ZIP code
95251
in Vallecito, CaliforniaPopulation 701
52.28/ 100
Ranked #13,078 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 41%)
Ranked #925 of 1,719 California ZIPs (bottom 46%)
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.
Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
2.4%
in the top 3.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST70thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of days in the year when modeled fine-particle (PM2.5) pollution was above the EPA’s daily limit of 35 micrograms per cubic meter.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
23.1 mi
in the top 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
65.9%
in the bottom 4.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST2ndUS4thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
40 per million
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST73rdUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a community health center
25.5 mi
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
1.9%
in the bottom 6.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$127,775
in the top 7.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST78thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
9.9%
in the bottom 8.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST12thUS9thDefinition & 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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.7%
in the bottom 18% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS18thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms 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 ›Homeownership rate
87.4%
in the top 25% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS75thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›The read
Vallecito, California (ZIP 95251), by its composite score, sits in the top 41% healthiest ZIPs nationally (13,078th) and the bottom 46% of California (925th).
The standout strengths in the data are the natural place to begin: poverty stands in the bottom 6.5% nationally, and household income registers in the top 7.5% nationally. Unemployment settles at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled pfas sits in the bottom 8.7% nationally. On the other side, modeled fine-particle lies in the top 3.5% nationally, distance to an emergency room rests in the top 3.8% nationally, and home broadband subscription resides in the bottom 4.4% nationally. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk is in the top 4.5% nationally, and distance to a community health center lands in the top 5.5% nationally. Fiber broadband stands at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs.
For anyone unfamiliar, fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. 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. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 95247, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 64%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 80%
11%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 59%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 49%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 52%
8%
Disability
healthier than 56%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 10%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 4%
5%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 81%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 61%
11%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 49%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 45%
8%
Disability
healthier than 53%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 43%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 25%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 36%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 2%
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
95222
Californiashares a border
Score 50.28
Closest healthier
95247
Californiashares a border
Score 54.91
Similar health profile
56308
Minnesota96% similar profile
Score 55.06
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 | 29.5% | 25.9–33.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.4% | 31.1–39.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.9% | 9.9–12.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.7% | 6.8–8.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.4% | 6.4–8.7 |
| Depression among adults | 23.4% | 19.9–27.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.7% | 9.9–13.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.6% | 35.0–44.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 28.5% | 21.7–35.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.9% | 3.5–4.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.0% | 6.3–9.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.7% | 4.5–6.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.9% | 73.4–80.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.0% | 72.2–79.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.6% | 87.1–90.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.8% | 61.4–71.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.9% | 62.3–69.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.8% | 68.7–83.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.2% | 13.2–19.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.4% | 10.2–14.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.4% | 17.5–25.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.2% | 26.0–38.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.8% | 16.9–23.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.3% | 14.2–18.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.5% | 12.6–16.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.5% | 11.7–15.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.7% | 27.2–36.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.9% | 7.0–9.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.2% | 7.1–9.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.6% | 13.4–18.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.4–4.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.0% | 19.7–26.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.7% | 8.9–12.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.8% | 8.9–13.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.1% | 7.7–10.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.7–7.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.6% | 26.9–36.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.3% | 4.5–6.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 1.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.6% (4.1–24.9%) n=1,714 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.7% (1.7–17.9%) n=1,704 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 0.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.8% (1.4–30.9%) n=1,729 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 31.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 31.3% (9.9–68.2%) n=1,729 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 6.1% (0.8–12.0%) n=1,714 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.5% (0.0–12.2%) n=1,708 |
| Broadband subscription | 65.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.4% (82.1–98.4%) n=1,708 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 20.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 38.6% (24.4–50.5%) n=1,708 |
| Homeownership rate | 87.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 64.1% (31.9–86.4%) n=1,708 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 4.8% (0.0–15.9%) n=1,708 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (3.0–40.4%) n=1,730 |
| Single-parent households | 73.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.4% (35.1–72.3%) n=1,692 |
| Population 65+ | 19.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.0% (9.7–35.7%) n=1,730 |
| Median age | 52.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 40.1 yr (31.8–57.0) n=1,712 |
| Median household income | $127,775 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $93,448 ($54,188–$159,562) n=1,584 |
| Median home value | $561,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $659,800 ($300,520–$1,493,340) n=1,593 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 84.2 yr ± 1.66 | 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 1.66 years of 84.2, 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