ZIP code
87124
in Rio Rancho, New MexicoPopulation 58,499
58.04/ 100
Ranked #6,361 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 20%)
Ranked #32 of 337 New Mexico ZIPs (top 9.5%)
Ranked #14 of 51 Albuquerque, NM ZIPs (top 27%)
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.
Lithium in drinking water
240 µg/L
in the top 0.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Subsidized affordable housing
193 units
in the top 12.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS88thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 12.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS88thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
3.4 per 100,000 residents per year
in the bottom 12.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS12thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Mental-health provider access
0.084 per 1,000 residents
in the top 12.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS87thDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
2.0%
in the bottom 13.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS14thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Dental provider access
0.64 per 1,000 residents
in the top 16% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS84thDefinition & source ›
The number of dental offices located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 18% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS82ndDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Walkability
41 intersections/sq mi
in the top 23% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS77thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›The read
On the composite measure, ZIP 87124, one of several in Rio Rancho, New Mexico stands in the top 20% healthiest ZIPs nationally (6,361st) and the top 9.5% of New Mexico (32nd).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: distance to a community health center lies at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Subsidized affordable housing is in the top 12.2% nationally, and fatal road crashes registers in the bottom 12.4% nationally. Mental-health providers lies in the top 12.9% nationally. Distance to a nursing home is at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Modeled energy burden registers in the bottom 13.7% nationally. By contrast, lithium in drinking water lies in the top 0.2% nationally, modeled tree cover is at the national minimum, and modeled disaster risk registers in the top 12.4% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lies at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.
Set beside the wider area around it, lithium in drinking water runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. 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. ZIP 87048, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 80%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 76%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 69%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 85%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 62%
8%
Disability
healthier than 67%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 75%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 91%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 21%
13%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 88%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 90%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 75%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 70%
11%
Disability
healthier than 89%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 91%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 50%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 33%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 35%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 79%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 72%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 67%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 74%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 60%
8%
Disability
healthier than 70%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 86%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 56%
11%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 37%
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
87048
New Mexicoshares a border
Score 61.93
Closest healthier
87114
New Mexicoshares a border
Score 59.24
Similar health profile
86004
Arizona99% similar profile
Score 60.72
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 | 25.0% | 22.1–28.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.2% | 29.4–37.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.0% | 7.3–8.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.1% | 5.5–6.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.5% | 4.9–6.2 |
| Depression among adults | 23.4% | 20.0–27.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.1% | 9.6–12.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.1% | 31.1–39.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 31.8% | 25.9–38.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 3.0–3.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.9% | 8.7–13.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.7% | 10.2–13.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 74.5% | 71.1–77.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 69.5% | 65.3–73.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.4% | 84.6–88.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.6% | 58.3–68.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 68.2% | 64.6–71.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.1% | 63.7–78.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.5% | 11.8–17.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.6% | 9.1–12.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.5% | 18.1–25.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.4% | 28.7–39.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.4% | 16.2–20.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.2% | 13.4–17.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.4% | 11.9–15.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.2% | 11.7–14.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.3% | 26.5–34.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.4% | 6.6–8.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.6–8.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.9% | 11.3–14.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–3.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.7–5.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.2% | 19.9–26.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.4% | 12.5–16.5 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.6% | 9.1–12.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.2% | 10.6–13.9 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 6.9–8.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.6% | 28.0–37.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.0% | 6.9–9.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NM median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.0% (0.0–39.0%) n=347 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 12.5% (0.0–35.5%) n=339 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.2% (0.0–28.5%) n=350 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 33.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.3% (0.0–51.7%) n=350 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.8% (0.0–15.2%) n=339 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.3% (0.0–12.4%) n=347 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 83.1% (53.2–100.0%) n=347 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 25.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.6% (0.0–41.4%) n=347 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 83.2% (59.9–100.0%) n=347 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–11.2%) n=347 |
| Foreign-born population | 5.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.9% (0.0–15.7%) n=352 |
| Single-parent households | 50.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 55.0% (28.8–100.0%) n=339 |
| Population 65+ | 19.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.8% (7.9–55.9%) n=352 |
| Median age | 40.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.0 yr (31.2–67.3) n=339 |
| Median household income | $86,555 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,329 ($33,023–$90,174) n=265 |
| Median home value | $298,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $185,100 ($77,100–$382,920) n=255 |
| Median gross rent | $1,434 | $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 | 79.3 yr ± 0.52 | 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 0.52 years of 79.3, 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