ZIP code
97051
in St. Helens, OregonPopulation 17,347
50.18/ 100
Ranked #15,984 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 50%)
Ranked #172 of 407 Oregon ZIPs (top 42%)
Ranked #95 of 120 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ZIPs (bottom 21%)
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.
Elder-services access
0.18 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST80thUS90thDefinition & 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 ›High cholesterol
32.7%
in the bottom 8.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
66.8%
in the top 35% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS65thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFAS — man-made “forever chemicals” that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down — were detected in EPA testing.
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 ›The read
By its overall health score, St. Helens, Oregon (ZIP 97051) lands in the top 50% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,984th) and the top 42% of Oregon (172nd).
A number of signals point in a favorable direction for this area: elder services is in the top 8.3% nationally, and modeled high cholesterol stands in the bottom 8.5% nationally. Distance to a nursing home settles at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Modeled tree cover lies in the top 14.7% nationally, modeled humid heat resides in the bottom 15% nationally, and grocery lands in the top 16% nationally. Working the other way, modeled industrial-pollution burden registers in the top 9.7% nationally, expected annual loss sits in the top 10.4% nationally, and disaster risk rests in the top 13.7% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.
To translate a couple of terms, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 97053, 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 70%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 66%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 68%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 86%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 60%
21%
Disability
healthier than 55%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 16%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 10%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 72%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 72%
14%
Disability
healthier than 62%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 49%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 51%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 55%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 15%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 16%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 19%
8%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 82%
14%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 26%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 21%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 23%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 5%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 26%
8%
Disability
healthier than 21%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 24%
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 ›
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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 77.0 ± 1.4 years. A median household income of $85,869 predicts 79.5 years — 2.5 years below.
Ranked #3,373 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 77.0 ± 1.4 years. The 50 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 79.5 years — 2.5 years below them.
Ranked #1,914 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
97018
Oregonshares a border
Score 50.05
Closest healthier
97053
Oregonshares a border
Score 56.22
Similar health profile
98597
Washington98% similar profile
Score 52.58
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 | 29.4% | 26.9–31.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 32.8% | 30.0–35.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.7% | 8.1–9.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.6% | 11.5–13.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.5% | 6.0–7.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.7% | 6.9–8.5 |
| Depression among adults | 28.4% | 25.6–31.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.3% | 10.1–12.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 32.7% | 29.9–35.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.8% | 29.1–38.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.4% | 3.2–3.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.1% | 11.5–17.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.5% | 7.3–9.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 70.4% | 67.7–72.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 70.6% | 67.5–73.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.4% | 80.6–83.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.1% | 58.0–68.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.0% | 59.4–66.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.0% | 66.2–81.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.2% | 14.2–18.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.2% | 13.5–17.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.1% | 19.3–25.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.5% | 27.7–39.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.3% | 18.4–22.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.3% | 17.7–21.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.9% | 13.6–16.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.4% | 15.0–18.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.2% | 27.3–33.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.0% | 6.4–7.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.7% | 7.9–9.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.7% | 12.3–15.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.4–5.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | OR median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 11.7% (4.7–26.4%) n=411 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.9% (0.9–19.7%) n=411 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.5% (1.2–16.6%) n=412 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 18.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.7% (11.1–49.6%) n=412 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.8% (0.0–10.0%) n=409 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.3% (0.0–10.0%) n=410 |
| Broadband subscription | 92.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 90.4% (76.7–96.9%) n=410 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 33.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 29.9% (14.6–42.0%) n=410 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 73.5% (52.8–90.2%) n=410 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.1% (0.0–6.7%) n=410 |
| Foreign-born population | 4.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.0% (0.0–13.0%) n=412 |
| Single-parent households | 51.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.5% (43.5–77.1%) n=407 |
| Population 65+ | 17.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.5% (12.7–42.1%) n=412 |
| Median age | 41.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.1 yr (36.3–62.2) n=410 |
| Median household income | $85,869 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $72,301 ($49,007–$109,558) n=378 |
| Median home value | $412,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $413,900 ($238,120–$653,360) n=374 |
| Median gross rent | $1,410 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,252 ($807–$1,772) n=327 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | OR median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 77.0 yr ± 0.71 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 79.1 yr (76.4–82.0) n=409 |
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 0.71 years of 77.0, 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