ZIP code
97532
in Merlin, OregonPopulation 2,578
48.27/ 100
Ranked #18,581 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 42%)
Ranked #217 of 407 Oregon ZIPs (bottom 47%)
Ranked #1 of 10 Grants Pass, OR ZIPs (top 10.0%)
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.
Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
26 mi
in the top 2.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST84thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
1.9%
in the top 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST82ndUS95thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Merlin, Oregon (ZIP 97532), overall, ranks in the bottom 42% nationally (18,581st) and the bottom 47% of Oregon (217th).
Taken together, the data gives a genuinely mixed reading: distance to a hazardous-chemical facility registers in the top 2.7% nationally. Households without a vehicle resides at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled short sleep settles in the bottom 14.0% nationally. Crowded housing is at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Home broadband subscription sits in the top 16% nationally. On the other side, modeled fine-particle lands in the top 5.0% nationally, and coronary heart disease lies in the top 11.4% nationally. Modeled hearing disability stands in the top 14.4% nationally, pfas rests in the top 16% nationally, and disaster risk registers in the top 17% nationally.
Defined simply, distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. 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. ZIP 97530, about 17 miles away, comes out healthier overall.
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 Grants Pass, OR 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 64%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 86%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 79%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 40%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 51%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 36%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 37%
8%
Disability
healthier than 31%
7%
Lifting this score
Risk Behavior
healthier than 60%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 83%
8%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 55%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 59%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 53%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 26%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 34%
16%
Disability
healthier than 30%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 37%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 75%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 75%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 75%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 88%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the top 0.00%
11%
Mental Health
in the top 0.00%
8%
Disability
in the top 0.00%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 75%
5%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 38%
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
97497
Oregonshares a border
Score 41.95
Closest healthier
97530
Oregonabout 17 mi away
Score 54.09
Similar health profile
97739
Oregon97% similar profile
Score 47.37
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 | 36.5% | 32.8–40.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.6% | 35.5–43.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 12.1% | 11.0–13.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.0% | 10.6–13.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.8% | 8.7–11.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.7% | 8.3–11.1 |
| Depression among adults | 25.4% | 21.9–29.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.6% | 12.6–16.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.9% | 35.6–44.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 32.3% | 26.4–38.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.0% | 14.0–20.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.3% | 6.8–9.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.7% | 74.5–80.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.2% | 72.5–79.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.3% | 84.4–88.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.0% | 62.0–71.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.8% | 55.0–62.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.4% | 65.6–80.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.4% | 11.0–16.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.1% | 11.8–16.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.4% | 19.3–27.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.9% | 25.5–36.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.4% | 19.3–25.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.6% | 14.6–18.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.7% | 14.6–18.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.0% | 13.1–17.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.1% | 31.6–40.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.4% | 9.2–11.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.0–10.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.1% | 15.5–20.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.6% | 4.0–5.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.6% | 5.0–6.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | OR median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 11.7% (4.7–26.4%) n=411 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.9% (0.9–19.7%) n=411 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 9.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.5% (1.2–16.6%) n=412 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 16.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.7% (11.1–49.6%) n=412 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.8% (0.0–10.0%) n=409 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.3% (0.0–10.0%) n=410 |
| Broadband subscription | 95.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 90.4% (76.7–96.9%) n=410 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 31.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 29.9% (14.6–42.0%) n=410 |
| Homeownership rate | 86.8% | 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 | 5.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.0% (0.0–13.0%) n=412 |
| Single-parent households | 69.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.5% (43.5–77.1%) n=407 |
| Population 65+ | 31.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.5% (12.7–42.1%) n=412 |
| Median age | 53.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.1 yr (36.3–62.2) n=410 |
| Median household income | $81,167 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $72,301 ($49,007–$109,558) n=378 |
| Median home value | $445,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $413,900 ($238,120–$653,360) n=374 |
| Median gross rent | $860 | $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 ± 3.05 | 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 3.05 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