ZIP code
81226
in Florence, ColoradoPopulation 7,459
47.13/ 100
Ranked #20,004 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 38%)
Ranked #425 of 502 Colorado ZIPs (bottom 15%)
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.
Lithium in drinking water
9.3 µg/L
in the bottom 2.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS2ndDefinition & 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
10.1 per million
in the bottom 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST33rdUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Uninsured (under 65)
16.6%
in the top 8.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›The read
On the composite measure, Florence, Colorado (ZIP 81226) stands in the bottom 38% nationally (20,004th) and the bottom 15% of Colorado (425th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
A profile of give and take, with clear readings each way: lithium in drinking water rests in the bottom 2.5% nationally, and modeled air-toxics cancer risk lands in the bottom 5.2% nationally. Elder services settles in the top 13.1% nationally. Distance to a nursing home rests at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Park land lands in the top 13.7% nationally. On the other side, modeled uninsured settles in the top 8.1% nationally. Fiber broadband rests at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Distance to a Superfund site lands in the bottom 11.2% nationally, and modeled colon screening settles in the bottom 11.7% nationally. Modeled mammography rests in the bottom 13.6% nationally.
Set beside the wider area around it, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. ZIP 81005, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 65%
14%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 81%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 42%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 58%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 32%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 6%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 27%
11%
Disability
healthier than 36%
7%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 61%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 60%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 30%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 17%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 10%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 2%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 22%
8%
Disability
healthier than 11%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 36%
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
81005
Coloradoshares a border
Score 53.56
Closest healthier
81212
Coloradoshares a border
Score 49.08
Similar health profile
82007
Wyoming99% similar profile
Score 45.86
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 | 27.0% | 24.1–30.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 32.5% | 28.7–36.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.9% | 7.2–8.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.1% | 9.9–12.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.2% | 6.5–7.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.0% | 7.1–8.9 |
| Depression among adults | 22.7% | 19.4–26.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.6% | 10.1–13.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 33.4% | 29.4–37.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 32.6% | 26.2–39.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.9% | 3.5–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.8% | 11.1–16.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 16.6% | 14.4–19.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 70.6% | 67.0–74.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 69.6% | 65.3–73.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.0% | 79.9–84.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 59.1% | 53.9–64.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 52.9% | 49.2–56.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 69.9% | 61.5–77.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.5% | 14.5–20.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.2% | 15.9–20.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.6% | 20.8–28.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.5% | 31.3–43.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.0% | 20.2–25.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.0% | 16.1–20.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.8% | 14.0–17.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.7% | 15.7–19.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.9% | 30.7–39.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.3% | 7.4–9.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.1% | 8.1–10.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.9% | 13.0–16.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–5.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.5–6.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CO median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.1% (2.3–21.1%) n=507 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 12.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.9% (1.9–21.6%) n=503 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 12.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.0% (0.0–16.3%) n=508 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 13.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 33.9% (14.8–65.1%) n=508 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.6% (0.0–7.7%) n=505 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.9% (0.0–9.4%) n=507 |
| Broadband subscription | 81.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.5% (79.4–98.7%) n=507 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 29.9% (15.9–42.9%) n=507 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 74.7% (51.5–93.8%) n=507 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–5.3%) n=507 |
| Foreign-born population | 4.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–14.6%) n=508 |
| Single-parent households | 58.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.4% (40.1–81.1%) n=500 |
| Population 65+ | 16.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.6% (9.2–36.4%) n=508 |
| Median age | 41.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (33.4–58.2) n=502 |
| Median household income | $53,969 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,602 ($48,743–$134,919) n=470 |
| Median home value | $258,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $458,400 ($191,360–$800,020) n=469 |
| Median gross rent | $812 | $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 | 76.7 yr ± 0.72 | 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 0.72 years of 76.7, 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