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ZIP code

96136

in Wendel, CaliforniaPopulation 27

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

36.98/ 100

Ranked #28,537 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 11.1%)

Ranked #1,579 of 1,719 California ZIPs (bottom 8.2%)

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

8.2%

in the top 0.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
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 ›

Industrial-pollution burden

in the bottom 1.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST5th
US2nd
Definition & 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 ›

Housing-cost burden

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Poverty rate

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Full methodology ›

Homeownership rate

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.

Full methodology ›

Home broadband subscription

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

PFAS in drinking water

7.5%

in the bottom 4.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST6th
US4th
Definition & source ›

The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.

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 ›

Coronary heart disease

11.0%

in the top 4.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US96th
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 ›

Independent-living disability

13.3%

in the top 5.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US94th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.

Full methodology ›

Mobility disability

23.5%

in the top 5.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US94th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.

Full methodology ›

The read

Wendel, California (ZIP 96136), by its composite score, sits in the bottom 11.1% nationally (28,537th) and the bottom 8.2% of California (1,579th).

continue reading

The data opens on real and measurable burdens: modeled fine-particle sits in the top 0.3% nationally, and coronary heart disease lies in the top 4.3% nationally. Modeled independent living disability rests in the top 5.8% nationally, and mobility disability resides in the top 5.8% nationally. More encouragingly, modeled industrial-pollution burden is in the bottom 1.7% nationally, housing-cost burden lands at the national minimum, and poverty stands at the national minimum. Homeownership registers at the national maximum, home broadband subscription settles at the national maximum, and modeled pfas sits in the bottom 4.2% nationally.

For anyone unfamiliar, fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. 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. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 89412, 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

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 65%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 15%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 11%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 31%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 23%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 37%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 13%

8%

Disability

healthier than 6%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 7%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 62%

14%

About typical

Preventive Care

healthier than 45%

13%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 48%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 5%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 17%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 18%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 5%

8%

Disability

healthier than 6%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 4%

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 adults32.2%28.5–35.8
High blood pressure among adults40.8%36.4–45.1
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.4%9.3–11.6
Current asthma among adults11.8%10.4–13.3
Coronary heart disease among adults11.0%9.7–12.5
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults12.1%10.2–14.3
Depression among adults25.6%21.9–29.6
Diagnosed diabetes among adults15.4%13.3–17.6
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened40.9%36.3–45.5
Obesity among adults33.4%26.0–41.6
Stroke among adults5.6%4.9–6.4
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years16.0%13.0–19.6
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years9.5%7.1–12.5
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure77.3%74.3–80.1
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults74.0%70.0–77.8
Cholesterol screening among adults83.2%80.7–85.6
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years66.2%60.8–71.5
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults58.2%54.4–61.9
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years71.1%62.4–79.0
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults14.1%11.6–17.0
Current cigarette smoking among adults18.5%15.0–22.1
No leisure-time physical activity among adults30.8%25.5–36.8
Short sleep duration among adults36.0%29.4–43.4
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults31.0%26.3–36.3
Frequent mental distress among adults20.4%17.9–23.1
Frequent physical distress among adults19.7%17.1–22.8
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults20.4%17.4–23.7
Any disability among adults44.9%39.1–51.1
Hearing disability among adults11.2%9.9–12.7
Independent living disability among adults13.3%11.4–15.6
Mobility disability among adults23.5%20.1–27.3
Self-care disability among adults6.5%5.5–7.7
Vision disability among adults8.2%7.1–9.6
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults27.4%23.2–31.8
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults21.1%17.1–25.5
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults22.7%18.6–27.4
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults14.1%11.6–16.8
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults11.5%9.7–13.6
Loneliness among adults36.8%31.3–42.6
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults8.3%7.0–9.8
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)CA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate0.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36410.6% (4.1–24.9%) n=1,714
Uninsured 18–640.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2867.7% (1.7–17.9%) n=1,704
No HS diploma (25+)0.0%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5059.8% (1.4–30.9%) n=1,729
Bachelor's or higher (25+)0.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50531.3% (9.9–68.2%) n=1,729
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%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 subscription100.0%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32293.4% (82.1–98.4%) n=1,708
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)0.0%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32238.6% (24.4–50.5%) n=1,708
Homeownership rate100.0%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 households100.0%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08748.4% (35.1–72.3%) n=1,692
Population 65+70.4%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55317.0% (9.7–35.7%) n=1,730
Median age66.7 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29240.1 yr (31.8–57.0) n=1,712
Median household income—$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$93,448 ($54,188–$159,562) n=1,584
Median home value—$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 birth79.8 yr ± 1.4278.9 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 1.42 years of 79.8, 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