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ZipVitals

ZIP code

94502

in Alameda, CaliforniaPopulation 13,430

72.56/ 100

Ranked #215 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 0.7%)

Ranked #30 of 1,719 California ZIPs (top 1.8%)

Ranked #11 of 174 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ZIPs (top 6.4%)

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.

Median household income

$180,938

in the top 1.7% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST93rd
US98th
Definition & source ›

The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.

Full methodology ›

Obesity

17.7%

in the bottom 0.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST2nd
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.

Full methodology ›

Transportation noise

50%

in the top 0.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
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 ›

Utility shut-off threat

3.1%

in the bottom 0.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST3rd
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Outer-floodplain exposure

19.9%

in the top 2.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.

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 ›

Cognitive disability

8.2%

in the bottom 0.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.

Full methodology ›

Lack of transportation

4.3%

in the bottom 2.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST4th
US3rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Energy-cost burden

0.80%

in the bottom 0.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST2nd
US1st
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.

A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.

Full methodology ›

Housing insecurity

6.1%

in the bottom 2.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST4th
US3rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Walkability

180 intersections/sq mi

in the top 3.4% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST93rd
US97th
Definition & source ›

The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.

Full methodology ›

The read

On balance, and by the composite measure, ZIP 94502, one of several in Alameda, California ranks in the top 0.7% healthiest ZIPs nationally (215th) and the top 1.8% of California (30th).

continue reading

Neither strongly one way nor the other, the measures sit mixed: household income resides in the top 1.7% nationally, and modeled obesity lands in the bottom 0.4% nationally. Modeled utility shutoff registers in the bottom 0.7% nationally, and cognitive disability sits in the bottom 0.9% nationally. Modeled transportation rests in the bottom 2.6% nationally, energy burden is in the bottom 0.5% nationally, and housing insecurity stands in the bottom 2.9% nationally. Walkability settles in the top 3.4% nationally. Against that, modeled transportation noise lies in the top 0.5% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure resides in the top 2.0% nationally.

Compared with the ZIPs it borders, transportation noise runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 94563, about 6.5 miles away.

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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, 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 97%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 98%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 81%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 99%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 98%

8%

Disability

healthier than 98%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 83%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 34%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 22%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 91%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 96%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 64%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 91%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 97%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 99%

8%

Disability

healthier than 97%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 64%

5%

Holding it back

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 20%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 77%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 80%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 79%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 91%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 97%

8%

Disability

healthier than 90%

7%

About typical

Healthcare Access

healthier than 50%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 29%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 10%

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.

  • Above its nearby ZIPs

    The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors

    Estimated life expectancy is 83.8 ± 2.2 years. The 46 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 80.7 years — 3.1 years above them.

    Ranked #772 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 34.0; chronic-disease standing 96.6 (top 10%) — 63 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #15,658 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.

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 adults20.5%18.2–23.1
High blood pressure among adults28.5%25.6–31.8
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults7.6%6.9–8.4
Current asthma among adults8.0%7.1–9.0
Coronary heart disease among adults4.6%4.1–5.2
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults3.3%2.8–3.9
Depression among adults16.4%14.3–18.9
Diagnosed diabetes among adults10.3%9.0–11.8
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened36.9%33.4–40.6
Obesity among adults17.7%14.7–21.2
Stroke among adults2.5%2.2–2.7
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years3.2%2.5–4.0
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years3.4%2.8–4.2
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure74.9%71.6–78.1
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults76.6%73.6–79.5
Cholesterol screening among adults91.4%90.1–92.5
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years64.3%60.0–68.3
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults75.7%73.2–78.1
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years78.3%72.1–83.7
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults13.7%11.6–16.0
Current cigarette smoking among adults6.1%5.1–7.4
No leisure-time physical activity among adults15.8%13.4–18.7
Short sleep duration among adults30.4%26.7–34.4
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults12.9%11.2–15.0
Frequent mental distress among adults11.7%10.4–13.2
Frequent physical distress among adults9.4%8.3–10.8
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults8.2%7.2–9.4
Any disability among adults21.6%19.1–24.6
Hearing disability among adults4.9%4.4–5.6
Independent living disability among adults4.5%4.0–5.2
Mobility disability among adults9.2%7.9–10.6
Self-care disability among adults2.1%1.8–2.3
Vision disability among adults2.9%2.6–3.3
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults24.5%21.4–28.0
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults7.3%5.8–8.8
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults5.1%4.1–6.3
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults6.1%5.0–7.2
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults4.3%3.7–5.0
Loneliness among adults34.3%30.2–38.7
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults3.1%2.6–3.6
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)CA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate2.5%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36410.6% (4.1–24.9%) n=1,714
Uninsured 18–642.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2867.7% (1.7–17.9%) n=1,704
No HS diploma (25+)6.4%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5059.8% (1.4–30.9%) n=1,729
Bachelor's or higher (25+)73.7%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50531.3% (9.9–68.2%) n=1,729
Unemployment rate (16+)4.5%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2746.1% (0.8–12.0%) n=1,714
Households without a vehicle1.7%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.5% (0.0–12.2%) n=1,708
Broadband subscription98.2%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32293.4% (82.1–98.4%) n=1,708
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)26.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32238.6% (24.4–50.5%) n=1,708
Homeownership rate86.0%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32264.1% (31.9–86.4%) n=1,708
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.4%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3224.8% (0.0–15.9%) n=1,708
Foreign-born population28.2%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,55318.9% (3.0–40.4%) n=1,730
Single-parent households43.1%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08748.4% (35.1–72.3%) n=1,692
Population 65+21.6%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55317.0% (9.7–35.7%) n=1,730
Median age44.8 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29240.1 yr (31.8–57.0) n=1,712
Median household income$180,938$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$93,448 ($54,188–$159,562) n=1,584
Median home value$1,204,200$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$659,800 ($300,520–$1,493,340) n=1,593
Median gross rent$3,501$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 birth83.8 yr ± 1.1278.9 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 1.12 years of 83.8, 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