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ZipVitals

ZIP code

90280

in South Gate, CaliforniaPopulation 91,365

44.94/ 100

Ranked #22,477 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 30%)

Ranked #1,316 of 1,719 California ZIPs (bottom 23%)

Ranked #325 of 371 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ZIPs (bottom 12.4%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Colon-cancer screening

48%

in the bottom 1.4% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST6th
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.

Full methodology ›

Uninsured (under 65)

23.2%

in the top 2.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.

Full methodology ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$1

in the top 0.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US99th
Definition & 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 ›

Loneliness

43.9%

in the top 0.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.

Full methodology ›

Crowded housing

20.4%

in the top 1.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.

Full methodology ›

Air-toxics cancer risk

47.2 per million

in the top 1.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US99th
Definition & 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 Superfund site

In this ZIP

at the national minimum

Higher is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & 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 ›

Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance

2.8%

in the top 2.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST75th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The share of days in the year when modeled fine-particle (PM2.5) pollution was above the EPA’s daily limit of 35 micrograms per cubic meter.

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 2.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US97th
Definition & 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 ›

Fair or poor health

32.5%

in the top 4.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
US95th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.

Full methodology ›

The read

South Gate, California (ZIP 90280), by its overall standing, sits in the bottom 30% nationally (22,477th) and the bottom 23% of California (1,316th).

continue reading

The data points to real strain across a number of measures here: modeled colon screening lands in the bottom 1.4% nationally, uninsured is in the top 2.9% nationally, and expected annual loss resides in the top 0.6% nationally. Modeled loneliness rests in the top 0.9% nationally, crowded housing lies in the top 1.2% nationally, and modeled air-toxics cancer risk sits in the top 1.3% nationally. Distance to a Superfund site settles at the national minimum, and modeled fine-particle registers in the top 2.5% nationally. Modeled disaster risk stands in the top 2.7% nationally, and fair or poor health lands in the top 4.8% nationally.

Held up against its neighbors, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 90241, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 91%

21%

Mental Health

healthier than 64%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 87%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 89%

5%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 10%

16%

Environmental Hazard

in the bottom 0.4%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 2%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 36%

11%

Disability

healthier than 20%

7%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 73%

21%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 71%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 77%

5%

About typical

Mental Health

healthier than 59%

8%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 16%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 3%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 8%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 18%

11%

Disability

healthier than 19%

7%

Nothing measured is lifting this score.

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 48%

21%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 55%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 59%

5%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 13%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 10%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 8%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 14%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 33%

8%

Disability

healthier than 13%

7%

“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

4 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.

  • Above what income predicts

    The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes

    Estimated life expectancy is 81.1 ± 1.0 years. A median household income of $74,651 predicts 78.9 years — 2.1 years above.

    Ranked #859 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.

  • Above its nearby ZIPs

    The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors

    Estimated life expectancy is 81.1 ± 1.0 years. The 47 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 79.1 years — 2.0 years above them.

    Ranked #1,400 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.

  • Heavy environment, light chronic burden

    Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions

    Environmental-hazard standing 0.4 (bottom 1%); chronic-disease standing 91.1 (top 10%) — 91 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #17,924 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.

  • Highest-risk tenth

    Air toxics and the years between the two ends of the risk scale

    Modeled air-toxics cancer risk is 47.2 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 81.1 ± 1.0 years.

    Ranked #249 of the 4,173 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by modeled air-toxics risk, highest first.

Nearby & similar ZIPs

Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults17.4%16.0–18.8
High blood pressure among adults27.9%26.0–29.8
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults4.0%3.6–4.3
Current asthma among adults9.0%8.1–9.9
Coronary heart disease among adults5.1%4.7–5.6
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults4.4%4.0–4.9
Depression among adults19.2%17.4–21.1
Diagnosed diabetes among adults13.8%12.6–15.1
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened35.4%33.2–37.5
Obesity among adults31.0%28.0–34.0
Stroke among adults3.1%2.9–3.3
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years11.7%9.7–13.9
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years23.2%20.9–25.7
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure67.3%64.7–69.8
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults67.4%64.8–69.8
Cholesterol screening among adults80.7%78.9–82.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years48.0%44.5–51.3
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults51.7%49.0–54.1
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years72.8%67.5–77.5
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults15.8%14.1–17.6
Current cigarette smoking among adults12.2%10.9–13.6
No leisure-time physical activity among adults33.9%31.2–36.6
Short sleep duration among adults37.5%34.5–40.3
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults32.5%30.3–34.7
Frequent mental distress among adults18.0%16.5–19.5
Frequent physical distress among adults17.1%15.6–18.5
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults20.0%18.4–21.7
Any disability among adults37.8%35.3–40.4
Hearing disability among adults5.9%5.3–6.4
Independent living disability among adults10.5%9.6–11.4
Mobility disability among adults17.3%15.8–18.8
Self-care disability among adults5.8%5.3–6.2
Vision disability among adults9.4%8.8–10.2
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults34.7%32.1–37.5
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults32.6%30.1–35.4
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults26.7%24.3–29.2
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults27.1%24.8–29.5
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults14.9%13.5–16.4
Loneliness among adults43.9%41.2–46.8
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults10.9%9.7–12.2
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)CA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate12.7%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36410.6% (4.1–24.9%) n=1,714
Uninsured 18–6417.8%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2867.7% (1.7–17.9%) n=1,704
No HS diploma (25+)40.3%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5059.8% (1.4–30.9%) n=1,729
Bachelor's or higher (25+)11.3%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50531.3% (9.9–68.2%) n=1,729
Unemployment rate (16+)7.4%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2746.1% (0.8–12.0%) n=1,714
Households without a vehicle7.6%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.5% (0.0–12.2%) n=1,708
Broadband subscription90.5%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32293.4% (82.1–98.4%) n=1,708
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)43.9%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32238.6% (24.4–50.5%) n=1,708
Homeownership rate45.4%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32264.1% (31.9–86.4%) n=1,708
Crowded housing (>1 per room)20.4%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3224.8% (0.0–15.9%) n=1,708
Foreign-born population41.9%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,55318.9% (3.0–40.4%) n=1,730
Single-parent households41.2%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08748.4% (35.1–72.3%) n=1,692
Population 65+12.4%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55317.0% (9.7–35.7%) n=1,730
Median age36.4 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29240.1 yr (31.8–57.0) n=1,712
Median household income$74,651$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$93,448 ($54,188–$159,562) n=1,584
Median home value$636,300$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$659,800 ($300,520–$1,493,340) n=1,593
Median gross rent$1,531$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,912 ($1,113–$2,923) n=1,461
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)CA median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth81.1 yr ± 0.5278.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30880.5 yr (76.7–83.8) n=1,665

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 81.1, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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