ZIP code
85021
in Phoenix, ArizonaPopulation 39,828
50.37/ 100
Ranked #15,739 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 49%)
Ranked #201 of 394 Arizona ZIPs (bottom 49%)
Ranked #107 of 159 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ ZIPs (bottom 33%)
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.
Dry extreme heat
134.9 days/year
in the top 0.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS99thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
94.3%
in the top 0.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST87thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
778 units
in the top 2.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Loud transportation noise
2.9%
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
0.00%
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFAS — man-made “forever chemicals” that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down — were detected in EPA testing.
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 ›Homeownership rate
39.4%
in the bottom 5.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST7thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Lithium in drinking water
70 µg/L
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST61stUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Walkability
120 intersections/sq mi
in the top 7.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
41.3%
in the top 8.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, ZIP 85021, one of several in Phoenix, Arizona places in the top 49% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,739th) and the bottom 49% of Arizona (201st).
The data opens on a genuinely even set of readings: subsidized affordable housing sits in the top 2.3% nationally, and walkability lies in the top 7.7% nationally. On the other side, modeled extreme heat rests in the top 0.3% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure resides in the top 0.3% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise is in the top 4.0% nationally, modeled tree cover lands at the national minimum, and PFAS in drinking water stands at the national maximum. Homeownership registers in the bottom 5.1% nationally, lithium in drinking water settles in the top 6.0% nationally, and housing-cost burden sits in the top 8.8% nationally.
Beside the areas that surround it, outer-floodplain exposure runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For readers new to these terms, PFAS in drinking water is the family of man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 85012, 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 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 76%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 64%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 76%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 94%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 51%
16%
Disability
healthier than 47%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 19%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 9%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 9%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 73%
21%
Disability
healthier than 61%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 94%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 48%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 42%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 44%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 13%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 36%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 11%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 92%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 49%
21%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 33%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 29%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 30%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 36%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 32%
8%
Disability
healthier than 37%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
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
3 of our published findings list 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 76.2 ± 1.3 years. A median household income of $59,768 predicts 78.0 years — 1.8 years below.
Ranked #2,331 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 76.2 ± 1.3 years. The 40 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 78.0 years — 1.7 years below them.
Ranked #1,505 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 18.8; chronic-disease standing 76.4 — 58 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #15,179 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
85012
Arizonashares a border
Score 62.05
Closest healthier
85013
Arizonashares a border
Score 56.72
Similar health profile
75040
Texas97% similar profile
Score 49.56
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 | 23.3% | 21.6–25.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 31.4% | 29.2–33.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.6% | 7.1–8.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.7% | 9.7–11.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.8% | 5.3–6.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.3% | 5.7–7.0 |
| Depression among adults | 19.4% | 17.4–21.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.2% | 10.2–12.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.7% | 33.4–38.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.0% | 29.4–36.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.2% | 3.0–3.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 12.5% | 10.7–14.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 16.1% | 14.4–17.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 71.0% | 68.7–73.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 72.5% | 69.9–74.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.2% | 81.5–84.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 58.1% | 54.8–61.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 55.3% | 52.7–58.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.6% | 68.7–78.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.6% | 13.8–17.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.9% | 11.5–14.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.1% | 20.8–25.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.2% | 33.9–40.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.3% | 19.5–23.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.4% | 15.0–17.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.0% | 11.8–14.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.8% | 14.4–17.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.1% | 29.7–34.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.6–8.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.8–9.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.9% | 12.7–15.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.9–4.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.4% | 5.9–6.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.8% | 24.7–29.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 21.3% | 19.6–23.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 16.5% | 15.0–18.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.6% | 14.2–17.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 11.3% | 10.3–12.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.4% | 31.0–36.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.4% | 8.4–10.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AZ median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.8% (4.6–36.9%) n=396 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 21.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.0–32.9%) n=394 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.3% (2.0–25.9%) n=397 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 35.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.8% (6.0–53.1%) n=397 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.8% (0.0–14.3%) n=395 |
| Households without a vehicle | 12.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–14.3%) n=394 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 90.4% (57.1–97.2%) n=394 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 41.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 25.5% (8.5–37.5%) n=394 |
| Homeownership rate | 39.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 76.3% (44.6–92.8%) n=394 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 6.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.3% (0.0–15.7%) n=394 |
| Foreign-born population | 16.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 7.6% (0.0–20.4%) n=397 |
| Single-parent households | 42.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.4% (30.6–79.7%) n=388 |
| Population 65+ | 15.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (8.0–46.8%) n=397 |
| Median age | 34.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 40.9 yr (30.0–62.5) n=394 |
| Median household income | $59,768 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,137 ($39,000–$114,111) n=371 |
| Median home value | $470,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $326,300 ($73,560–$591,760) n=363 |
| Median gross rent | $1,313 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,303 ($683–$2,093) n=323 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AZ median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 76.2 yr ± 0.65 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 78.5 yr (75.1–82.8) n=354 |
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 0.65 years of 76.2, 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