ZIP code
81424
in Nucla, ColoradoPopulation 1,079
44.53/ 100
Ranked #22,884 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 29%)
Ranked #465 of 502 Colorado ZIPs (bottom 7.4%)
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
0.99 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.8% 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 ›Pharmacy access
0.99 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies 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 ›Park land
51.1%
in the top 2.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST83rdUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
4.4 days/year
in the bottom 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST27thUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›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
19.5 mi
in the top 3.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Walkability
1.4 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 4.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST21stUS4thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
0.5 mi
in the bottom 5.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST6thUS6thDefinition & 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 ›Transit access
4.6 per 1,000 residents
in the top 5.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS94thDefinition & source ›
The number of public-transit stops 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 ›Distance to an emergency room
19.5 mi
in the top 5.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›The read
Nucla, Colorado (ZIP 81424) ranks in the bottom 29% nationally (22,884th) and the bottom 7.4% of Colorado (465th).
Several readings make the pressure on this area plain: distance to a nursing home registers in the top 3.5% nationally, and walkability lies in the bottom 4.1% nationally. Distance to a Superfund site is in the bottom 5.7% nationally, and distance to an emergency room registers in the top 5.8% nationally. On the encouraging side, elder services lies in the top 0.8% nationally, pharmacy is in the top 1.0% nationally, and park land registers in the top 2.4% nationally. Modeled humid heat lies in the bottom 2.6% nationally, modeled air-toxics cancer risk is in the bottom 2.8% nationally, and transit registers in the top 5.8% nationally.
Against its neighbors, elder services runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, 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. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 81403, 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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 83%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 70%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the top 0.7%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 21%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 23%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 19%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 32%
8%
Disability
healthier than 19%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 11%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 80%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 87%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 42%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 3%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 11%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 13%
8%
Disability
healthier than 2%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 19%
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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 83.0; chronic-disease standing 20.8 — 62 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,582 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
81403
Coloradoshares a border
Score 54.26
Closest healthier
81423
Coloradoshares a border
Score 53.06
Similar health profile
84732
Utah95% similar profile
Score 44.78
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 | 35.3% | 31.7–39.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.7% | 34.5–43.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.3% | 10.2–12.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.2% | 10.9–13.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–11.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.1% | 9.6–12.8 |
| Depression among adults | 24.7% | 21.3–28.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.6% | 11.7–15.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.6% | 34.5–43.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 30.2% | 23.9–37.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.1% | 4.5–5.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.3% | 13.2–20.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.7% | 8.7–12.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.3% | 75.1–81.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 74.1% | 70.5–78.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.3% | 84.4–88.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.0% | 57.4–68.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 56.8% | 53.0–60.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 67.5% | 58.1–75.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.3% | 11.9–17.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.2% | 15.3–21.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.0% | 20.6–30.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.8% | 25.0–37.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.2% | 20.9–27.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.6–20.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.7% | 15.5–20.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.5% | 15.3–19.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.6% | 32.7–42.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.0% | 9.7–12.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.5% | 9.2–11.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.8% | 16.2–21.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.7–6.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.6% | 5.9–7.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CO median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.1% (2.3–21.1%) n=507 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 26.8% | 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+) | 14.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 33.9% (14.8–65.1%) n=508 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.6% (0.0–7.7%) n=505 |
| Households without a vehicle | 7.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.9% (0.0–9.4%) n=507 |
| Broadband subscription | 72.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.5% (79.4–98.7%) n=507 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 29.9% (15.9–42.9%) n=507 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.8% | 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 | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–14.6%) n=508 |
| Single-parent households | 69.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.4% (40.1–81.1%) n=500 |
| Population 65+ | 38.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.6% (9.2–36.4%) n=508 |
| Median age | 58.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (33.4–58.2) n=502 |
| Median household income | $39,960 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,602 ($48,743–$134,919) n=470 |
| Median home value | $206,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $458,400 ($191,360–$800,020) n=469 |
| Median gross rent | $954 | $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 | 78.2 yr ± 0.90 | 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 0.90 years of 78.2, 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