ZIP code
81149
in Saguache, ColoradoPopulation 1,183
52.23/ 100
Ranked #13,155 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 41%)
Ranked #306 of 502 Colorado ZIPs (bottom 39%)
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.
Elder-services access
2.4 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.06% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›Humid extreme heat
2.9 days/year
in the bottom 1.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST21stUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.
Full methodology ›Walkability
0.79 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 1.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST11thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
59.2 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Park land
48.8%
in the top 2.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST82ndUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
10 per million
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST17thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
16.8 mi
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
5.6%
in the top 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
18.4%
in the top 7.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms 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 ›Binge drinking
14.3%
in the bottom 28% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS28thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Overall, Saguache, Colorado (ZIP 81149) lands in the top 41% healthiest ZIPs nationally (13,155th) and the bottom 39% of Colorado (306th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The picture here is genuinely mixed, with readings on both sides: elder services resides in the top 0.06% nationally, and modeled humid heat registers in the bottom 1.7% nationally. Park land rests in the top 2.5% nationally, and modeled air-toxics cancer risk stands in the bottom 2.8% nationally. Modeled obesity lies in the bottom 10.2% nationally. On the other side, walkability lands in the bottom 1.9% nationally, fatal road crashes sits in the top 2.4% nationally, and distance to a nursing home is in the top 4.5% nationally. Modeled energy burden settles in the top 4.6% nationally, and arsenic resides in the top 7.3% nationally.
Set beside the nearby areas, elder services runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. A note on the terms: air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 81132, just across the boundary, ranks better overall.
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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 85%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 81%
8%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 42%
21%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 27%
13%
Disability
healthier than 35%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 26%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 90%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 87%
8%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 55%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 49%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 10%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 7%
16%
Disability
healthier than 9%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 37%
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
81125
Coloradoshares a border
Score 48.20
Closest healthier
81132
Coloradoshares a border
Score 53.45
Similar health profile
87577
New Mexico97% similar profile
Score 53.01
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 | 31.8% | 28.0–35.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.8% | 33.2–42.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.8% | 9.7–12.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.9% | 7.9–10.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.5% | 7.2–10.0 |
| Depression among adults | 20.4% | 17.1–23.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.8% | 11.7–16.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.3% | 34.6–44.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 27.5% | 20.4–35.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.5% | 4.0–5.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.8% | 9.6–14.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 12.9% | 10.6–15.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.3% | 73.8–80.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 75.4% | 71.4–79.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.7% | 85.8–89.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.2% | 61.2–71.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.5% | 56.8–64.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 69.5% | 60.9–77.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.3% | 11.6–17.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.3% | 10.8–15.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.1% | 18.7–27.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.2% | 25.2–37.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.2% | 18.2–24.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.9% | 13.1–16.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.5% | 13.5–17.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.4% | 12.6–16.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.4% | 29.6–39.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.4–9.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.8% | 14.3–19.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.6% | 4.1–5.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.3% | 5.5–7.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CO median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 3.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.1% (2.3–21.1%) n=507 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 19.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.9% (1.9–21.6%) n=503 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.0% (0.0–16.3%) n=508 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 27.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 33.9% (14.8–65.1%) n=508 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.6% (0.0–7.7%) n=505 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.7% | 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) | 19.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 29.9% (15.9–42.9%) n=507 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 74.7% (51.5–93.8%) n=507 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–5.3%) n=507 |
| Foreign-born population | 8.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–14.6%) n=508 |
| Single-parent households | 51.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.4% (40.1–81.1%) n=500 |
| Population 65+ | 24.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.6% (9.2–36.4%) n=508 |
| Median age | 50.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (33.4–58.2) n=502 |
| Median household income | $57,019 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,602 ($48,743–$134,919) n=470 |
| Median home value | $197,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $458,400 ($191,360–$800,020) n=469 |
| Median gross rent | $1,035 | $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 | 87.5 yr ± 3.24 | 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 3.24 years of 87.5, 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