ZIP code
88260
in Lovington, New MexicoPopulation 15,160
42.85/ 100
Ranked #24,509 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 24%)
Ranked #211 of 337 New Mexico ZIPs (bottom 37%)
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.
Uninsured (under 65)
23.7%
in the top 2.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
50.2%
in the bottom 2.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST14thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Nitrate in drinking water
20.7%
in the top 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams per liter.
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 ›Housing insecurity
23.4%
in the top 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Vision disability
9.2%
in the top 6.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST65thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
30%
in the top 6.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST82ndUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Utility shut-off threat
15.4%
in the top 6.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST80thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
14.7%
in the top 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST80thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
0.08%
in the bottom 7.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 8.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Lovington, New Mexico (ZIP 88260) sits in the bottom 24% nationally (24,509th) and the bottom 37% of New Mexico (211th).
A demanding profile, and several measures drive it: modeled uninsured resides in the top 2.7% nationally, colon screening sits in the bottom 2.1% nationally, and nitrate stands in the top 2.2% nationally. Modeled housing insecurity resides in the top 5.3% nationally, vision disability sits in the top 6.9% nationally, and food insecurity stands in the top 6.1% nationally. Modeled utility shutoff resides in the top 6.5% nationally, and transportation sits in the top 6.8% nationally. On the stronger side, distance to an emergency room stands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Floodplain exposure resides in the bottom 7.4% nationally.
Put plainly, nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 79323, 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 72%
21%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 45%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 47%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 55%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 19%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 17%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 1%
13%
Disability
healthier than 17%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 38%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 78%
21%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 43%
16%
Disability
healthier than 42%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 2%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 12%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 24%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 34%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 24%
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
2 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 76.8 ± 2.0 years. A median household income of $75,476 predicts 79.0 years — 2.2 years below.
Ranked #2,997 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 17.7; chronic-disease standing 71.6 — 54 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #14,792 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
79323
Texasshares a border
Score 48.17
Closest healthier
79360
Texasshares a border
Score 43.44
Similar health profile
93926
California98% similar profile
Score 43.80
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 | 22.6% | 19.9–25.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.6% | 29.7–37.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.5% | 4.9–6.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.7% | 8.5–11.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.7% | 6.0–7.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.0% | 6.2–7.8 |
| Depression among adults | 21.9% | 18.6–25.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.3% | 11.6–15.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 33.5% | 29.5–37.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.5% | 31.6–45.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.1% | 14.1–20.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 23.7% | 20.6–27.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 70.8% | 67.5–74.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 65.2% | 60.4–69.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 78.4% | 75.7–80.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 50.2% | 45.0–55.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 53.0% | 49.2–56.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 68.3% | 59.9–75.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.3% | 12.4–18.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.0% | 13.8–18.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.6% | 28.1–37.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.3% | 27.7–39.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 28.8% | 25.6–32.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.0% | 15.9–20.3 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.8% | 14.9–18.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 19.0% | 16.9–21.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.4% | 34.0–43.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.0% | 7.1–8.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.0% | 9.8–12.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.4% | 15.5–19.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.8% | 5.3–6.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.4–10.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 27.1% | 23.4–31.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 30.0% | 26.3–33.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 25.0% | 21.9–28.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 23.4% | 20.5–26.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 14.7% | 13.0–16.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 37.0% | 32.0–42.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 15.4% | 13.5–17.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NM median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 21.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.0% (0.0–39.0%) n=347 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 21.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 12.5% (0.0–35.5%) n=339 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 24.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.2% (0.0–28.5%) n=350 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 13.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.3% (0.0–51.7%) n=350 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.8% (0.0–15.2%) n=339 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.3% (0.0–12.4%) n=347 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 83.1% (53.2–100.0%) n=347 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 25.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.6% (0.0–41.4%) n=347 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 83.2% (59.9–100.0%) n=347 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 6.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–11.2%) n=347 |
| Foreign-born population | 19.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.9% (0.0–15.7%) n=352 |
| Single-parent households | 43.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 55.0% (28.8–100.0%) n=339 |
| Population 65+ | 9.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.8% (7.9–55.9%) n=352 |
| Median age | 33.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.0 yr (31.2–67.3) n=339 |
| Median household income | $75,476 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,329 ($33,023–$90,174) n=265 |
| Median home value | $175,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $185,100 ($77,100–$382,920) n=255 |
| Median gross rent | $1,024 | $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 | 76.8 yr ± 1.04 | 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 1.04 years of 76.8, 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