ZIP code
80751
in Sterling, ColoradoPopulation 16,936
45.80/ 100
Ranked #21,549 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 33%)
Ranked #448 of 502 Colorado ZIPs (bottom 10.8%)
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.
Nitrate in drinking water
12.1%
in the top 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams per liter.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Mammography
66.1%
in the bottom 4.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST14thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 4.3% 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS95thDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
73.8 mi
in the top 5.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Mental-health provider access
0.11 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST85thUS91stDefinition & 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 ›PFAS in drinking water
48.3%
in the top 14.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS85thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
30.7 days/year
in the top 14.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS85thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$48,682
in the bottom 12.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST10thUS13thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
18.1%
in the top 20% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS80thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, Sterling, Colorado (ZIP 80751) lands in the bottom 33% nationally (21,549th) and the bottom 10.8% of Colorado (448th).
The measures split the difference for this area: distance to an emergency room sits at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Distance to a Superfund site rests in the top 5.9% nationally, and mental-health providers is in the top 9.5% nationally. Distance to a community health center stands at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Against that, modeled nitrate settles in the top 2.9% nationally, mammography lies in the bottom 4.1% nationally, and disaster risk resides in the top 4.3% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss lands in the top 5.0% nationally, radon registers in the top 11.3% nationally, and tree cover sits in the bottom 10.5% nationally.
Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of terms, nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 80722, 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 65%
21%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 53%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 29%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 24%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 6%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 30%
8%
Disability
healthier than 32%
7%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 29%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 16%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 29%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 10%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 8%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 11%
8%
Disability
healthier than 9%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 6%
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
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.
Above what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 78.4 ± 1.0 years. A median household income of $48,682 predicts 77.2 years — 1.2 years above.
Ranked #1,407 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
80722
Coloradoshares a border
Score 48.15
Closest healthier
80728
Coloradoshares a border
Score 47.42
Similar health profile
88130
New Mexico98% similar profile
Score 46.20
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 | 26.5% | 23.4–29.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.0% | 28.9–37.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.2% | 7.4–8.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.5% | 10.2–12.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.2% | 6.5–8.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.4–9.3 |
| Depression among adults | 23.9% | 20.2–27.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.0% | 9.5–12.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 33.2% | 29.0–37.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 30.1% | 22.9–37.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.9% | 3.6–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.8% | 12.0–18.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 15.1% | 13.0–17.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 69.8% | 66.4–73.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 69.6% | 65.1–73.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 81.1% | 78.9–83.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 61.1% | 55.7–66.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.5% | 53.6–61.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 66.1% | 56.9–75.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.2% | 14.1–20.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.6% | 14.4–19.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.6% | 19.6–27.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.5% | 27.3–40.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.8% | 19.1–24.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.6% | 16.5–20.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.3% | 13.5–17.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.1% | 16.1–20.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.3% | 29.9–38.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.6–9.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.7% | 8.7–10.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.9% | 13.0–16.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–5.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.3% | 5.7–6.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CO median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.1% (2.3–21.1%) n=507 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.9% (1.9–21.6%) n=503 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 11.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.0% (0.0–16.3%) n=508 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 33.9% (14.8–65.1%) n=508 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.6% (0.0–7.7%) n=505 |
| Households without a vehicle | 7.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.9% (0.0–9.4%) n=507 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.5% (79.4–98.7%) n=507 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 31.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 29.9% (15.9–42.9%) n=507 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 74.7% (51.5–93.8%) n=507 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 4.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–5.3%) n=507 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–14.6%) n=508 |
| Single-parent households | 45.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.4% (40.1–81.1%) n=500 |
| Population 65+ | 18.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.6% (9.2–36.4%) n=508 |
| Median age | 38.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (33.4–58.2) n=502 |
| Median household income | $48,682 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,602 ($48,743–$134,919) n=470 |
| Median home value | $252,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $458,400 ($191,360–$800,020) n=469 |
| Median gross rent | $1,008 | $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 | 78.4 yr ± 0.53 | 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 0.53 years of 78.4, 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