ZIP code
81242
in Poncha Springs, ColoradoPopulation 807
64.85/ 100
Ranked #2,061 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 6.5%)
Ranked #68 of 502 Colorado ZIPs (top 13.6%)
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.
Distance to an emergency room
43.5 mi
in the top 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
41.9 mi
in the top 1.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›Park land
56.5%
in the top 1.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST87thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Obesity
24.4%
in the bottom 4.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST26thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
27.5%
in the bottom 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST16thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
0.50%
in the bottom 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
63.2%
in the top 6.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a community health center
22.5 mi
in the top 6.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
10.1 days/year
in the bottom 7.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST38thUS7thDefinition & 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 ›The read
By the composite health measure, Poncha Springs, Colorado (ZIP 81242) ranks in the top 6.5% healthiest ZIPs nationally (2,061st) and the top 13.6% of Colorado (68th).
A number of measures pull each way for this area: distance to a hazardous-chemical facility registers in the top 1.1% nationally, and park land rests in the top 1.9% nationally. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk stands in the bottom 2.8% nationally, and obesity lies in the bottom 4.7% nationally. Modeled short sleep lands in the bottom 2.2% nationally, poverty sits in the bottom 4.8% nationally, and modeled humid heat is in the bottom 7.1% nationally. Set against that, distance to an emergency room settles in the top 1.0% nationally, modeled pfas resides in the top 6.7% nationally, and distance to a community health center registers in the top 6.9% nationally.
Read against the ZIPs closest to it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To spell things out, distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Close by, ZIP 81224, about 39 miles away, ranks healthier 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 79%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
in the top 0.3%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 96%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 81%
8%
Disability
healthier than 84%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 97%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 51%
13%
Holding it back
Healthcare Access
healthier than 5%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
in the top 0.3%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 89%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 79%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 85%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 86%
8%
Disability
healthier than 63%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 69%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 47%
21%
Holding it back
Healthcare Access
healthier than 8%
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
81143
Coloradoshares a border
Score 49.77
Closest healthier
81224
Coloradoabout 39 mi away
Score 67.42
Similar health profile
84060
Utah96% similar profile
Score 70.35
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 | 28.2% | 24.8–31.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 30.6% | 26.7–34.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.6% | 9.6–11.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.7% | 9.5–12.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.4% | 5.6–7.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.9% | 5.0–7.0 |
| Depression among adults | 21.6% | 18.3–25.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.3% | 7.8–10.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.1% | 30.8–39.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 24.4% | 18.3–31.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.1% | 2.8–3.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.0% | 6.4–9.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.8% | 5.6–8.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.0% | 71.3–78.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 74.4% | 70.4–78.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.9% | 87.3–90.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.7% | 63.7–73.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 70.4% | 67.3–73.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.4% | 62.9–79.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.7% | 13.8–20.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.2% | 8.2–12.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 15.3% | 12.2–18.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 27.5% | 21.9–33.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 14.0% | 11.8–16.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.1% | 12.3–16.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.9% | 10.2–13.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.6% | 10.0–13.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 25.5% | 21.7–29.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.4% | 6.5–8.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.2–6.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 10.9% | 9.2–12.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.9% | 2.5–3.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.2–4.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CO median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 0.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.1% (2.3–21.1%) n=507 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 2.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.9% (1.9–21.6%) n=503 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 0.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.0% (0.0–16.3%) n=508 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 34.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 33.9% (14.8–65.1%) n=508 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.6% (0.0–7.7%) n=505 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 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) | 12.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 29.9% (15.9–42.9%) n=507 |
| Homeownership rate | 88.4% | 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 | 1.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–14.6%) n=508 |
| Single-parent households | 87.0% | 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 | 52.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (33.4–58.2) n=502 |
| Median household income | $95,865 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,602 ($48,743–$134,919) n=470 |
| Median home value | $482,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $458,400 ($191,360–$800,020) n=469 |
| Median gross rent | $1,765 | $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 | 79.8 yr ± 0.76 | 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 0.76 years of 79.8, 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