ZIP code
79903
in El Paso, TexasPopulation 14,715
39.93/ 100
Ranked #26,813 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 16%)
Ranked #1,462 of 1,868 Texas ZIPs (bottom 22%)
Ranked #19 of 32 El Paso, TX ZIPs (bottom 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.
Uninsured (under 65)
34.7%
in the top 0.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Vision disability
12.9%
in the top 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
22.2%
in the top 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
35.5%
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Self-care disability
7.8%
in the top 3.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
52.6%
in the bottom 3.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST11thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Walkability
230 intersections/sq mi
in the top 1.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›PFOS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOS, one of the most common “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 ›Transit access
7.7 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The number of public-transit stops 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 ›Transportation noise
17.2%
in the top 3.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, ZIP 79903, one of several in El Paso, Texas sits in the bottom 16% nationally (26,813th) and the bottom 22% of Texas (1,462nd), based on limited data; treat as directional.
A few readings account for most of this area's strain: modeled uninsured lies in the top 0.5% nationally, vision disability registers in the top 1.4% nationally, and diabetes is in the top 1.6% nationally. Modeled fair or poor health lies in the top 2.4% nationally, self-care disability registers in the top 3.3% nationally, and colon screening is in the bottom 3.2% nationally. PFOS in drinking water lies at the national maximum, and modeled transportation noise registers in the top 3.3% nationally. On the better side, walkability is in the top 1.8% nationally, and transit lies in the top 2.2% nationally.
Placed beside its immediate neighbors, walkability runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put plainly, PFOS in drinking water is a common one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 79906, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Mental Health
healthier than 71%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 93%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 52%
16%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 36%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 18%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 6%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 17%
11%
Disability
healthier than 4%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 15%
5%
Lifting this score
Mental Health
healthier than 77%
8%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 80%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 92%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 49%
16%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 23%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 12%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 23%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 27%
11%
Disability
healthier than 4%
7%
“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
79905
Texasshares a border
Score 27.07
Closest healthier
79906
Texasshares a border
Score 43.78
Similar health profile
33142
Florida97% similar profile
Score 37.31
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 | 26.8% | 24.0–29.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.4% | 38.0–44.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.9% | 5.3–6.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 8.8% | 7.7–9.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.0% | 8.1–10.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.4% | 6.4–8.4 |
| Depression among adults | 19.3% | 16.7–22.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 22.2% | 19.8–24.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.7% | 36.3–43.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.9% | 31.9–41.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.9% | 4.4–5.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 20.1% | 17.0–23.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 34.7% | 30.5–39.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.4% | 77.9–82.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.4% | 74.3–80.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.5% | 82.5–86.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 52.6% | 48.3–56.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 40.5% | 37.6–43.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.2% | 64.8–77.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.8% | 11.5–16.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.2% | 12.1–16.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 42.2% | 37.7–46.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.0% | 34.9–43.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 35.5% | 32.1–39.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.1% | 15.2–19.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 19.2% | 17.0–21.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.6% | 16.6–20.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 41.9% | 37.9–45.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.2% | 9.0–11.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.9% | 10.5–13.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 24.2% | 21.6–27.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 7.8% | 7.0–8.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 12.9% | 11.6–14.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TX median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 28.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.4% (3.5–26.4%) n=1,869 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 40.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 22.3% (8.2–41.5%) n=1,862 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 29.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.2% (2.5–30.0%) n=1,881 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.9% (9.0–51.4%) n=1,881 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.4%) n=1,865 |
| Households without a vehicle | 17.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.8%) n=1,868 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.2% (75.0–97.3%) n=1,868 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 38.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 26.2% (8.8–40.3%) n=1,868 |
| Homeownership rate | 57.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (46.4–92.3%) n=1,868 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 6.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.1% (0.0–9.0%) n=1,868 |
| Foreign-born population | 30.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.1% (0.1–26.4%) n=1,886 |
| Single-parent households | 47.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.5% (34.3–70.6%) n=1,861 |
| Population 65+ | 22.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 16.1% (8.6–30.1%) n=1,886 |
| Median age | 43.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 38.3 yr (30.9–52.3) n=1,866 |
| Median household income | $37,155 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,983 ($46,006–$112,413) n=1,737 |
| Median home value | $128,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $210,500 ($97,060–$429,760) n=1,693 |
| Median gross rent | $898 | $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 | 77.0 yr ± 0.69 | 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 0.69 years of 77.0, 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