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ZIP code

96118

in Loyalton, CaliforniaPopulation 1,328

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

46.48/ 100

Ranked #20,791 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 35%)

Ranked #1,258 of 1,719 California ZIPs (bottom 27%)

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.

Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance

5.4%

in the top 0.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST89th
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 ›

Unemployment rate

19.2%

in the top 2.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.

Full methodology ›

Pharmacy access

0.69 per 1,000 residents

in the top 2.5% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST98th
US98th
Definition & 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 ›

Park land

34.4%

in the top 4.0% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST88th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.

Full methodology ›

Child-care access

0.69 per 1,000 residents

in the top 5.3% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The number of child day-care services 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 ›

Humid extreme heat

9.7 days/year

in the bottom 6.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST16th
US7th
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 ›

Walkability

2.3 intersections/sq mi

in the bottom 9.3% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST9th
US9th
Definition & source ›

The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.

Full methodology ›

Stroke

5.0%

in the top 14.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
US86th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.

Full methodology ›

Coronary heart disease

9.4%

in the top 15% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
US85th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.

Full methodology ›

Energy-cost burden

4.6%

in the top 14.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US85th
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.

A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.

Full methodology ›

The read

In overall standing, Loyalton, California (ZIP 96118) comes out in the bottom 35% nationally (20,791st) and the bottom 27% of California (1,258th).

continue reading

The data is direct about where this area carries real strain: modeled fine-particle settles in the top 0.9% nationally, unemployment registers in the top 2.2% nationally, and walkability stands in the bottom 9.3% nationally. Modeled mobility disability lands in the top 16% nationally. More encouragingly, pharmacy is in the top 2.5% nationally, and park land resides in the top 4.0% nationally. Childcare rests in the top 5.3% nationally, and modeled humid heat lies in the bottom 6.7% nationally. Dental providers sits in the top 14.3% nationally. Crowded housing settles at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs.

Relative to the ZIPs around it, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain terms, fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 96124, 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

Risk Behavior

healthier than 68%

11%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 67%

5%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 41%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 58%

13%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 26%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 19%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 34%

8%

Disability

healthier than 21%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 19%

5%

Lifting this score

Preventive Care

healthier than 76%

13%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 43%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 50%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 44%

11%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 49%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 9%

21%

Mental Health

healthier than 23%

8%

Disability

healthier than 21%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 12%

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 adults33.2%29.7–37.1
High blood pressure among adults41.0%36.7–45.7
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults11.0%10.0–12.2
Current asthma among adults11.0%9.8–12.4
Coronary heart disease among adults9.4%8.4–10.5
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults9.9%8.6–11.4
Depression among adults24.3%20.8–28.1
Diagnosed diabetes among adults14.6%12.8–16.8
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened40.9%36.4–45.6
Obesity among adults33.1%25.6–41.8
Stroke among adults5.0%4.5–5.5
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years10.5%8.5–12.8
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.3%6.1–8.8
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure77.6%74.5–80.6
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults76.2%72.5–79.7
Cholesterol screening among adults88.1%86.5–89.6
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years67.1%61.9–72.0
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults65.2%61.6–68.6
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years75.8%67.9–82.5
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults14.1%11.6–16.9
Current cigarette smoking among adults15.9%13.4–18.4
No leisure-time physical activity among adults27.0%22.5–31.9
Short sleep duration among adults32.9%26.4–39.8
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults26.0%22.7–29.5
Frequent mental distress among adults17.8%15.8–19.9
Frequent physical distress among adults17.6%15.5–19.8
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults15.9%14.0–17.9
Any disability among adults37.8%33.2–42.7
Hearing disability among adults9.5%8.4–10.7
Independent living disability among adults10.7%9.3–12.0
Mobility disability among adults20.4%17.8–23.2
Self-care disability among adults5.4%4.8–6.1
Vision disability among adults6.6%5.9–7.4
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults23.9%20.4–28.0
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults15.9%13.4–18.9
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults18.0%15.2–21.1
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults12.1%10.3–14.1
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults8.7%7.6–9.9
Loneliness among adults32.8%27.8–38.7
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults7.6%6.5–8.8
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)CA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate7.9%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36410.6% (4.1–24.9%) n=1,714
Uninsured 18–6418.6%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2867.7% (1.7–17.9%) n=1,704
No HS diploma (25+)6.2%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+)19.2%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2746.1% (0.8–12.0%) n=1,714
Households without a vehicle2.3%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.5% (0.0–12.2%) n=1,708
Broadband subscription91.8%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32293.4% (82.1–98.4%) n=1,708
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)35.5%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32238.6% (24.4–50.5%) n=1,708
Homeownership rate75.1%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32264.1% (31.9–86.4%) n=1,708
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3224.8% (0.0–15.9%) n=1,708
Foreign-born population0.0%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,55318.9% (3.0–40.4%) n=1,730
Single-parent households82.2%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08748.4% (35.1–72.3%) n=1,692
Population 65+35.5%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55317.0% (9.7–35.7%) n=1,730
Median age54.8 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29240.1 yr (31.8–57.0) n=1,712
Median household income$54,167$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$93,448 ($54,188–$159,562) n=1,584
Median home value$243,800$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
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)CA median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth81.9 yr ± 2.1378.9 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 2.13 years of 81.9, 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