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ZipVitals

ZIP code

95060

in Santa Cruz, CaliforniaPopulation 46,268

60.03/ 100

Ranked #4,844 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 15%)

Ranked #508 of 1,719 California ZIPs (top 30%)

Ranked #11 of 17 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ZIPs (bottom 35%)

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.

Air-toxics cancer risk

93.5 per million

in the top 0.08% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
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 ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$1

in the top 1.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
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 ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 2.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST93rd
US98th
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 ›

Humid extreme heat

4.4 days/year

in the bottom 2.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST6th
US3rd
Definition & source ›

The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.

Full methodology ›

Subsidized affordable housing

673 units

in the top 2.9% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST92nd
US97th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Obesity

25.3%

in the bottom 6.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST28th
US6th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Loud transportation noise

2.8%

in the top 4.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST74th
US96th
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

25.3%

in the top 5.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST83rd
US94th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Distance to a Superfund site

1 mi

in the bottom 7.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST11th
US7th
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 ›

Energy-cost burden

1.5%

in the bottom 4.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST19th
US4th
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 ›

The read

ZIP 95060, one of several in Santa Cruz, California, by its composite score, sits in the top 15% healthiest ZIPs nationally (4,844th) and the top 30% of California (508th).

continue reading

The measures fall on both sides for this area, fairly evenly: modeled humid heat lands in the bottom 2.6% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing stands in the top 2.9% nationally. Modeled obesity registers in the bottom 6.0% nationally, and park land settles in the top 5.6% nationally. Modeled energy burden sits in the bottom 4.2% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled air-toxics cancer risk lies in the top 0.08% nationally, expected annual loss rests in the top 1.4% nationally, and disaster risk resides in the top 2.0% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise is in the top 4.2% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site lands in the bottom 7.1% nationally.

Next to the surrounding area, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For anyone unfamiliar, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. 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. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 95005, 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 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, 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 92%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 87%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 83%

11%

Disability

healthier than 77%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 96%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 78%

5%

About typical

Mental Health

healthier than 43%

8%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 17%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 32%

13%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 74%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 81%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 66%

11%

Disability

healthier than 73%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 92%

5%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 47%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 54%

13%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 56%

5%

Holding it back

Mental Health

healthier than 33%

8%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 81%

21%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 69%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 63%

5%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 50%

16%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 38%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 19%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 38%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 19%

8%

Disability

healthier than 31%

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

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.

  • Heavy environment, light chronic burden

    Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions

    Environmental-hazard standing 17.0; chronic-disease standing 91.5 (top 10%) — 75 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #16,783 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 adults20.6%18.2–23.1
High blood pressure among adults29.1%25.7–32.5
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults7.6%7.0–8.4
Current asthma among adults10.0%8.9–11.2
Coronary heart disease among adults5.4%4.9–6.0
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults5.1%4.5–5.7
Depression among adults23.8%20.5–27.3
Diagnosed diabetes among adults9.2%8.0–10.5
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened33.4%29.5–37.2
Obesity among adults25.3%19.9–31.0
Stroke among adults2.8%2.6–3.0
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years7.1%5.6–8.7
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years6.7%5.7–7.6
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure70.4%67.2–73.4
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults70.8%66.7–74.5
Cholesterol screening among adults84.4%82.5–86.2
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years66.0%61.1–70.5
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults66.8%63.5–70.1
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years77.8%70.8–83.7
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults18.3%15.2–21.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults9.8%8.4–11.3
No leisure-time physical activity among adults18.4%15.5–21.7
Short sleep duration among adults32.1%26.7–38.1
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults18.0%15.9–20.2
Frequent mental distress among adults17.1%15.3–19.1
Frequent physical distress among adults12.2%10.8–13.6
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults13.8%12.3–15.4
Any disability among adults27.5%24.1–31.1
Hearing disability among adults5.7%5.1–6.4
Independent living disability among adults7.5%6.7–8.3
Mobility disability among adults11.6%10.2–13.1
Self-care disability among adults3.2%3.0–3.5
Vision disability among adults4.4%4.0–4.8
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults22.6%19.5–26.0
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults12.5%10.8–14.4
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults11.5%10.0–13.1
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.5%9.2–12.0
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults7.9%7.0–8.8
Loneliness among adults34.9%30.2–39.9
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults6.2%5.4–7.1
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)CA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate17.4%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36410.6% (4.1–24.9%) n=1,714
Uninsured 18–645.9%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2867.7% (1.7–17.9%) n=1,704
No HS diploma (25+)5.2%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5059.8% (1.4–30.9%) n=1,729
Bachelor's or higher (25+)54.7%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50531.3% (9.9–68.2%) n=1,729
Unemployment rate (16+)6.5%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2746.1% (0.8–12.0%) n=1,714
Households without a vehicle7.8%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.5% (0.0–12.2%) n=1,708
Broadband subscription95.5%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32293.4% (82.1–98.4%) n=1,708
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)41.0%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32238.6% (24.4–50.5%) n=1,708
Homeownership rate51.5%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32264.1% (31.9–86.4%) n=1,708
Crowded housing (>1 per room)5.2%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3224.8% (0.0–15.9%) n=1,708
Foreign-born population13.6%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,55318.9% (3.0–40.4%) n=1,730
Single-parent households51.6%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08748.4% (35.1–72.3%) n=1,692
Population 65+18.0%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55317.0% (9.7–35.7%) n=1,730
Median age36.5 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29240.1 yr (31.8–57.0) n=1,712
Median household income$108,591$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$93,448 ($54,188–$159,562) n=1,584
Median home value$1,207,200$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$659,800 ($300,520–$1,493,340) n=1,593
Median gross rent$2,454$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 unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled.
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