ZIP code
97117
in Gales Creek, OregonPopulation 982
57.70/ 100
Ranked #6,639 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 21%)
Ranked #36 of 407 Oregon ZIPs (top 8.9%)
Ranked #35 of 120 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ZIPs (top 29%)
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.
PFAS in drinking water
4.2%
in the bottom 0.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Loud transportation noise
3.2%
in the top 3.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
77.4%
in the top 6.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Walkability
1.8 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 6.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST17thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST79thUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Median household income
$121,818
in the top 9.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
0.55%
in the bottom 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Physician access
1.4 per 1,000 residents
in the top 12.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS88thDefinition & source ›
The number of physicians’ offices 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 ›Mammography
79.9%
in the top 11.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS88thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
6.6%
in the bottom 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS16thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Gales Creek, Oregon (ZIP 97117) sits in the top 21% healthiest ZIPs nationally (6,639th) and the top 8.9% of Oregon (36th).
A few readings each way define this mixed profile: modeled pfas resides in the bottom 0.6% nationally, and tree cover sits in the top 6.0% nationally. Unemployment stands at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Household income resides in the top 9.1% nationally, and floodplain exposure sits in the bottom 9.9% nationally. Physicians stands in the top 12.2% nationally, and modeled short sleep resides in the bottom 12.4% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled loud transportation noise sits in the top 3.4% nationally, and walkability stands in the bottom 6.2% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden resides in the top 9.7% nationally.
Put plainly, 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. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 97125, about 1.1 miles away.
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 73%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 79%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 94%
11%
Disability
healthier than 81%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 96%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 60%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 43%
8%
Holding it back
Healthcare Access
healthier than 28%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 71%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 76%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 70%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 83%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 87%
8%
Disability
healthier than 87%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 76%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 57%
16%
Holding it back
Healthcare Access
healthier than 36%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 90%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 82%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 75%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 90%
8%
Disability
healthier than 65%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 81%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 24%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 28%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 9%
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.
Nearby
97116
Oregonshares a border
Score 53.87
Closest healthier
97125
Oregonabout 1.1 mi away
Score 58.60
Similar health profile
98359
Washington97% similar profile
Score 55.47
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 | 27.6% | 25.0–30.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.2% | 32.0–38.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.0% | 9.0–11.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.5% | 10.2–12.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.7% | 5.9–7.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.4% | 5.5–7.6 |
| Depression among adults | 25.5% | 22.6–28.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.3% | 9.8–13.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.7% | 34.5–41.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.7% | 29.5–38.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.2% | 2.9–3.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.4% | 11.0–16.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.2% | 4.9–7.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 72.1% | 68.8–75.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 72.3% | 68.9–75.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.9% | 83.8–87.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.1% | 64.2–71.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.3% | 63.2–69.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.9% | 74.4–85.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.0% | 12.8–17.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.9% | 9.0–13.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 17.1% | 14.4–20.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.6% | 26.8–34.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.9% | 15.5–20.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.9% | 14.2–18.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.7% | 12.1–15.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.8% | 11.1–14.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.6% | 24.3–31.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.9% | 6.1–7.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.6% | 5.7–7.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.7% | 10.0–13.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.0% | 2.7–3.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.3–4.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | OR median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 11.7% (4.7–26.4%) n=411 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.9% (0.9–19.7%) n=411 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.5% (1.2–16.6%) n=412 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 41.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.7% (11.1–49.6%) n=412 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.8% (0.0–10.0%) n=409 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.3% (0.0–10.0%) n=410 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 90.4% (76.7–96.9%) n=410 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 24.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 29.9% (14.6–42.0%) n=410 |
| Homeownership rate | 86.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 73.5% (52.8–90.2%) n=410 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.1% (0.0–6.7%) n=410 |
| Foreign-born population | 4.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.0% (0.0–13.0%) n=412 |
| Single-parent households | 48.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.5% (43.5–77.1%) n=407 |
| Population 65+ | 10.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.5% (12.7–42.1%) n=412 |
| Median age | 36.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.1 yr (36.3–62.2) n=410 |
| Median household income | $121,818 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $72,301 ($49,007–$109,558) n=378 |
| Median home value | $652,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $413,900 ($238,120–$653,360) n=374 |
| Median gross rent | $1,857 | $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 | 80.1 yr ± 1.14 | 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 1.14 years of 80.1, 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