ZIP code
80231
in Denver, ColoradoPopulation 35,883
58.23/ 100
Ranked #6,208 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 19%)
Ranked #194 of 502 Colorado ZIPs (top 39%)
Ranked #83 of 127 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO ZIPs (bottom 35%)
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.
Binge drinking
21.5%
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS98thDefinition & 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 ›High cholesterol
29%
in the bottom 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Obesity
24.7%
in the bottom 5.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST29thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
571 units
in the top 3.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
25.5%
in the bottom 3.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST18thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS96thDefinition & 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
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
39.6%
in the bottom 5.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST5thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Lithium in drinking water
9.9 µg/L
in the bottom 6.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.
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 ›Energy-cost burden
1.4%
in the bottom 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›The read
In its overall standing, ZIP 80231, one of several in Denver, Colorado lands in the top 19% healthiest ZIPs nationally (6,208th) and the top 39% of Colorado (194th).
This area's measures are easy to read as a mixed set: modeled high cholesterol is in the bottom 2.6% nationally, modeled obesity sits in the bottom 5.1% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing lands in the top 3.8% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure lies in the bottom 3.2% nationally, lithium in drinking water stands in the bottom 6.5% nationally, and modeled energy burden rests in the bottom 3.6% nationally. Set against that, modeled binge drinking registers in the top 2.4% nationally, and disaster risk resides in the top 4.5% nationally. Modeled tree cover settles at the national minimum, and homeownership is in the bottom 5.2% nationally.
Against the wider neighborhood, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put simply, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. On the overall standing, ZIP 80014, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.
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.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 94%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 83%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 69%
11%
Disability
healthier than 76%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 81%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 82%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 51%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 23%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 12%
13%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 78%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 67%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 80%
5%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 52%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 26%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 27%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 22%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 37%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 36%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 67%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 67%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 41%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 48%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 42%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 27%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 20%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 20%
8%
Disability
healthier than 31%
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
One of our published findings lists 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.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 23.0; chronic-disease standing 93.8 (top 10%) — 71 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #16,460 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.
Nearby
80014
Coloradoshares a border
Score 60.17
Closest healthier
80224
Coloradoshares a border
Score 61.08
Similar health profile
80235
Colorado99% similar profile
Score 58.90
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 | 20.8% | 19.3–22.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 25.5% | 23.6–27.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 6.8% | 6.4–7.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 10.1–11.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.9% | 4.5–5.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.2% | 4.7–5.7 |
| Depression among adults | 23.2% | 21.2–25.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 8.1% | 7.3–9.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 29.0% | 27.0–31.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 24.7% | 22.1–27.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.8% | 2.6–2.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.6% | 7.2–10.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 12.4% | 11.1–13.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 68.0% | 65.7–70.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 70.2% | 67.8–72.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.4% | 81.9–84.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.3% | 61.2–67.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.8% | 61.4–66.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.0% | 67.0–76.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 21.5% | 19.5–23.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 11.3% | 10.1–12.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 18.6% | 16.7–20.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.7% | 28.0–33.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.1% | 14.7–17.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.6% | 15.3–17.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.8% | 10.8–12.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.6% | 13.4–15.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.4% | 25.2–29.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.5–6.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.4% | 6.7–8.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 10.2% | 9.3–11.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.2% | 3.0–3.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.4–5.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CO median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.1% (2.3–21.1%) n=507 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 13.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.9% (1.9–21.6%) n=503 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.0% (0.0–16.3%) n=508 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 51.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 33.9% (14.8–65.1%) n=508 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.6% (0.0–7.7%) n=505 |
| Households without a vehicle | 9.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.9% (0.0–9.4%) n=507 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.5% (79.4–98.7%) n=507 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 42.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 29.9% (15.9–42.9%) n=507 |
| Homeownership rate | 39.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 74.7% (51.5–93.8%) n=507 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 6.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–5.3%) n=507 |
| Foreign-born population | 19.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–14.6%) n=508 |
| Single-parent households | 42.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.4% (40.1–81.1%) n=500 |
| Population 65+ | 12.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.6% (9.2–36.4%) n=508 |
| Median age | 33.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (33.4–58.2) n=502 |
| Median household income | $76,502 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,602 ($48,743–$134,919) n=470 |
| Median home value | $500,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $458,400 ($191,360–$800,020) n=469 |
| Median gross rent | $1,764 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,534 ($828–$2,196) n=401 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CO median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 80.0 yr ± 0.55 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 80.4 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 0.55 years of 80.0, 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