full methodology ›

Housing-cost burden

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.

Full methodology ›

Crowded housing

15.4%

in the top 2.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.

Full methodology ›

Transportation noise

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & 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 ›

Poverty rate

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Full methodology ›

Home broadband subscription

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

Nitrate in drinking water

12.2%

in the top 2.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
US97th
Definition & 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 ›

Distance to a Superfund site

114 mi

in the top 3.0% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST98th
US97th
Definition & 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 ›

Slow internet speeds

3.4%

in the top 3.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.

Full methodology ›

Colon-cancer screening

73.1%

in the top 7.0% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.

Full methodology ›

The read

Sylvester, Texas (ZIP 79560), overall, ranks in the bottom 42% nationally (18,542nd) and the top 35% of Texas (657th), based on limited data; treat as directional.

continue reading

This area's pressures are easy to read across the measures: modeled extreme heat resides in the top 1.8% nationally, crowded housing settles in the top 2.1% nationally, and modeled nitrate is in the top 2.9% nationally. Slow internet speeds sits in the top 3.5% nationally. On the brighter side, housing-cost burden lands at the national minimum, and modeled transportation noise lies at the national minimum. Poverty stands at the national minimum, and home broadband subscription rests at the national maximum. Distance to a Superfund site registers in the top 3.0% nationally. Unemployment resides at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs.

Measured against the nearby ZIPs, slow internet speeds runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. ZIP 79543, just across the boundary, comes out 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 Abilene, TX metro area.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Preventive Care

healthier than 77%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 75%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 63%

8%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 57%

14%

Disability

healthier than 41%

7%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 31%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 36%

16%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 2%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 12%

5%

Lifting this score

Preventive Care

healthier than 98%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 89%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 69%

8%

About typical

Disability

healthier than 51%

7%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 18%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 29%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 38%

14%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 6%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 12%

5%

Lifting this score

Preventive Care

in the top 0.00%

13%

Risk Behavior

in the top 0.00%

11%

Mental Health

in the top 0.00%

8%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 59%

16%

Disability

healthier than 40%

7%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

in the bottom 0.00%

21%

Environmental Hazard

in the bottom 0.00%

14%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

in the bottom 0.00%

5%

Healthcare Access

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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults33.4%29.5–37.4
High blood pressure among adults41.9%37.2–46.7
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults12.0%10.7–13.2
Current asthma among adults10.1%8.9–11.4
Coronary heart disease among adults8.8%7.7–10.0
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.4%7.0–9.9
Depression among adults22.7%19.2–26.4
Diagnosed diabetes among adults14.0%11.9–16.2
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened42.1%37.4–46.9
Obesity among adults33.6%25.5–42.4
Stroke among adults4.5%3.9–5.0
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years11.3%10.1–12.6
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years12.0%9.6–15.0
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure82.6%80.0–84.9
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults79.4%76.0–82.6
Cholesterol screening among adults89.8%88.2–91.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years73.1%70.9–75.3
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults61.7%59.7–63.7
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years76.5%72.8–79.9
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults14.2%11.7–17.1
Current cigarette smoking among adults12.4%10.1–14.9
No leisure-time physical activity among adults27.5%22.5–32.9
Short sleep duration among adults33.5%30.5–36.6
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults20.7%17.5–24.2
Frequent mental distress among adults15.6%13.7–17.7
Frequent physical distress among adults14.8%12.8–17.0
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults13.4%11.5–15.4
Any disability among adults35.2%30.2–40.3
Hearing disability among adults10.1%8.8–11.5
Independent living disability among adults8.5%7.3–9.8
Mobility disability among adults17.9%15.2–20.8
Self-care disability among adults3.9%3.3–4.5
Vision disability among adults5.2%4.5–5.9
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)TX median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate0.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36412.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869
Uninsured 18–6428.6%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28622.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862
No HS diploma (25+)0.0%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50512.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881
Bachelor's or higher (25+)44.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50521.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865
Households without a vehicle0.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868
Broadband subscription100.0%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32289.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)0.0%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32226.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868
Homeownership rate84.6%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32275.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868
Crowded housing (>1 per room)15.4%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3223.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868
Foreign-born population0.0%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5538.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886
Single-parent households84.6%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08748.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861
Population 65+48.6%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55316.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886
Median age63.5 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29238.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866
Median household income$85,625$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$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,154 ($764–$1,815) n=1,508
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)TX median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth76.8 yr ± 1.2478.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30878.2 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 1.24 years of 76.8, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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