ZIP code
93561
in Tehachapi, CaliforniaPopulation 31,175
54.25/ 100
Ranked #10,379 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 32%)
Ranked #820 of 1,719 California ZIPs (top 48%)
Ranked #5 of 48 Bakersfield-Delano, CA ZIPs (top 10.5%)
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.
Natural-disaster risk
in the top 1.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Nitrate in drinking water
1.6%
in the top 5.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS94thDefinition & 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 an emergency room
17.9 mi
in the top 7.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›The read
Tehachapi, California (ZIP 93561), overall, ranks in the top 32% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,379th) and the top 48% of California (820th).
Reading the numbers as a whole, the picture lands somewhere in between: distance to a community health center sits at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Subsidized affordable housing lands in the top 12.2% nationally, modeled humid heat lies in the bottom 13.0% nationally, and civic stands in the top 14.5% nationally. On the other side, modeled disaster risk rests in the top 1.2% nationally, and nitrate registers in the top 5.9% nationally. Distance to an emergency room resides in the top 7.3% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility settles at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Unemployment is in the top 16% nationally, and slow internet speeds sits in the top 17% nationally.
Defined simply, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. 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 hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. ZIP 93531, 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 Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area.
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 65%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 66%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 67%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 87%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 59%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 50%
13%
Disability
healthier than 53%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Mental Health
healthier than 36%
8%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 81%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 70%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 71%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 57%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 43%
11%
Disability
healthier than 51%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 30%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 26%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 31%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 91%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 76%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 89%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 91%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 78%
8%
Disability
healthier than 85%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 98%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 59%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 52%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
“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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 77.6 ± 1.2 years. A median household income of $87,357 predicts 79.5 years — 1.9 years below.
Ranked #2,473 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
93501
Californiashares a border
Score 34.02
Closest healthier
93531
Californiashares a border
Score 59.29
Similar health profile
49930
Michigan96% similar profile
Score 56.28
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 | 26.9% | 23.9–29.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 34.7% | 31.1–38.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.5% | 8.7–10.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.7% | 9.5–12.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.0% | 6.3–7.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.8% | 6.1–7.6 |
| Depression among adults | 24.0% | 20.9–27.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.7% | 10.2–13.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.5% | 32.8–40.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 31.9% | 26.7–37.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.4% | 8.5–12.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.8% | 6.7–8.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 73.8% | 70.5–76.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 75.4% | 72.0–78.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.4% | 85.9–88.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.3% | 61.8–70.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.6% | 62.4–68.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.2% | 70.6–83.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.9% | 14.1–19.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.2% | 10.5–14.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.4% | 20.0–26.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.7% | 30.0–39.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.4% | 18.1–22.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.9–19.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.4% | 12.8–16.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.8% | 13.1–16.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.7% | 29.0–36.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.4–8.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.6–9.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.7% | 13.8–17.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.7–5.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.6% | 21.4–28.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.4% | 11.6–15.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.3% | 11.6–15.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.6% | 10.2–13.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.9% | 7.0–8.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.9% | 28.7–37.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.8–7.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.6% (4.1–24.9%) n=1,714 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.7% (1.7–17.9%) n=1,704 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.8% (1.4–30.9%) n=1,729 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 29.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 31.3% (9.9–68.2%) n=1,729 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 6.1% (0.8–12.0%) n=1,714 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.5% (0.0–12.2%) n=1,708 |
| Broadband subscription | 92.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.4% (82.1–98.4%) n=1,708 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 31.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 38.6% (24.4–50.5%) n=1,708 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 64.1% (31.9–86.4%) n=1,708 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 4.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 4.8% (0.0–15.9%) n=1,708 |
| Foreign-born population | 9.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (3.0–40.4%) n=1,730 |
| Single-parent households | 56.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.4% (35.1–72.3%) n=1,692 |
| Population 65+ | 23.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.0% (9.7–35.7%) n=1,730 |
| Median age | 41.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 40.1 yr (31.8–57.0) n=1,712 |
| Median household income | $87,357 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $93,448 ($54,188–$159,562) n=1,584 |
| Median home value | $408,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $659,800 ($300,520–$1,493,340) n=1,593 |
| Median gross rent | $1,363 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,912 ($1,113–$2,923) n=1,461 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 77.6 yr ± 0.63 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 80.5 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 0.63 years of 77.6, 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