ZIP code
88401
in Tucumcari, New MexicoPopulation 6,818
40.08/ 100
Ranked #26,702 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 17%)
Ranked #255 of 337 New Mexico ZIPs (bottom 24%)
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 nursing home
38.3 mi
in the top 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS99thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Vision disability
9.8%
in the top 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST74thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Nitrate in drinking water
10.2%
in the top 3.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a Superfund site
94.8 mi
in the top 4.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Uninsured (under 65)
18.8%
in the top 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST74thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
Full methodology ›Elder-services access
0.29 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›Lithium in drinking water
77 µg/L
in the top 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST81stUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Self-care disability
6.8%
in the top 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST74thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›Mammography
67.4%
in the bottom 6.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST42ndUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
30%
in the top 8.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST72ndUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite health measure, Tucumcari, New Mexico (ZIP 88401) ranks in the bottom 17% nationally (26,702nd) and the bottom 24% of New Mexico (255th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The signals balance out across the profile, strengths against concerns: distance to a Superfund site registers in the top 4.0% nationally, and elder services rests in the top 4.7% nationally. Distance to an emergency room stands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Set against that, distance to a nursing home lies in the top 1.0% nationally, modeled vision disability lands in the top 5.3% nationally, and modeled nitrate sits in the top 3.1% nationally. Modeled uninsured is in the top 5.6% nationally, lithium in drinking water settles in the top 4.9% nationally, and modeled self-care disability resides in the top 6.8% nationally. Modeled mammography registers in the bottom 6.3% nationally.
Read against the ZIPs closest to it, slow internet speeds runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To spell things out, nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Close by, ZIP 88120, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 96%
14%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 57%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 56%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 22%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 11%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 7%
13%
Disability
healthier than 8%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 22%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 10%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 62%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 45%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 43%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 27%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 32%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 31%
11%
Disability
healthier than 27%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 4%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 18%
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 73.9 ± 3.2 years. A median household income of $49,345 predicts 77.3 years — 3.4 years below.
Ranked #4,544 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 73.9 ± 3.2 years. The 50 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 80.4 years — 6.5 years below them.
Ranked #3,602 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
88120
New Mexicoshares a border
Score 50.69
Closest healthier
88426
New Mexicoshares a border
Score 42.42
Similar health profile
87936
New Mexico98% similar profile
Score 30.74
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% | 27.6–35.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.3% | 36.9–46.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.6% | 7.7–9.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.2% | 8.9–11.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.9% | 8.9–11.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.7% | 8.6–10.9 |
| Depression among adults | 22.6% | 19.1–26.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.5% | 15.2–20.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.4% | 34.6–44.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.5% | 30.3–47.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.2% | 4.8–5.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 19.3% | 15.8–23.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 18.8% | 16.0–21.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.4% | 75.1–81.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 72.1% | 67.6–76.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.9% | 81.7–85.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 56.9% | 50.8–62.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.2% | 49.9–58.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 67.4% | 58.2–75.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.2% | 9.7–15.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.4% | 14.1–18.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.7% | 27.7–38.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.9% | 28.2–42.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 30.0% | 26.6–33.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.5% | 14.5–18.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.8% | 16.6–21.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.7% | 15.6–19.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 40.3% | 35.4–45.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.0% | 9.8–12.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.7% | 10.5–13.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 21.4% | 18.9–24.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.1–7.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.9–10.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.4% | 20.6–28.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 25.8% | 22.4–29.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 23.3% | 20.1–26.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.3% | 15.8–20.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 12.5% | 10.9–14.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.5% | 27.4–37.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 13.0% | 11.3–14.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NM median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 26.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.0% (0.0–39.0%) n=347 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 12.5% (0.0–35.5%) n=339 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.2% (0.0–28.5%) n=350 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.3% (0.0–51.7%) n=350 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.8% (0.0–15.2%) n=339 |
| Households without a vehicle | 12.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.3% (0.0–12.4%) n=347 |
| Broadband subscription | 76.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 83.1% (53.2–100.0%) n=347 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.6% (0.0–41.4%) n=347 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.6% | 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 | 0.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.9% (0.0–15.7%) n=352 |
| Single-parent households | 58.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 55.0% (28.8–100.0%) n=339 |
| Population 65+ | 21.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.8% (7.9–55.9%) n=352 |
| Median age | 47.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.0 yr (31.2–67.3) n=339 |
| Median household income | $49,345 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,329 ($33,023–$90,174) n=265 |
| Median home value | $76,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $185,100 ($77,100–$382,920) n=255 |
| Median gross rent | $650 | $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 | 73.9 yr ± 1.62 | 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 1.62 years of 73.9, 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