ZIP code
79606
in Abilene, TexasPopulation 29,182
56.87/ 100
Ranked #7,398 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 23%)
Ranked #225 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (top 12.1%)
Ranked #2 of 24 Abilene, TX ZIPs (top 8.4%)
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 a Superfund site
122.8 mi
in the top 2.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS97thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Physician access
2.7 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS96thDefinition & 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
85 days/year
in the top 4.3% 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 ›Lead in tap water
0.00028 ppb
in the bottom 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
US10thDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
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 ›PFOA in drinking water
74.5%
in the top 12.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS87thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOA, one of the man-made “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 ›Radon
0.8 pCi/L
in the bottom 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST52ndUS10thDefinition & 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 ›The read
ZIP 79606, one of several in Abilene, Texas, on the composite measure, lands in the top 23% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,398th) and the top 12.1% of Texas (225th).
Reading across the measures, this area's clearest strengths come through: distance to a Superfund site resides in the top 2.6% nationally, physicians lies in the top 4.1% nationally, and lead in tap water settles in the bottom 9.6% nationally. Subsidized affordable housing stands in the top 10.3% nationally. Distance to a nursing home is at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. By contrast, modeled disaster risk rests in the top 2.8% nationally, and extreme heat sits in the top 4.3% nationally. Homeownership registers in the bottom 10.7% nationally, and PFOA in drinking water lands in the top 12.9% nationally. PFOS in drinking water resides in the top 13.5% nationally.
In everyday language, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 79508, 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 Abilene, TX metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 84%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 71%
16%
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.8%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 65%
11%
Disability
healthier than 78%
7%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 53%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 29%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 9%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 76%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 72%
16%
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.4%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 73%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 82%
11%
Disability
healthier than 81%
7%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 56%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 47%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 89%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 78%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 89%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 78%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 78%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 89%
8%
Disability
healthier than 67%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 67%
5%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 22%
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
79508
Texasshares a border
Score 58.21
Similar health profile
76132
Texas98% similar profile
Score 56.05
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 | 23.2% | 20.4–26.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 32.3% | 28.5–36.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.9% | 7.2–8.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.7% | 8.6–11.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.4% | 4.9–6.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.5% | 4.8–6.2 |
| Depression among adults | 22.6% | 19.3–26.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.1% | 8.8–11.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.4% | 31.3–39.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 31.7% | 24.7–39.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.9% | 2.6–3.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.3% | 7.4–11.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.7% | 10.2–13.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 74.9% | 72.1–77.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 74.3% | 70.4–78.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.8% | 84.0–87.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.4% | 60.0–70.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.8% | 56.8–64.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.2% | 67.1–82.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.2% | 15.1–21.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.9% | 9.3–12.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.2% | 18.5–26.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.2% | 28.6–41.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.7% | 14.5–19.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.8% | 14.9–18.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.7% | 10.3–13.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.5% | 11.9–15.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.0% | 24.2–31.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.4–8.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.8% | 10.2–13.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.0% | 2.7–3.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 37.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.2% | 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 | 95.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 30.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 53.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 53.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 16.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 34.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $79,196 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $272,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $1,194 | $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 | 79.0 yr ± 0.72 | 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 0.72 years of 79.0, 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