ZIP code
97236
in Portland, OregonPopulation 37,558
45.48/ 100
Ranked #21,904 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 32%)
Ranked #278 of 407 Oregon ZIPs (bottom 32%)
Ranked #115 of 120 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ZIPs (bottom 4.2%)
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
59.9 per million
in the top 0.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS99thDefinition & 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
45.7%
in the top 5.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
415 units
in the top 5.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Crowded housing
8.8%
in the top 5.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Park land
19.7%
in the top 7.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST82ndUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST82ndUS91stDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST76thUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Walkability
100 intersections/sq mi
in the top 10.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
18.6%
in the top 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS84thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 97236, one of several in Portland, Oregon, by its overall standing, sits in the bottom 32% nationally (21,904th) and the bottom 32% of Oregon (278th).
The data points to real strain across a number of measures here: modeled air-toxics cancer risk lies in the top 0.4% nationally, modeled industrial-pollution burden sits in the top 1.5% nationally, and housing-cost burden settles in the top 5.1% nationally. Crowded housing registers in the top 5.8% nationally, modeled expected annual loss stands in the top 8.9% nationally, and modeled disaster risk lands in the top 8.9% nationally. Lead in tap water is in the top 11.2% nationally. On the brighter side, subsidized affordable housing resides in the top 5.7% nationally, and park land rests in the top 7.1% nationally. Walkability lies in the top 10.1% nationally.
Held up against its neighbors, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. 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. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 97030, 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 67%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 64%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 71%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 92%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 90%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 3%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 8%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 5%
8%
Disability
healthier than 37%
7%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 75%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 65%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 88%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 36%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 10%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 4%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 21%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 3%
8%
Disability
healthier than 37%
7%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 70%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 82%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 33%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 26%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 4%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 9%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 4%
8%
Disability
healthier than 5%
7%
“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
4 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 76.5 ± 1.1 years. A median household income of $75,090 predicts 78.9 years — 2.4 years below.
Ranked #3,312 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 76.5 ± 1.1 years. The 46 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 79.2 years — 2.7 years below them.
Ranked #2,084 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 3.0 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 66.9 — 64 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #15,794 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 59.9 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 76.5 ± 1.1 years.
Ranked #46 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
97030
Oregonshares a border
Score 46.12
Closest healthier
97080
Oregonshares a border
Score 52.22
Similar health profile
97501
Oregon98% similar profile
Score 45.64
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 | 24.0% | 21.9–26.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 31.8% | 29.2–34.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 6.5% | 6.0–7.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.4% | 11.1–13.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.4% | 5.8–7.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.5% | 6.7–8.4 |
| Depression among adults | 30.2% | 27.4–33.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.4% | 11.0–13.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.8% | 32.0–37.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 31.1% | 27.5–35.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–3.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.3% | 12.6–18.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.3% | 9.9–12.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 68.9% | 65.9–71.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 69.7% | 66.7–72.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 80.8% | 78.8–82.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 60.1% | 56.1–64.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.4% | 54.3–60.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.0% | 66.8–78.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.0% | 13.1–17.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.9% | 15.0–18.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.7% | 21.9–27.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.1% | 27.5–34.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.4% | 22.1–26.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.7% | 18.8–22.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.5% | 14.0–17.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.6% | 16.9–20.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.0% | 32.0–38.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.0–7.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.2% | 9.3–11.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.5% | 12.9–16.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.4% | 4.0–4.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.7–6.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | OR median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 11.7% (4.7–26.4%) n=411 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 12.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.9% (0.9–19.7%) n=411 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 17.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.5% (1.2–16.6%) n=412 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 21.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.7% (11.1–49.6%) n=412 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.8% (0.0–10.0%) n=409 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.3% (0.0–10.0%) n=410 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 90.4% (76.7–96.9%) n=410 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 45.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 29.9% (14.6–42.0%) n=410 |
| Homeownership rate | 58.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 73.5% (52.8–90.2%) n=410 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 8.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.1% (0.0–6.7%) n=410 |
| Foreign-born population | 22.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.0% (0.0–13.0%) n=412 |
| Single-parent households | 36.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.5% (43.5–77.1%) n=407 |
| Population 65+ | 13.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.5% (12.7–42.1%) n=412 |
| Median age | 37.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.1 yr (36.3–62.2) n=410 |
| Median household income | $75,090 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $72,301 ($49,007–$109,558) n=378 |
| Median home value | $436,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $413,900 ($238,120–$653,360) n=374 |
| Median gross rent | $1,635 | $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 | 76.5 yr ± 0.55 | 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 0.55 years of 76.5, 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