ZIP code
85204
in Mesa, ArizonaPopulation 65,155
48.35/ 100
Ranked #18,482 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 42%)
Ranked #228 of 394 Arizona ZIPs (bottom 42%)
Ranked #117 of 159 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ ZIPs (bottom 26%)
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
138.7 days/year
in the top 0.10% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
98.8%
in the top 0.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS99thDefinition & 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
ST84thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Loud transportation noise
3.3%
in the top 3.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Uninsured (under 65)
19.2%
in the top 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
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 ›Colon-cancer screening
55.8%
in the bottom 5.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST30thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Walkability
150 intersections/sq mi
in the top 5.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Crowded housing
8.2%
in the top 6.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST77thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
29.2%
in the bottom 8.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST17thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, ZIP 85204, one of several in Mesa, Arizona lands in the bottom 42% nationally (18,482nd) and the bottom 42% of Arizona (228th).
Several measures weigh most on this area's profile, and they come first: modeled extreme heat stands in the top 0.10% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure lies in the top 0.2% nationally. Lithium in drinking water lands in the top 1.4% nationally, and modeled loud transportation noise sits in the top 3.3% nationally. Modeled uninsured is in the top 5.2% nationally, tree cover settles at the national minimum, and colon screening resides in the bottom 5.8% nationally. Crowded housing registers in the top 6.4% nationally, and lead in tap water rests in the top 10.1% nationally. On the better side, walkability stands in the top 5.2% nationally.
Set beside the nearby areas, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. A note on the terms: 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. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 85201, just across the boundary, ranks better 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 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 81%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 65%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 89%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 49%
11%
Disability
healthier than 43%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 38%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 29%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 5%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 9%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 78%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 86%
5%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 55%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 38%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 17%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 28%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 30%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 30%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 11%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 80%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 59%
21%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 25%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 36%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 20%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 22%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 14%
8%
Disability
healthier than 32%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 18%
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 77.2 ± 1.0 years. A median household income of $72,216 predicts 78.8 years — 1.6 years below.
Ranked #1,930 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 77.2 ± 1.0 years. The 41 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 79.0 years — 1.8 years below them.
Ranked #1,508 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 29.2; chronic-disease standing 80.8 — 52 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #14,547 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
85201
Arizonashares a border
Score 50.51
Closest healthier
85203
Arizonashares a border
Score 52.87
Similar health profile
85303
Arizona99% similar profile
Score 47.67
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 | 21.5% | 19.9–23.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 29.2% | 27.2–31.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 6.5% | 6.0–7.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.5–11.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.4% | 4.9–5.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.2% | 5.6–6.8 |
| Depression among adults | 20.1% | 18.1–22.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.1% | 10.1–12.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.6% | 32.3–36.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.6% | 30.0–37.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.0% | 2.8–3.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.8% | 13.6–18.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 19.2% | 17.2–21.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 68.7% | 66.3–71.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 70.0% | 67.3–72.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 81.1% | 79.3–82.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 55.8% | 52.5–59.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 52.7% | 50.0–55.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.4% | 68.7–78.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.8% | 14.9–18.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.5% | 12.2–15.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.6% | 22.3–27.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.6% | 34.2–41.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.5% | 20.7–24.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.3% | 15.8–18.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.4% | 12.3–14.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.1% | 15.7–18.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.9% | 30.4–35.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.9% | 6.3–7.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.8% | 8.0–9.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.8% | 12.6–15.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 4.0–4.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.3–7.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 27.8% | 25.6–30.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 23.2% | 21.3–25.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 17.4% | 15.7–19.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.0% | 15.5–18.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 12.0% | 10.9–13.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.5% | 32.0–37.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.7% | 8.7–10.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AZ median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.8% (4.6–36.9%) n=396 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 21.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.0–32.9%) n=394 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 15.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.3% (2.0–25.9%) n=397 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 20.5% | 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 | 3.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–14.3%) n=394 |
| Broadband subscription | 91.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 90.4% (57.1–97.2%) n=394 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 36.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 25.5% (8.5–37.5%) n=394 |
| Homeownership rate | 58.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 76.3% (44.6–92.8%) n=394 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 8.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.3% (0.0–15.7%) n=394 |
| Foreign-born population | 17.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 7.6% (0.0–20.4%) n=397 |
| Single-parent households | 47.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.4% (30.6–79.7%) n=388 |
| Population 65+ | 12.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (8.0–46.8%) n=397 |
| Median age | 33.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 40.9 yr (30.0–62.5) n=394 |
| Median household income | $72,216 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,137 ($39,000–$114,111) n=371 |
| Median home value | $351,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $326,300 ($73,560–$591,760) n=363 |
| Median gross rent | $1,566 | $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 | 77.2 yr ± 0.52 | 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 0.52 years of 77.2, 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