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ZipVitals

ZIP code

91342

in Sylmar, CaliforniaPopulation 93,301

50.60/ 100

Ranked #15,422 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 48%)

Ranked #1,028 of 1,719 California ZIPs (bottom 40%)

Ranked #278 of 371 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ZIPs (bottom 25%)

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.

Expected annual disaster loss

$1

in the top 0.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
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 ›

Colon-cancer screening

51.3%

in the bottom 2.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST13th
US3rd
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 1.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US99th
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 ›

Loneliness

42.4%

in the top 1.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST93rd
US98th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.

Full methodology ›

Loud transportation noise

4.2%

in the top 2.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST87th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.

Full methodology ›

Park land

48.5%

in the top 2.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST92nd
US97th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.

Full methodology ›

Crowded housing

13.5%

in the top 2.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST86th
US97th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Subsidized affordable housing

487 units

in the top 4.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST87th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.

Full methodology ›

Housing-cost burden

46.1%

in the top 4.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST82nd
US95th
Definition & source ›

The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.

Full methodology ›

Transportation noise

12.6%

in the top 5.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST83rd
US94th
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.

Full methodology ›

The read

Sylmar, California (ZIP 91342), overall, ranks in the top 48% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,422nd) and the bottom 40% of California (1,028th).

continue reading

Taken together, the data gives a genuinely mixed reading: park land lies in the top 2.6% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing stands in the top 4.6% nationally. Distance to an emergency room rests at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. On the other side, modeled expected annual loss registers in the top 0.4% nationally, and colon screening resides in the bottom 2.6% nationally. Modeled disaster risk settles in the top 1.2% nationally, and loneliness is in the top 1.6% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise sits in the top 2.0% nationally, and crowded housing lands in the top 2.7% nationally. Housing-cost burden lies in the top 4.8% nationally.

Measured against the nearby ZIPs, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. ZIP 91040, just across the boundary, comes out 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. 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 71%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 63%

5%

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Risk Behavior

healthier than 51%

11%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 14%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 9%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 5%

13%

Disability

healthier than 35%

7%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 73%

21%

Mental Health

healthier than 67%

8%

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 46%

5%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 20%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 33%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 17%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 28%

11%

Disability

healthier than 33%

7%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 62%

14%

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 48%

21%

Mental Health

healthier than 41%

8%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 17%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 20%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 26%

11%

Disability

healthier than 25%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 20%

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.

  • Heavy environment, light chronic burden

    Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions

    Environmental-hazard standing 9.2 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 91.3 (top 10%) — 82 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #17,341 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 38.1 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 80.0 ± 0.9 years.

    Ranked #1,729 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 adults18.3%16.8–19.8
High blood pressure among adults28.4%26.4–30.4
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults4.8%4.4–5.2
Current asthma among adults9.0%8.1–9.9
Coronary heart disease among adults5.0%4.6–5.5
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults4.6%4.2–5.1
Depression among adults19.2%17.3–21.1
Diagnosed diabetes among adults12.8%11.6–14.0
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened35.7%33.4–37.9
Obesity among adults28.9%26.0–31.9
Stroke among adults3.1%2.8–3.3
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years11.1%9.1–13.1
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years17.5%15.7–19.4
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure68.9%66.3–71.3
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults69.2%66.7–71.6
Cholesterol screening among adults82.7%81.1–84.3
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years51.3%47.7–54.5
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults56.5%54.0–58.9
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years74.2%69.1–78.7
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults15.9%14.2–17.7
Current cigarette smoking among adults11.8%10.5–13.1
No leisure-time physical activity among adults29.7%27.2–32.1
Short sleep duration among adults36.9%33.9–39.7
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults27.9%25.9–29.9
Frequent mental distress among adults17.2%15.8–18.7
Frequent physical distress among adults15.5%14.2–16.9
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults17.7%16.2–19.2
Any disability among adults34.4%32.0–36.7
Hearing disability among adults5.6%5.1–6.2
Independent living disability among adults9.4%8.6–10.3
Mobility disability among adults15.5%14.2–16.9
Self-care disability among adults5.0%4.6–5.4
Vision disability among adults7.7%7.1–8.3
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults33.2%30.8–35.9
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults26.3%24.1–28.5
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults21.8%19.7–23.9
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults22.2%20.3–24.2
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults12.4%11.2–13.6
Loneliness among adults42.4%39.7–45.3
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults9.2%8.2–10.3
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)CA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate12.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36410.6% (4.1–24.9%) n=1,714
Uninsured 18–6413.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2867.7% (1.7–17.9%) n=1,704
No HS diploma (25+)26.6%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5059.8% (1.4–30.9%) n=1,729
Bachelor's or higher (25+)20.8%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50531.3% (9.9–68.2%) n=1,729
Unemployment rate (16+)7.5%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2746.1% (0.8–12.0%) n=1,714
Households without a vehicle5.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.5% (0.0–12.2%) n=1,708
Broadband subscription94.1%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32293.4% (82.1–98.4%) n=1,708
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)46.1%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32238.6% (24.4–50.5%) n=1,708
Homeownership rate67.8%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32264.1% (31.9–86.4%) n=1,708
Crowded housing (>1 per room)13.5%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3224.8% (0.0–15.9%) n=1,708
Foreign-born population34.8%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,55318.9% (3.0–40.4%) n=1,730
Single-parent households44.2%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08748.4% (35.1–72.3%) n=1,692
Population 65+13.2%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55317.0% (9.7–35.7%) n=1,730
Median age37.5 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29240.1 yr (31.8–57.0) n=1,712
Median household income$98,118$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$93,448 ($54,188–$159,562) n=1,584
Median home value$695,600$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$659,800 ($300,520–$1,493,340) n=1,593
Median gross rent$1,963$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 birth80.0 yr ± 0.4878.9 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 0.48 years of 80.0, 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