ZIP code
87027
in La Jara, New MexicoPopulation 237
44.80/ 100
Ranked #22,617 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 29%)
Ranked #198 of 337 New Mexico ZIPs (bottom 41%)
Ranked #36 of 51 Albuquerque, NM ZIPs (bottom 29%)
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.
Poverty rate
86.9%
in the top 0.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
4.1%
in the bottom 0.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS1stDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
36.5 mi
in the top 1.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS99thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
60.5%
in the top 1.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
34.9 mi
in the top 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
31.3 mi
in the top 1.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST80thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
53.2%
in the bottom 1.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST10thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
3.3 days/year
in the bottom 2.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST17thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
53.4%
in the bottom 3.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST22ndUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
10 per million
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Cross-source signals
Health need and barriers to care documented here
On our reading, this ZIP code carries the overlap at its acute level: acute means at least three of the six health-need readings and at least three 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
- Chronic conditions
Barriers to reaching care
- Distance to the nearest emergency room
- Households with no vehicle
- Limited home internet for telehealth
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, La Jara, New Mexico (ZIP 87027) ranks in the bottom 29% nationally (22,617th) and the bottom 41% of New Mexico (198th).
What defines this place in the numbers is worth naming first: poverty sits in the top 0.4% nationally, and distance to a nursing home is in the top 1.1% nationally. Housing-cost burden settles in the top 1.2% nationally, and distance to an emergency room resides in the top 1.4% nationally. Home broadband subscription registers in the bottom 1.9% nationally, and modeled colon screening rests in the bottom 3.7% nationally. More encouragingly, modeled pfas stands in the bottom 0.5% nationally, distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lies in the top 1.8% nationally, and modeled humid heat lands in the bottom 2.0% nationally. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk sits in the bottom 2.8% nationally.
Read against the ZIPs closest to it, poverty runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To spell things out, pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Close by, ZIP 87046, just across the boundary, ranks 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 Albuquerque, NM metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.4%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 66%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 78%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 99%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 24%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 10%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 8%
13%
Disability
healthier than 14%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 6%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 92%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 70%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 86%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 48%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 27%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 29%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 37%
11%
Disability
healthier than 37%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 11%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.00%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 84%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 9%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 14%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 40%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 26%
11%
Disability
healthier than 14%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 5%
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
87013
New Mexicoshares a border
Score 18.43
Closest healthier
87046
New Mexicoshares a border
Score 44.82
Similar health profile
88348
New Mexico97% similar profile
Score 47.83
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 | 31.8% | 28.2–35.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.6% | 39.1–48.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.4% | 7.6–9.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.4% | 8.3–10.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.4% | 8.2–10.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.1% | 6.8–9.5 |
| Depression among adults | 21.6% | 18.4–25.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 19.5% | 17.0–22.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.1% | 37.7–46.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.5% | 31.7–45.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.9% | 4.3–5.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.8% | 14.4–21.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 18.6% | 14.4–23.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.8% | 76.4–82.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 73.4% | 69.4–77.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.4% | 86.4–90.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 53.4% | 47.5–58.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 49.9% | 45.6–53.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 66.3% | 57.1–74.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 10.6% | 8.5–12.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.4% | 10.9–16.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.1% | 26.9–37.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.5% | 32.6–44.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 29.0% | 24.9–33.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.5% | 12.7–16.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.5% | 16.1–20.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.9% | 12.8–17.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.0% | 34.2–43.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.4–11.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 21.2% | 18.1–24.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.4% | 5.5–7.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 9.4% | 8.1–10.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.1% | 20.1–28.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 24.1% | 19.5–28.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 19.3% | 15.4–23.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.5% | 14.4–20.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 11.1% | 9.3–13.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.1% | 26.4–36.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 11.8% | 9.9–13.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NM median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 86.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.0% (0.0–39.0%) n=347 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 1.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 12.5% (0.0–35.5%) n=339 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.2% (0.0–28.5%) n=350 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 30.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.3% (0.0–51.7%) n=350 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.8% (0.0–15.2%) n=339 |
| Households without a vehicle | 23.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.3% (0.0–12.4%) n=347 |
| Broadband subscription | 53.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 83.1% (53.2–100.0%) n=347 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 60.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.6% (0.0–41.4%) n=347 |
| Homeownership rate | 62.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 83.2% (59.9–100.0%) n=347 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–11.2%) n=347 |
| Foreign-born population | 23.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.9% (0.0–15.7%) n=352 |
| Single-parent households | 100.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 55.0% (28.8–100.0%) n=339 |
| Population 65+ | 61.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.8% (7.9–55.9%) n=352 |
| Median age | 67.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.0 yr (31.2–67.3) n=339 |
| Median household income | $15,625 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,329 ($33,023–$90,174) n=265 |
| Median home value | $13,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $185,100 ($77,100–$382,920) n=255 |
| Median gross rent | — | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $917 ($549–$1,408) n=173 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NM median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 78.9 yr ± 1.74 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 79.5 yr (76.1–83.2) n=357 |
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 1.74 years of 78.9, 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