Skip to main content
ZipVitals

ZIP code

95303

in Ballico, CaliforniaPopulation 784

45.22/ 100

Ranked #22,170 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 31%)

Ranked #1,305 of 1,719 California ZIPs (bottom 24%)

Ranked #1 of 19 Merced, CA ZIPs (top 5.3%)

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.

Dry extreme heat

101.8 days/year

in the top 1.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US99th
Definition & source ›

The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.

Full methodology ›

Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance

4.1%

in the top 1.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST83rd
US99th
Definition & 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 ›

Nitrate in drinking water

21.2%

in the top 2.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US98th
Definition & 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 ›

Median household income

$144,375

in the top 4.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST85th
US95th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Transportation noise

15.3%

in the top 4.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST89th
US96th
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 ›

Air-toxics cancer risk

40 per million

in the top 4.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST73rd
US96th
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 ›

Tree cover

0.00%

at the national minimum

Higher is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.

Full methodology ›

Colon-cancer screening

55.9%

in the bottom 5.9% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST25th
US6th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.

Full methodology ›

Home broadband subscription

98.9%

in the top 6.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST92nd
US94th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 7.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST68th
US93rd
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 ›

The read

On the composite measure, Ballico, California (ZIP 95303) stands in the bottom 31% nationally (22,170th) and the bottom 24% of California (1,305th).

continue reading

The weightiest signals in the profile are worth naming up front: modeled extreme heat resides in the top 1.4% nationally, and fine-particle stands in the top 1.5% nationally. Modeled nitrate sits in the top 2.1% nationally, and transportation noise resides in the top 4.1% nationally. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk stands in the top 4.5% nationally, tree cover sits at the national minimum, and colon screening resides in the bottom 5.9% nationally. Modeled disaster risk stands in the top 7.3% nationally. More positively, household income sits in the top 4.6% nationally, and home broadband subscription resides in the top 6.1% nationally.

For clarity, fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. Nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. ZIP 95316, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.

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 Merced, 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 80%

21%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 60%

5%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 39%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 2%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 7%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 35%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 34%

8%

Disability

healthier than 38%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 22%

5%

Nothing measured is lifting this score.

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 47%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 41%

16%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 8%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 21%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 18%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 23%

8%

Disability

healthier than 36%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 20%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 38%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 67%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

in the top 0.00%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 83%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 83%

11%

Disability

in the top 0.00%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 83%

5%

About typical

Mental Health

healthier than 56%

8%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 17%

14%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 33%

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.

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 adults21.5%18.7–24.3
High blood pressure among adults30.8%27.0–34.8
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults6.1%5.4–6.7
Current asthma among adults10.2%9.0–11.6
Coronary heart disease among adults5.8%5.2–6.6
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults6.3%5.4–7.3
Depression among adults22.9%19.6–26.6
Diagnosed diabetes among adults11.6%10.0–13.3
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened35.4%31.3–39.6
Obesity among adults32.7%25.9–40.2
Stroke among adults3.2%2.9–3.6
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years15.8%13.0–19.2
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years13.6%11.0–16.5
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure68.4%64.8–71.9
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults69.6%65.4–73.7
Cholesterol screening among adults82.6%80.3–84.9
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years55.9%50.7–61.2
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults57.7%54.1–61.5
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years71.4%63.2–78.9
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults17.7%14.6–21.2
Current cigarette smoking among adults13.9%11.5–16.4
No leisure-time physical activity among adults28.1%23.4–33.2
Short sleep duration among adults36.9%30.7–43.7
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults25.4%21.9–29.2
Frequent mental distress among adults18.8%16.6–21.2
Frequent physical distress among adults15.3%13.3–17.4
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults17.8%15.4–20.4
Any disability among adults33.2%28.8–38.1
Hearing disability among adults6.2%5.5–7.0
Independent living disability among adults9.6%8.3–11.0
Mobility disability among adults15.2%13.1–17.6
Self-care disability among adults4.7%4.1–5.3
Vision disability among adults6.6%5.8–7.5
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults28.2%24.2–32.5
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults21.6%18.1–25.5
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults18.9%15.9–22.3
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults18.0%15.2–20.8
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults11.2%9.6–12.9
Loneliness among adults38.0%32.7–43.4
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults9.3%7.9–10.7
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)CA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate7.4%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36410.6% (4.1–24.9%) n=1,714
Uninsured 18–6414.1%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2867.7% (1.7–17.9%) n=1,704
No HS diploma (25+)16.4%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5059.8% (1.4–30.9%) n=1,729
Bachelor's or higher (25+)16.8%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50531.3% (9.9–68.2%) n=1,729
Unemployment rate (16+)11.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2746.1% (0.8–12.0%) n=1,714
Households without a vehicle0.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.5% (0.0–12.2%) n=1,708
Broadband subscription98.9%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32293.4% (82.1–98.4%) n=1,708
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)23.4%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32238.6% (24.4–50.5%) n=1,708
Homeownership rate65.0%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32264.1% (31.9–86.4%) n=1,708
Crowded housing (>1 per room)3.6%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 households67.4%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08748.4% (35.1–72.3%) n=1,692
Population 65+13.6%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55317.0% (9.7–35.7%) n=1,730
Median age42.0 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29240.1 yr (31.8–57.0) n=1,712
Median household income$144,375$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$93,448 ($54,188–$159,562) n=1,584
Median home value$569,400$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$659,800 ($300,520–$1,493,340) n=1,593
Median gross rent$942$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 birth80.4 yr ± 1.8578.9 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 1.85 years of 80.4, 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