ZIP code
95973
in Chico, CaliforniaPopulation 39,031
54.01/ 100
Ranked #10,683 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 33%)
Ranked #834 of 1,719 California ZIPs (top 49%)
Ranked #2 of 18 Chico, CA ZIPs (top 11.2%)
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.
Air-toxics cancer risk
55 per million
in the top 0.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
3.9%
in the top 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Dry extreme heat
74.2 days/year
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST80thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Lithium in drinking water
10 µg/L
in the bottom 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Radon
0.8 pCi/L
in the bottom 9.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST20thUS9thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
18.4%
in the top 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS84thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 95973, one of several in Chico, California ranks in the top 33% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,683rd) and the top 49% of California (834th).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: lithium in drinking water rests in the bottom 8.9% nationally, and modeled obesity lands in the bottom 11.4% nationally. Distance to a community health center settles at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Modeled industrial-pollution burden rests in the bottom 11.5% nationally, and lead in tap water lands in the bottom 11.7% nationally. By contrast, modeled air-toxics cancer risk settles in the top 0.4% nationally, fine-particle rests in the top 1.5% nationally, and disaster risk lands in the top 2.9% nationally. Modeled extreme heat settles in the top 5.5% nationally, and loud transportation noise rests in the top 11.8% nationally.
Against its neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 95942, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Chico, 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 83%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 68%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 79%
11%
Disability
healthier than 72%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 85%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 5%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 39%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 36%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 17%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 63%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 61%
13%
Disability
healthier than 66%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 68%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 54%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 59%
11%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 20%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 26%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 15%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 94%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 88%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 75%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 88%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 81%
8%
Disability
in the top 0.00%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 81%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 50%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 44%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
“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 4.8 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 83.2 — 78 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #17,075 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 55.0 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 79.8 ± 1.5 years.
Ranked #67 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
95926
Californiashares a border
Score 47.60
Closest healthier
95942
Californiashares a border
Score 56.32
Similar health profile
73118
Oklahoma98% similar profile
Score 54.57
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 | 23.8% | 21.0–26.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 31.3% | 27.8–35.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.7% | 7.9–9.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.9% | 5.3–6.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.8% | 5.2–6.5 |
| Depression among adults | 24.7% | 21.3–28.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.6% | 8.4–11.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.2% | 30.3–38.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 28.0% | 22.2–34.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.1% | 2.9–3.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.5% | 7.6–11.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.5% | 5.6–7.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 71.7% | 68.4–74.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 73.3% | 69.5–76.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.6% | 85.0–88.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.8% | 60.9–70.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.0% | 62.7–69.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.6% | 68.0–82.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.4% | 15.3–21.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 11.2% | 9.6–12.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 19.5% | 16.3–23.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.6% | 25.9–37.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.2% | 16.0–20.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.3% | 15.5–19.3 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.8% | 11.4–14.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.8% | 12.4–15.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.7% | 25.1–32.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.9–8.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.7% | 11.2–14.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.4% | 3.1–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.4% | 4.0–4.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.2% | 20.0–26.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.0% | 10.3–13.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.8% | 10.3–13.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.7% | 9.3–12.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.9% | 28.2–38.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.0% | 5.3–6.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.6% (4.1–24.9%) n=1,714 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.7% (1.7–17.9%) n=1,704 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.8% (1.4–30.9%) n=1,729 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 41.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 31.3% (9.9–68.2%) n=1,729 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 6.1% (0.8–12.0%) n=1,714 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.5% (0.0–12.2%) n=1,708 |
| Broadband subscription | 94.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.4% (82.1–98.4%) n=1,708 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 33.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 38.6% (24.4–50.5%) n=1,708 |
| Homeownership rate | 62.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 64.1% (31.9–86.4%) n=1,708 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 4.8% (0.0–15.9%) n=1,708 |
| Foreign-born population | 8.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (3.0–40.4%) n=1,730 |
| Single-parent households | 43.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.4% (35.1–72.3%) n=1,692 |
| Population 65+ | 16.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.0% (9.7–35.7%) n=1,730 |
| Median age | 37.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 40.1 yr (31.8–57.0) n=1,712 |
| Median household income | $92,813 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $93,448 ($54,188–$159,562) n=1,584 |
| Median home value | $489,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $659,800 ($300,520–$1,493,340) n=1,593 |
| Median gross rent | $1,619 | $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 | 79.8 yr ± 0.74 | 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 0.74 years of 79.8, 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