ZIP code
95065
in Santa Cruz, CaliforniaPopulation 7,997
61.36/ 100
Ranked #3,896 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 12.2%)
Ranked #442 of 1,719 California ZIPs (top 26%)
Ranked #9 of 17 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ZIPs (bottom 47%)
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.
Physician access
9 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of physicians’ offices located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Dental provider access
2.3 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of dental offices located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
49.6 per million
in the top 1.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Median household income
$153,222
in the top 3.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST88thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Loud transportation noise
4.0%
in the top 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
4.9 days/year
in the bottom 3.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Obesity
25.6%
in the bottom 6.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST29thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Outpatient-care access
0.59 per 1,000 residents
in the top 5.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS94thDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient clinics located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
63.6%
in the top 6.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
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 ›Energy-cost burden
1.5%
in the bottom 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST21stUS4thDefinition & 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
In its overall standing, ZIP 95065, one of several in Santa Cruz, California lands in the top 12.2% healthiest ZIPs nationally (3,896th) and the top 26% of California (442nd).
This area's measures are easy to read as a mixed set: physicians registers in the top 0.4% nationally, dental providers resides in the top 0.9% nationally, and household income settles in the top 3.5% nationally. Modeled humid heat is in the bottom 3.0% nationally, and obesity sits in the bottom 6.5% nationally. Distance to an emergency room lands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Outpatient lies in the top 5.6% nationally. Set against that, modeled air-toxics cancer risk stands in the top 1.1% nationally, and loud transportation noise rests in the top 2.2% nationally. Modeled pfas registers in the top 6.6% nationally.
Against the wider neighborhood, physicians runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put simply, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. 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. On the overall standing, ZIP 95033, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.
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.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 80%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 94%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 69%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 89%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 64%
8%
Disability
healthier than 76%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 96%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 14%
14%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 91%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 84%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 77%
11%
Disability
healthier than 71%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 93%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 47%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 43%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 59%
8%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 81%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 75%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 75%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 75%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 56%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 6%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 25%
14%
Disability
healthier than 25%
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
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 14.0; chronic-disease standing 79.7 — 66 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #15,995 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 49.6 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 80.7 ± 1.7 years.
Ranked #196 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.
Nearby
95033
Californiashares a border
Score 67.19
Closest healthier
95066
Californiashares a border
Score 64.74
Similar health profile
92624
California99% similar profile
Score 63.52
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 | 24.8% | 21.8–27.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.0% | 29.2–36.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.8% | 8.9–10.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.0% | 8.8–11.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.6% | 4.8–6.5 |
| Depression among adults | 22.8% | 19.6–26.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.2% | 8.8–11.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.0% | 32.9–41.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 25.6% | 20.1–31.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 2.9–3.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.0% | 6.4–9.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.0% | 5.0–7.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 74.6% | 71.2–77.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 74.1% | 70.4–77.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.9% | 87.4–90.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.8% | 64.2–73.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 70.2% | 67.0–73.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.1% | 72.2–84.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.9% | 14.0–19.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 9.7% | 8.1–11.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 18.7% | 15.4–22.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.0% | 25.6–36.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.9% | 15.5–20.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.5% | 13.7–17.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.8% | 11.2–14.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.2% | 10.7–13.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.0% | 24.3–32.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.7% | 5.9–7.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.3–8.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.3% | 11.4–15.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.3% | 2.9–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.7–4.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.6% | 18.5–25.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.1% | 8.5–11.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 7.7–10.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.1% | 7.8–10.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.3% | 5.5–7.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.7% | 28.1–37.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.2% | 4.5–6.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.6% (4.1–24.9%) n=1,714 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.7% (1.7–17.9%) n=1,704 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.8% (1.4–30.9%) n=1,729 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 53.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 31.3% (9.9–68.2%) n=1,729 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 6.1% (0.8–12.0%) n=1,714 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.5% (0.0–12.2%) n=1,708 |
| Broadband subscription | 96.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.4% (82.1–98.4%) n=1,708 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 35.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 38.6% (24.4–50.5%) n=1,708 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 64.1% (31.9–86.4%) n=1,708 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 4.8% (0.0–15.9%) n=1,708 |
| Foreign-born population | 11.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (3.0–40.4%) n=1,730 |
| Single-parent households | 56.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.4% (35.1–72.3%) n=1,692 |
| Population 65+ | 22.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.0% (9.7–35.7%) n=1,730 |
| Median age | 43.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 40.1 yr (31.8–57.0) n=1,712 |
| Median household income | $153,222 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $93,448 ($54,188–$159,562) n=1,584 |
| Median home value | $1,228,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $659,800 ($300,520–$1,493,340) n=1,593 |
| Median gross rent | $2,746 | $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 | 80.7 yr ± 0.89 | 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 0.89 years of 80.7, 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