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ZIP code

95540

in Fortuna, CaliforniaPopulation 14,469

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

48.88/ 100

Ranked #17,818 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 44%)

Ranked #1,148 of 1,719 California ZIPs (bottom 33%)

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.

Humid extreme heat

1.3 days/year

in the bottom 0.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST2nd
US1st
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 ›

Elder-services access

0.21 per 1,000 residents

in the top 6.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST96th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 6.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST70th
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 ›

Housing-cost burden

40.1%

in the top 9.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST59th
US90th
Definition & source ›

The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.

Full methodology ›

Radon

0.8 pCi/L

in the bottom 6.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST11th
US7th
Definition & source ›

The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.

Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a Superfund site

39.9 mi

in the top 19% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST91st
US81st
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 ›

Air-toxics cancer risk

20 per million

in the bottom 25% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST8th
US25th
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 ›

The read

Fortuna, California (ZIP 95540), in overall standing, comes out in the bottom 44% nationally (17,818th) and the bottom 33% of California (1,148th).

continue reading

An even profile, with readings pulling both ways: modeled humid heat lies in the bottom 0.9% nationally. Distance to an emergency room registers at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Elder services is in the top 6.6% nationally. Distance to a community health center lies at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Modeled radon registers in the bottom 6.9% nationally. Against that, modeled disaster risk is in the top 6.9% nationally. Fiber broadband lies at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Housing-cost burden registers in the top 9.9% nationally, modeled pfas is in the top 10.6% nationally, and homeownership lies in the bottom 13.1% nationally.

Set within its surrounding area, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, for reference, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. 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. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 95528, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 88%

14%

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 58%

21%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 59%

11%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 52%

5%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 33%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 25%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 16%

8%

Disability

healthier than 32%

7%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 91%

14%

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Preventive Care

healthier than 47%

13%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 24%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 36%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 35%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 8%

8%

Disability

healthier than 31%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 40%

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 adults27.7%24.8–30.8
High blood pressure among adults34.3%30.7–38.1
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.2%8.4–10.1
Current asthma among adults11.0%9.8–12.3
Coronary heart disease among adults7.5%6.8–8.4
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.1%7.2–9.1
Depression among adults25.7%22.3–29.4
Diagnosed diabetes among adults11.9%10.4–13.7
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened36.8%33.0–40.9
Obesity among adults31.7%25.6–38.3
Stroke among adults4.0%3.7–4.4
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years12.7%10.2–15.3
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years8.6%7.4–9.9
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure74.2%71.2–77.0
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults72.4%68.6–75.8
Cholesterol screening among adults85.0%83.3–86.6
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years62.2%56.8–67.1
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults61.5%57.7–64.9
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years75.0%67.0–81.7
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults16.6%13.9–19.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults14.9%12.7–17.1
No leisure-time physical activity among adults25.2%21.3–29.6
Short sleep duration among adults33.6%27.5–39.9
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults23.5%20.9–26.5
Frequent mental distress among adults19.5%17.4–21.7
Frequent physical distress among adults15.8%14.0–17.7
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults16.9%15.1–18.9
Any disability among adults35.3%31.1–39.7
Hearing disability among adults8.0%7.2–9.0
Independent living disability among adults10.2%9.1–11.4
Mobility disability among adults17.0%15.1–19.3
Self-care disability among adults4.6%4.2–5.1
Vision disability among adults6.0%5.4–6.6
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults26.0%22.4–29.9
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults16.9%14.5–19.3
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults17.1%14.8–19.4
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults13.5%11.7–15.4
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults9.4%8.3–10.5
Loneliness among adults34.3%29.3–39.5
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults7.8%6.8–8.9
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 18–646.7%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2867.7% (1.7–17.9%) n=1,704
No HS diploma (25+)12.5%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5059.8% (1.4–30.9%) n=1,729
Bachelor's or higher (25+)26.2%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50531.3% (9.9–68.2%) n=1,729
Unemployment rate (16+)7.8%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2746.1% (0.8–12.0%) n=1,714
Households without a vehicle4.9%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.5% (0.0–12.2%) n=1,708
Broadband subscription90.0%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32293.4% (82.1–98.4%) n=1,708
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)40.1%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32238.6% (24.4–50.5%) n=1,708
Homeownership rate56.4%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32264.1% (31.9–86.4%) n=1,708
Crowded housing (>1 per room)4.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3224.8% (0.0–15.9%) n=1,708
Foreign-born population12.5%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,55318.9% (3.0–40.4%) n=1,730
Single-parent households55.0%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08748.4% (35.1–72.3%) n=1,692
Population 65+17.0%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55317.0% (9.7–35.7%) n=1,730
Median age39.1 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29240.1 yr (31.8–57.0) n=1,712
Median household income$63,695$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$93,448 ($54,188–$159,562) n=1,584
Median home value$389,500$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$659,800 ($300,520–$1,493,340) n=1,593
Median gross rent$1,178$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 birth77.1 yr ± 0.9678.9 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 0.96 years of 77.1, 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