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ZipVitals

ZIP code

80226

in Lakewood, ColoradoPopulation 31,573

57.43/ 100

Ranked #6,857 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 21%)

Ranked #211 of 502 Colorado ZIPs (top 42%)

Ranked #87 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.

Obesity

24%

in the bottom 4.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST24th
US4th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 3.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US97th
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 ›

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 ›

High blood pressure

26.9%

in the bottom 4.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST27th
US5th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.

Full methodology ›

Industrial-pollution burden

in the top 6.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US94th
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 ›

Subsidized affordable housing

360 units

in the top 6.7% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST92nd
US93rd
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Binge drinking

19.9%

in the top 6.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST85th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.

Full methodology ›

Lead in tap water

6.3 ppb

in the top 7.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

US93rd
Definition & 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 ›

Transit access

3.9 per 1,000 residents

in the top 7.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST88th
US92nd
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 ›

Mental-health provider access

0.12 per 1,000 residents

in the top 8.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST87th
US91st
Definition & source ›

The number of mental-health 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 ›

The read

Judged by its overall standing, ZIP 80226, one of several in Lakewood, Colorado sits in the top 21% healthiest ZIPs nationally (6,857th) and the top 42% of Colorado (211th).

continue reading

A healthy showing across the board, and a few measures carry it: modeled obesity stands in the bottom 4.2% nationally. Distance to an emergency room resides at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled high blood pressure sits in the bottom 4.6% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing stands in the top 6.7% nationally. Transit resides in the top 7.6% nationally. On the other hand, modeled disaster risk sits in the top 3.0% nationally, and tree cover stands at the national minimum. Modeled industrial-pollution burden resides in the top 6.4% nationally, and binge drinking sits in the top 6.6% nationally. Lead in tap water stands in the top 7.2% nationally.

Placed beside its immediate neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put plainly, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. 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 nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 80215, 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 89%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 86%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 80%

11%

Disability

healthier than 74%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 85%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 87%

5%

About typical

Mental Health

healthier than 49%

8%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 14%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 14%

13%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 64%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 73%

16%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 85%

5%

About typical

Risk Behavior

healthier than 40%

11%

Disability

healthier than 50%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 44%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 20%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 29%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 32%

8%

Lifting this score

Healthcare Access

healthier than 76%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 43%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 48%

16%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 58%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 35%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 31%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 37%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 19%

8%

Disability

healthier than 28%

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 ›

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 76.3 ± 0.9 years. A median household income of $82,300 predicts 79.3 years — 3.0 years below.

    Ranked #4,178 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 76.3 ± 0.9 years. The 45 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 78.9 years — 2.6 years below them.

    Ranked #2,044 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 14.4; chronic-disease standing 88.7 — 74 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #16,763 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 adults23.5%21.5–25.6
High blood pressure among adults26.9%24.5–29.4
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults7.4%6.8–8.1
Current asthma among adults11.5%10.3–12.8
Coronary heart disease among adults5.2%4.7–5.7
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults5.4%4.8–6.0
Depression among adults23.6%21.0–26.4
Diagnosed diabetes among adults8.8%7.7–10.0
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened32.0%29.2–34.7
Obesity among adults24.0%20.6–27.6
Stroke among adults2.8%2.5–3.0
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years10.9%8.8–13.2
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years12.9%11.2–14.5
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure68.3%65.4–71.2
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults71.2%68.1–74.1
Cholesterol screening among adults84.1%82.3–85.8
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years65.4%61.6–68.9
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults63.3%60.3–66.1
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years71.6%65.4–77.2
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults19.9%17.5–22.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults11.1%9.7–12.6
No leisure-time physical activity among adults16.2%14.0–18.6
Short sleep duration among adults31.2%27.6–34.9
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults16.2%14.4–18.0
Frequent mental distress among adults16.5%14.8–18.3
Frequent physical distress among adults11.9%10.7–13.3
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults15.2%13.6–16.8
Any disability among adults28.1%25.4–31.0
Hearing disability among adults6.5%5.8–7.3
Independent living disability among adults7.1%6.3–7.9
Mobility disability among adults10.5%9.3–11.9
Self-care disability among adults3.1%2.8–3.4
Vision disability among adults4.6%4.2–5.0
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)CO median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate8.7%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3649.1% (2.3–21.1%) n=507
Uninsured 18–6414.6%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2869.9% (1.9–21.6%) n=503
No HS diploma (25+)9.1%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.0% (0.0–16.3%) n=508
Bachelor's or higher (25+)37.6%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50533.9% (14.8–65.1%) n=508
Unemployment rate (16+)3.5%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.6% (0.0–7.7%) n=505
Households without a vehicle7.4%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.9% (0.0–9.4%) n=507
Broadband subscription94.5%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32292.5% (79.4–98.7%) n=507
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)37.1%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32229.9% (15.9–42.9%) n=507
Homeownership rate52.1%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32274.7% (51.5–93.8%) n=507
Crowded housing (>1 per room)3.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–5.3%) n=507
Foreign-born population10.6%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5534.8% (0.0–14.6%) n=508
Single-parent households51.4%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08754.4% (40.1–81.1%) n=500
Population 65+17.2%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55318.6% (9.2–36.4%) n=508
Median age37.8 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29241.0 yr (33.4–58.2) n=502
Median household income$82,300$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$84,602 ($48,743–$134,919) n=470
Median home value$568,300$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$458,400 ($191,360–$800,020) n=469
Median gross rent$1,775$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 birth76.3 yr ± 0.4678.9 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 0.46 years of 76.3, 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