ZIP code
81526
in Palisade, ColoradoPopulation 5,559
55.52/ 100
Ranked #8,841 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 28%)
Ranked #242 of 502 Colorado ZIPs (top 48%)
Ranked #10 of 17 Grand Junction, CO ZIPs (bottom 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
66.4%
in the bottom 4.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST15thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
14.6 per million
in the bottom 6.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST40thUS6thDefinition & 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 ›Radon
3.1 pCi/L
in the top 8.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›Civic-institution access
0.77 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST87thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of civic and social organizations 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 ›Short sleep
29.1%
in the bottom 6.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST31stUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›The read
Palisade, Colorado (ZIP 81526), overall, ranks in the top 28% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,841st) and the top 48% of Colorado (242nd).
This area's most favorable readings come through plainly in the numbers: modeled air-toxics cancer risk settles in the bottom 6.1% nationally, civic is in the top 6.7% nationally, and modeled short sleep sits in the bottom 6.2% nationally. Transit lands in the top 11.3% nationally. Distance to a nursing home lies at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Distance to a Superfund site stands in the top 13.6% nationally, and modeled obesity rests in the bottom 15% nationally. On the other side, modeled mammography registers in the bottom 4.5% nationally, and radon resides in the top 8.8% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility settles at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.
Measured against the nearby ZIPs, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. ZIP 81527, just across the boundary, comes out 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. 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 60%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 67%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 90%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 66%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 84%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 62%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 50%
14%
Disability
healthier than 58%
7%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 26%
13%
Lifting this score
Risk Behavior
healthier than 65%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 63%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 64%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 47%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 47%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 52%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 42%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 25%
21%
Disability
healthier than 31%
7%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 60%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 67%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 73%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 67%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 40%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 53%
16%
Disability
healthier than 47%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 53%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 33%
14%
“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
81503
Coloradoshares a border
Score 51.61
Closest healthier
81527
Coloradoshares a border
Score 56.38
Similar health profile
83832
Idaho95% similar profile
Score 55.83
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 | 31.2% | 28.1–34.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.8% | 30.2–37.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.1% | 10.0–12.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.3% | 10.1–12.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.4% | 6.6–8.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.5% | 6.4–8.7 |
| Depression among adults | 22.5% | 19.5–25.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.6% | 9.1–12.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.2% | 30.7–38.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 29.4% | 24.5–34.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.6% | 8.6–12.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.7% | 8.0–11.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 74.2% | 70.7–77.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 74.1% | 70.8–77.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.5% | 85.8–88.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.4% | 63.0–71.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.2% | 60.8–67.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 66.4% | 58.7–73.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.4% | 13.0–18.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.6% | 10.6–14.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 19.8% | 16.5–23.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 29.1% | 24.8–33.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.6% | 15.2–20.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.4% | 13.6–17.3 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.5% | 12.7–16.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.9% | 12.2–15.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.9% | 27.1–35.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.9% | 7.8–10.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.7–8.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.0% | 12.0–16.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.6% | 3.2–4.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CO median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.1% (2.3–21.1%) n=507 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 12.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.9% (1.9–21.6%) n=503 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.0% (0.0–16.3%) n=508 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 35.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 33.9% (14.8–65.1%) n=508 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.6% (0.0–7.7%) n=505 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.9% (0.0–9.4%) n=507 |
| Broadband subscription | 95.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.5% (79.4–98.7%) n=507 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 31.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 29.9% (15.9–42.9%) n=507 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 74.7% (51.5–93.8%) n=507 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–5.3%) n=507 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.8% (0.0–14.6%) n=508 |
| Single-parent households | 63.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.4% (40.1–81.1%) n=500 |
| Population 65+ | 24.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.6% (9.2–36.4%) n=508 |
| Median age | 51.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (33.4–58.2) n=502 |
| Median household income | $87,500 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,602 ($48,743–$134,919) n=470 |
| Median home value | $501,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $458,400 ($191,360–$800,020) n=469 |
| Median gross rent | $1,317 | $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 | 80.8 yr ± 1.27 | 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 1.27 years of 80.8, 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