ZIP code
85550
in San Carlos, ArizonaPopulation 5,696
20.97/ 100
Ranked #31,813 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 0.8%)
Ranked #376 of 394 Arizona ZIPs (bottom 4.6%)
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
47.5%
in the bottom 0.01% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
51.1%
in the top 0.05% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
41.2%
in the bottom 0.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST4thUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Vision disability
14.2%
in the top 0.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
28.2%
in the top 0.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
18.1%
in the top 0.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
28.5%
in the top 0.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
49%
in the top 0.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
37.3%
in the top 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Utility shut-off threat
26.4%
in the top 0.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Cross-source signals
Health need and barriers to care documented here
On our reading, this ZIP code carries the overlap at its severe level: severe means at least four of the six health-need readings and at least four of the six access barriers apply to the same place.
These are two separate readings of public data that both apply to this place — never a claim that one causes the other, never a severity score, and never a statement about any person who lives here.
Health need documented here
- People without health insurance
- People living in poverty
- Food insecurity
- Housing insecurity
- Adults reporting fair or poor health
Barriers to reaching care
- Distance to the nearest emergency room
- Thin local supply of doctors
- Thin local supply of pharmacies
- Households with no vehicle
A reading appears below only where this ZIP code is among the most-affected 10% of US ZIP codes on it — one national bar, the same for every ZIP in the country.
See the full care-deserts analysis →The read
By the composite health measure, San Carlos, Arizona (ZIP 85550) ranks in the bottom 0.8% nationally (31,813th) and the bottom 4.6% of Arizona (376th).
On the ground, a handful of readings define this area: modeled mammography is in the bottom 0.01% nationally, and tooth loss settles in the top 0.05% nationally. Modeled colon screening resides in the bottom 0.3% nationally, and vision disability registers in the top 0.7% nationally. Modeled cognitive disability rests in the top 0.3% nationally, independent living disability stands in the top 0.6% nationally, and transportation lies in the top 0.2% nationally. Modeled food insecurity lands in the top 0.3% nationally, fair or poor health sits in the top 1.5% nationally, and utility shutoff is in the top 0.5% nationally.
Read against the ZIPs closest to it, crowded housing runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Close by, ZIP 85501, just across the boundary, ranks healthier overall. On other measures, the area also shows documented health need overlapping with barriers to reaching care, sitting in the most-affected 10% of US ZIP codes on several need measures and several access barriers.
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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 87%
14%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 44%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 17%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
in the bottom 0.7%
16%
Preventive Care
in the bottom 0.3%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the bottom 0.3%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 3%
8%
Disability
in the bottom 0.7%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 23%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 60%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 68%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 29%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 7%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 3%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the bottom 0.8%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 1%
8%
Disability
healthier than 9%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 31%
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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 87.3; chronic-disease standing 16.9 — 70 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,048 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
85501
Arizonashares a border
Score 48.21
Closest healthier
85192
Arizonaabout 5.4 mi away
Score 42.17
Similar health profile
57548
South Dakota99% similar profile
Score 17.52
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 | 27.7% | 25.5–30.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 34.7% | 31.8–37.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.2% | 4.7–5.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 16.3% | 14.6–18.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.1% | 7.3–9.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 12.3% | 10.9–13.9 |
| Depression among adults | 26.4% | 23.3–29.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.3% | 15.6–19.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 31.1% | 28.5–33.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.0% | 36.2–45.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.5% | 5.0–6.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 51.1% | 46.1–56.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 16.1% | 12.7–19.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 68.5% | 65.6–71.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 69.9% | 66.4–73.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 72.8% | 69.4–75.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 41.2% | 36.3–46.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 26.8% | 24.0–29.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 47.5% | 39.5–55.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.9% | 13.5–18.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 33.5% | 29.5–37.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 35.8% | 31.5–40.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 46.9% | 41.8–52.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 37.3% | 33.3–41.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 27.1% | 24.4–29.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 23.2% | 20.8–25.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 28.2% | 25.0–31.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 50.3% | 46.0–54.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.9% | 10.8–13.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 18.1% | 15.9–20.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 23.7% | 21.2–26.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 7.9% | 7.0–9.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 14.2% | 12.6–15.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 40.2% | 36.0–44.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 49.0% | 43.6–54.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 43.2% | 37.8–48.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 33.3% | 29.1–37.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 28.5% | 25.3–31.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 41.0% | 36.9–45.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 26.4% | 23.2–29.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AZ median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 36.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 12.8% (4.6–36.9%) n=396 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 12.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.0–32.9%) n=394 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 16.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.3% (2.0–25.9%) n=397 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 3.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.8% (6.0–53.1%) n=397 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 17.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.8% (0.0–14.3%) n=395 |
| Households without a vehicle | 25.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–14.3%) n=394 |
| Broadband subscription | 67.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 90.4% (57.1–97.2%) n=394 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 12.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 25.5% (8.5–37.5%) n=394 |
| Homeownership rate | 59.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 76.3% (44.6–92.8%) n=394 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 24.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 3.3% (0.0–15.7%) n=394 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 7.6% (0.0–20.4%) n=397 |
| Single-parent households | 35.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.4% (30.6–79.7%) n=388 |
| Population 65+ | 9.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (8.0–46.8%) n=397 |
| Median age | 29.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 40.9 yr (30.0–62.5) n=394 |
| Median household income | $51,491 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $69,137 ($39,000–$114,111) n=371 |
| Median home value | $65,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $326,300 ($73,560–$591,760) n=363 |
| Median gross rent | $535 | $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 unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled. | |||
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