ZIP code
87520
in Chama, New MexicoPopulation 1,148
50.66/ 100
Ranked #15,326 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 48%)
Ranked #120 of 337 New Mexico ZIPs (top 36%)
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.
Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
39.3 mi
in the top 1.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST88thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
2.2 days/year
in the bottom 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Transit access
8.3 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The number of public-transit stops 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 ›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 ›Distance to a nursing home
20 mi
in the top 3.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST73rdUS97thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
20 mi
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST63rdUS95thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
11.5%
in the bottom 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST25thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
71.5%
in the bottom 7.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST26thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
41.1%
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Uninsured (under 65)
16.3%
in the top 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST61stUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›The read
Chama, New Mexico (ZIP 87520), by its overall standing, sits in the top 48% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,326th) and the top 36% of New Mexico (120th).
The measures fall on both sides of the ledger for this area: distance to a hazardous-chemical facility resides in the top 1.2% nationally, modeled humid heat rests in the bottom 1.4% nationally, and transit lies in the top 1.9% nationally. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk sits in the bottom 2.8% nationally, and binge drinking settles in the bottom 4.6% nationally. Modeled extreme heat registers at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Set against that, distance to a nursing home stands in the top 3.3% nationally, and distance to an emergency room lands in the top 5.5% nationally. Home broadband subscription is in the bottom 7.1% nationally, and housing-cost burden resides in the top 8.9% nationally.
Held up against its neighbors, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, 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. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 81128, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 86%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 86%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 98%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 36%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 17%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 19%
13%
Disability
healthier than 22%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 20%
5%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 73%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 71%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 83%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 73%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 40%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 40%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 58%
14%
Disability
healthier than 51%
7%
Holding it back
Healthcare Access
healthier than 36%
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 94.4 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 36.2 — 58 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,875 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
81128
Coloradoshares a border
Score 55.94
Closest healthier
81147
Coloradoshares a border
Score 57.62
Similar health profile
87521
New Mexico99% similar profile
Score 51.08
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 | 31.3% | 27.6–35.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.3% | 34.8–44.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.3% | 8.3–10.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.4% | 8.2–10.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.4% | 8.3–10.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.8% | 6.7–9.0 |
| Depression among adults | 20.1% | 16.8–23.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.6% | 14.3–19.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.3% | 33.7–43.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.8% | 30.5–45.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.4% | 11.8–17.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 16.3% | 13.2–19.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.8% | 75.4–81.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 73.3% | 68.9–77.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.0% | 85.0–88.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 59.0% | 53.6–64.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.3% | 56.5–64.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.9% | 66.3–80.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 11.5% | 9.1–14.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.5% | 10.4–14.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.0% | 23.3–33.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.8% | 27.3–39.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.8% | 22.4–29.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.1% | 12.3–16.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.8% | 14.7–19.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.4% | 12.5–16.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.0% | 33.3–43.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.6% | 9.3–12.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.3% | 8.1–10.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.5% | 16.8–22.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.8–6.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.9% | 7.0–9.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.5% | 19.9–27.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.7% | 15.7–22.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 15.1% | 12.5–18.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.4% | 12.2–17.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.5% | 8.1–10.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.2% | 26.6–36.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 8.5–11.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NM median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.0% (0.0–39.0%) n=347 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 12.5% (0.0–35.5%) n=339 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 16.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.2% (0.0–28.5%) n=350 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 21.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.3% (0.0–51.7%) n=350 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.8% (0.0–15.2%) n=339 |
| Households without a vehicle | 11.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.3% (0.0–12.4%) n=347 |
| Broadband subscription | 71.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 83.1% (53.2–100.0%) n=347 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 41.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.6% (0.0–41.4%) n=347 |
| Homeownership rate | 86.2% | 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 | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.9% (0.0–15.7%) n=352 |
| Single-parent households | 79.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 55.0% (28.8–100.0%) n=339 |
| Population 65+ | 56.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.8% (7.9–55.9%) n=352 |
| Median age | 65.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.0 yr (31.2–67.3) n=339 |
| Median household income | $38,889 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,329 ($33,023–$90,174) n=265 |
| Median home value | $217,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $185,100 ($77,100–$382,920) n=255 |
| Median gross rent | $570 | $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 | 80.1 yr ± 1.50 | 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 1.50 years of 80.1, 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