ZIP code
85203
in Mesa, ArizonaPopulation 38,035
52.87/ 100
Ranked #12,280 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 38%)
Ranked #162 of 394 Arizona ZIPs (top 41%)
Ranked #92 of 159 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ ZIPs (bottom 42%)
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
138.2 days/year
in the top 0.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
73.4%
in the top 0.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST76thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Lithium in drinking water
140 µg/L
in the top 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST82ndUS99thDefinition & 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 ›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 ›Crowded housing
8.0%
in the top 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST76thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
29.3%
in the bottom 9.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST18thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
0.27%
in the top 23% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS77thDefinition & source ›
The share of days in the year when modeled fine-particle (PM2.5) pollution was above the EPA’s daily limit of 35 micrograms per cubic meter.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, ZIP 85203, one of several in Mesa, Arizona sits in the top 38% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,280th) and the top 41% of Arizona (162nd).
An even profile, with readings pulling both ways: walkability registers in the top 11.0% nationally. Distance to a community health center is at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Modeled high blood pressure lies in the bottom 9.0% nationally. Against that, modeled extreme heat registers in the top 0.2% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure is in the top 0.6% nationally. Lithium in drinking water lies in the top 1.4% nationally, and modeled tree cover registers at the national minimum. Crowded housing is in the top 6.8% nationally, and lead in tap water lies in the top 10.1% nationally. Modeled colon screening registers in the bottom 10.5% nationally.
Placed beside its immediate neighbors, outer-floodplain exposure runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put plainly, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 85213, 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 83%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 66%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 70%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 77%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 57%
16%
Disability
healthier than 60%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 37%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 9%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 14%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 80%
21%
Disability
healthier than 69%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 74%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 53%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 44%
11%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 20%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 38%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 35%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 23%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 61%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 61%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 42%
14%
Disability
healthier than 47%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 38%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 32%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 37%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 22%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 40%
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
85201
Arizonashares a border
Score 50.51
Closest healthier
85213
Arizonashares a border
Score 57.50
Similar health profile
85307
Arizona99% similar profile
Score 53.50
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 | 22.3% | 20.6–24.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 29.3% | 27.1–31.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.4% | 6.8–8.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.6% | 9.6–11.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.3% | 4.8–5.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.9% | 5.3–6.5 |
| Depression among adults | 20.2% | 18.2–22.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.2% | 9.2–11.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.0% | 32.7–37.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 32.0% | 28.3–35.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.9% | 2.7–3.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.4% | 9.7–13.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 14.7% | 13.0–16.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 70.0% | 67.5–72.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 71.5% | 68.9–74.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.0% | 81.4–84.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 58.6% | 55.5–61.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.8% | 55.2–60.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.2% | 69.5–78.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.0% | 15.1–18.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.4% | 11.1–13.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.4% | 19.1–23.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.2% | 32.8–39.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.5% | 17.8–21.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.6% | 15.1–18.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.4% | 11.3–13.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.4% | 14.0–16.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.5% | 28.1–33.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.2–7.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.9% | 7.2–8.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.6% | 11.4–13.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.6% | 5.2–6.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.0% | 24.0–28.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.6% | 17.0–20.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.8% | 12.4–15.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.9% | 12.6–15.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.1% | 9.2–11.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.2% | 30.8–36.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.1% | 7.3–9.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AZ median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.8% (4.6–36.9%) n=396 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 17.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.0–32.9%) n=394 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.3% (2.0–25.9%) n=397 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 28.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.8% (6.0–53.1%) n=397 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.8% (0.0–14.3%) n=395 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–14.3%) n=394 |
| Broadband subscription | 95.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 90.4% (57.1–97.2%) n=394 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 36.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 25.5% (8.5–37.5%) n=394 |
| Homeownership rate | 56.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 76.3% (44.6–92.8%) n=394 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 8.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.3% (0.0–15.7%) n=394 |
| Foreign-born population | 12.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 7.6% (0.0–20.4%) n=397 |
| Single-parent households | 45.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.4% (30.6–79.7%) n=388 |
| Population 65+ | 12.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (8.0–46.8%) n=397 |
| Median age | 33.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 40.9 yr (30.0–62.5) n=394 |
| Median household income | $73,578 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,137 ($39,000–$114,111) n=371 |
| Median home value | $439,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $326,300 ($73,560–$591,760) n=363 |
| Median gross rent | $1,534 | $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 | 77.9 yr ± 0.57 | 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 0.57 years of 77.9, 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