ZIP code
81521
in Fruita, ColoradoPopulation 16,613
56.60/ 100
Ranked #7,651 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 24%)
Ranked #224 of 502 Colorado ZIPs (top 45%)
Ranked #7 of 17 Grand Junction, CO ZIPs (top 41%)
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.
Mammography
66.7%
in the bottom 5.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST17thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
31.3%
in the bottom 5.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST24thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
29.9%
in the bottom 9.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST38thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
8.8%
in the bottom 7.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST34thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›The read
Fruita, Colorado (ZIP 81521), on the composite measure, lands in the top 24% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,651st) and the top 45% of Colorado (224th).
Reading across the measures, this area's clearest strengths come through: distance to an emergency room settles at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled high cholesterol stands in the bottom 5.1% nationally, short sleep is in the bottom 9.2% nationally, and diabetes rests in the bottom 7.6% nationally. Modeled obesity sits in the bottom 13.3% nationally, and poverty registers in the bottom 12.5% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure lands in the bottom 10.1% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site resides in the top 14.3% nationally. By contrast, modeled mammography lies in the bottom 5.0% nationally, and disaster risk settles in the top 11.3% nationally.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 81505, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Grand Junction, CO metro area.
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
healthier than 66%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 87%
11%
Disability
healthier than 75%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 64%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 49%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 54%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 43%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 18%
13%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 46%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 46%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 46%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 55%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Disability
healthier than 50%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 39%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 17%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 80%
21%
Disability
healthier than 73%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 47%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 40%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 40%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 20%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 37%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 20%
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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 78.1 ± 1.3 years. A median household income of $88,458 predicts 79.6 years — 1.5 years below.
Ranked #1,807 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
81505
Coloradoshares a border
Score 58.97
Closest healthier
81507
Coloradoshares a border
Score 63.47
Similar health profile
87120
New Mexico98% similar profile
Score 58.14
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 | 27.5% | 24.6–30.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 29.7% | 26.4–33.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.7% | 8.8–10.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.4% | 10.1–12.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.0% | 5.3–6.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.2% | 5.4–7.1 |
| Depression among adults | 23.3% | 20.2–26.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 8.8% | 7.6–10.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 31.3% | 27.9–35.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 28.7% | 23.9–34.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.1% | 2.8–3.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.8% | 8.8–13.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.2% | 7.7–10.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 70.9% | 67.4–74.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 72.2% | 68.7–75.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.5% | 84.7–88.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.0% | 61.5–70.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.2% | 60.9–67.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 66.7% | 59.1–73.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.1% | 14.5–20.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.0% | 10.1–14.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 18.0% | 15.0–21.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 29.9% | 25.5–34.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.6% | 13.5–17.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.2% | 14.2–18.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.2% | 11.6–14.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.8% | 12.1–15.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.2% | 24.6–32.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.4% | 6.5–8.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.0% | 6.1–7.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.6% | 10.0–13.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.1% | 2.7–3.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CO median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 3.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.1% (2.3–21.1%) n=507 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 16.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.9% (1.9–21.6%) n=503 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.0% (0.0–16.3%) n=508 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 34.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 33.9% (14.8–65.1%) n=508 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.6% (0.0–7.7%) n=505 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.9% (0.0–9.4%) n=507 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.5% (79.4–98.7%) n=507 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 28.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 29.9% (15.9–42.9%) n=507 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 74.7% (51.5–93.8%) n=507 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–5.3%) n=507 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–14.6%) n=508 |
| Single-parent households | 53.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.4% (40.1–81.1%) n=500 |
| Population 65+ | 20.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.6% (9.2–36.4%) n=508 |
| Median age | 43.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (33.4–58.2) n=502 |
| Median household income | $88,458 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,602 ($48,743–$134,919) n=470 |
| Median home value | $422,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $458,400 ($191,360–$800,020) n=469 |
| Median gross rent | $1,398 | $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 | 78.1 yr ± 0.68 | 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 0.68 years of 78.1, 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