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ZipVitals

ZIP code

80033

in Wheat Ridge, ColoradoPopulation 26,485

57.39/ 100

Ranked #6,889 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 21%)

Ranked #212 of 502 Colorado ZIPs (top 42%)

Ranked #88 of 127 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO ZIPs (bottom 31%)

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

Robust across all 9 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.

Industrial-pollution burden

in the top 2.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.

Full methodology ›

Obesity

24.3%

in the bottom 4.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST25th
US5th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.

Full methodology ›

Outpatient-care access

0.79 per 1,000 residents

in the top 3.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST95th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The number of outpatient clinics 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 ›

Physician access

3.1 per 1,000 residents

in the top 3.3% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST96th
US97th
Definition & 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 ›

Dental provider access

1.3 per 1,000 residents

in the top 3.5% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST94th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The number of dental 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 ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 4.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST87th
US96th
Definition & 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 ›

Transit access

5.6 per 1,000 residents

in the top 4.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST95th
US96th
Definition & 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 ›

Subsidized affordable housing

483 units

in the top 4.7% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST94th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.

Full methodology ›

Recreation access

1.3 per 1,000 residents

in the top 4.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST91st
US95th
Definition & source ›

The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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 ›

Tree cover

0.00%

at the national minimum

Higher is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.

Full methodology ›

The read

Judged by its overall standing, Wheat Ridge, Colorado (ZIP 80033) sits in the top 21% healthiest ZIPs nationally (6,889th) and the top 42% of Colorado (212th).

continue reading

The measures that most flatter this area set the tone for the rest: modeled obesity stands in the bottom 4.6% nationally, outpatient resides in the top 3.2% nationally, and physicians sits in the top 3.3% nationally. Dental providers stands in the top 3.5% nationally, transit resides in the top 4.2% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing sits in the top 4.7% nationally. Recreation stands in the top 4.8% nationally. Against that, modeled industrial-pollution burden resides in the top 2.7% nationally, and disaster risk sits in the top 4.0% nationally. Modeled tree cover stands at the national minimum.

Placed beside its immediate neighbors, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put plainly, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 80002, 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area.

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

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 79%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 94%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 85%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 63%

8%

Disability

healthier than 74%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 62%

5%

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 4%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 29%

13%

Lifting this score

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 91%

16%

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 47%

21%

Preventive Care

healthier than 59%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 50%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 54%

8%

Disability

healthier than 48%

7%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 4%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 16%

5%

Lifting this score

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 82%

16%

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Preventive Care

healthier than 56%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 45%

11%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 15%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 7%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 38%

8%

Disability

healthier than 27%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 9%

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

3 of our published findings list 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.

  • Below what income predicts

    The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes

    Estimated life expectancy is 77.0 ± 1.2 years. A median household income of $89,627 predicts 79.6 years — 2.6 years below.

    Ranked #3,596 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.

  • Below its nearby ZIPs

    The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors

    Estimated life expectancy is 77.0 ± 1.2 years. The 46 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 79.0 years — 1.9 years below them.

    Ranked #1,557 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.

  • Heavy environment, light chronic burden

    Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions

    Environmental-hazard standing 3.8 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 79.2 — 75 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #16,873 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.

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 adults27.2%24.8–29.7
High blood pressure among adults30.1%27.5–33.0
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.0%8.3–9.8
Current asthma among adults11.5%10.3–12.8
Coronary heart disease among adults6.0%5.4–6.7
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults5.8%5.1–6.6
Depression among adults23.2%20.6–25.9
Diagnosed diabetes among adults9.6%8.4–10.9
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened34.6%31.7–37.6
Obesity among adults24.3%20.9–28.1
Stroke among adults3.1%2.9–3.4
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years11.2%9.1–13.6
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years10.1%8.8–11.5
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure71.4%68.4–74.3
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults73.8%70.8–76.5
Cholesterol screening among adults86.9%85.3–88.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years67.8%64.0–71.3
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults63.7%60.6–66.6
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years72.4%66.3–77.9
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults18.7%16.4–21.1
Current cigarette smoking among adults11.0%9.4–12.5
No leisure-time physical activity among adults15.6%13.3–18.2
Short sleep duration among adults31.0%27.5–34.7
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults15.6%13.8–17.6
Frequent mental distress among adults15.3%13.7–17.0
Frequent physical distress among adults12.2%10.8–13.7
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults13.7%12.2–15.3
Any disability among adults28.2%25.2–31.3
Hearing disability among adults7.4%6.6–8.3
Independent living disability among adults6.9%6.1–7.7
Mobility disability among adults11.4%10.0–13.0
Self-care disability among adults3.2%2.9–3.5
Vision disability among adults4.4%4.0–4.9
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)CO median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate12.1%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3649.1% (2.3–21.1%) n=507
Uninsured 18–648.6%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2869.9% (1.9–21.6%) n=503
No HS diploma (25+)4.2%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.0% (0.0–16.3%) n=508
Bachelor's or higher (25+)46.9%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50533.9% (14.8–65.1%) n=508
Unemployment rate (16+)6.1%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.6% (0.0–7.7%) n=505
Households without a vehicle7.5%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.9% (0.0–9.4%) n=507
Broadband subscription91.2%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32292.5% (79.4–98.7%) n=507
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)35.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32229.9% (15.9–42.9%) n=507
Homeownership rate51.6%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32274.7% (51.5–93.8%) n=507
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.3%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–5.3%) n=507
Foreign-born population6.4%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5534.8% (0.0–14.6%) n=508
Single-parent households52.4%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08754.4% (40.1–81.1%) n=500
Population 65+20.7%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55318.6% (9.2–36.4%) n=508
Median age42.4 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29241.0 yr (33.4–58.2) n=502
Median household income$89,627$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$84,602 ($48,743–$134,919) n=470
Median home value$609,800$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$458,400 ($191,360–$800,020) n=469
Median gross rent$1,587$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,534 ($828–$2,196) n=401
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)CO median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth77.0 yr ± 0.5978.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30880.4 yr (76.8–83.2) n=466

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 0.59 years of 77.0, 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