ZIP code
95542
in Garberville, CaliforniaPopulation 2,463
38.49/ 100
Ranked #27,724 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 13.6%)
Ranked #1,543 of 1,719 California ZIPs (bottom 10.3%)
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.
Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS1stDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Recreation access
1.6 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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 ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
24.5 mi
in the top 3.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
2.0%
in the top 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST65thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Poverty rate
32.5%
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
44.2%
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST76thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 7.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST68thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a Superfund site
64.1 mi
in the top 7.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Pharmacy access
0.4 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies 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 ›Fatal road crashes
36.5 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS91stDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Garberville, California (ZIP 95542) sits in the bottom 13.6% nationally (27,724th) and the bottom 10.3% of California (1,543rd).
A few readings each way define this mixed profile: modeled industrial-pollution burden settles in the bottom 1.3% nationally, recreation lands in the top 3.0% nationally, and distance to a hazardous-chemical facility rests in the top 3.2% nationally. Distance to an emergency room settles at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Distance to a Superfund site lands in the top 7.8% nationally, and pharmacy rests in the top 8.3% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled fine-particle settles in the top 4.6% nationally, and poverty lands in the top 5.5% nationally. Housing-cost burden rests in the top 6.0% nationally, and modeled disaster risk settles in the top 7.3% nationally.
Put plainly, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 95545, 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
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 91%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 54%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 23%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 6%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 14%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 8%
8%
Disability
healthier than 11%
7%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 75%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 79%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 8%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 11%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 35%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 12%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 3%
8%
Disability
healthier than 11%
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
95454
Californiashares a border
Score 37.72
Closest healthier
95545
Californiashares a border
Score 47.59
Similar health profile
15542
Pennsylvania99% similar profile
Score 41.84
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 | 30.8% | 27.7–34.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.0% | 35.2–43.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.3% | 8.4–10.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.5% | 10.2–12.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.4% | 8.5–10.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.1% | 9.8–12.4 |
| Depression among adults | 27.0% | 23.6–30.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.8% | 13.0–16.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.1% | 35.1–43.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.5% | 29.1–42.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.6–5.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 19.7% | 16.3–23.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.0% | 7.7–10.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 74.9% | 71.9–77.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 72.5% | 68.8–76.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.9% | 82.3–85.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 59.5% | 53.9–64.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.6% | 50.8–58.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.3% | 62.9–78.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.8% | 13.2–18.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 20.1% | 17.3–22.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.3% | 24.9–33.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.0% | 29.8–42.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 28.8% | 25.5–32.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 21.0% | 18.8–23.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.5% | 16.5–20.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 19.1% | 17.1–21.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.6% | 35.3–44.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.3% | 8.4–10.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 12.4% | 11.1–13.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.8% | 18.4–23.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.3% | 5.7–6.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.9–8.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.7% | 23.2–30.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 21.8% | 18.9–25.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 25.3% | 22.2–28.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.1% | 14.0–18.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 10.3–13.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.8% | 29.1–38.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.4% | 9.1–11.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 32.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.6% (4.1–24.9%) n=1,714 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.7% (1.7–17.9%) n=1,704 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.8% (1.4–30.9%) n=1,729 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 29.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 31.3% (9.9–68.2%) n=1,729 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 6.1% (0.8–12.0%) n=1,714 |
| Households without a vehicle | 11.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.5% (0.0–12.2%) n=1,708 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.4% (82.1–98.4%) n=1,708 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 44.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 38.6% (24.4–50.5%) n=1,708 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 64.1% (31.9–86.4%) n=1,708 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 4.8% (0.0–15.9%) n=1,708 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (3.0–40.4%) n=1,730 |
| Single-parent households | 59.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.4% (35.1–72.3%) n=1,692 |
| Population 65+ | 31.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.0% (9.7–35.7%) n=1,730 |
| Median age | 48.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 40.1 yr (31.8–57.0) n=1,712 |
| Median household income | $46,104 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $93,448 ($54,188–$159,562) n=1,584 |
| Median home value | $395,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $659,800 ($300,520–$1,493,340) n=1,593 |
| Median gross rent | $1,332 | $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 | 82.3 yr ± 2.10 | 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 2.10 years of 82.3, 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