Skip to main content
ZipVitals

Menu

ZIP code

97835

in Helix, OregonPopulation 608

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

53.26/ 100

Ranked #11,690 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 36%)

Ranked #104 of 407 Oregon ZIPs (top 26%)

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.

Walkability

1.3 intersections/sq mi

in the bottom 3.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST10th
US4th
Definition & source ›

The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.

Full methodology ›

PFAS in drinking water

100%

at the national maximum

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & 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 ›

Median household income

$132,292

in the top 6.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.

Full methodology ›

Housing-cost burden

6.5%

in the bottom 6.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST4th
US6th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Slow internet speeds

1.9%

in the top 6.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST87th
US94th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.

Full methodology ›

Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance

1.4%

in the top 6.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST74th
US93rd
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 ›

Distance to an emergency room

18.1 mi

in the top 7.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST82nd
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.

Full methodology ›

Floodplain exposure

0.05%

in the bottom 7.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST9th
US7th
Definition & 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 ›

Nitrate in drinking water

0.21%

in the top 7.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams per liter.

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 ›

Transportation noise

0.08%

in the bottom 7.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST5th
US8th
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.

Full methodology ›

The read

In overall standing, Helix, Oregon (ZIP 97835) comes out in the top 36% healthiest ZIPs nationally (11,690th) and the top 26% of Oregon (104th).

continue reading

Several readings land clearly in this area's favor and shape the picture: household income registers in the top 6.6% nationally, housing-cost burden stands in the bottom 6.1% nationally, and floodplain exposure lands in the bottom 7.2% nationally. Unemployment is at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Set against that, walkability resides in the bottom 3.8% nationally, and PFAS in drinking water rests at the national maximum. Slow internet speeds lies in the top 6.1% nationally, and modeled fine-particle sits in the top 6.9% nationally. Distance to an emergency room settles in the top 7.0% nationally, and modeled nitrate registers in the top 7.9% nationally.

Relative to the ZIPs around it, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain terms, PFAS in drinking water is the family of man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. Nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 97813, 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

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 65%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 83%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 76%

11%

Disability

healthier than 66%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 83%

5%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 49%

14%

Holding it back

Preventive Care

healthier than 27%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 26%

8%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 8%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 74%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 77%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 63%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 63%

8%

Disability

healthier than 73%

7%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 46%

5%

Holding it back

Preventive Care

healthier than 34%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 30%

11%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 13%

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 adults28.5%25.3–31.9
High blood pressure among adults31.5%27.7–35.3
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults8.7%7.8–9.6
Current asthma among adults12.4%11.0–14.1
Coronary heart disease among adults6.3%5.5–7.1
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults7.0%6.0–8.2
Depression among adults25.3%21.8–29.3
Diagnosed diabetes among adults10.6%9.1–12.3
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened32.1%28.1–36.1
Obesity among adults35.7%29.2–42.5
Stroke among adults3.2%2.9–3.6
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years13.1%10.5–16.1
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.3%5.7–9.2
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure71.4%67.7–74.7
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults73.5%69.4–77.3
Cholesterol screening among adults83.7%81.2–85.9
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years63.9%58.6–69.0
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults64.0%60.3–67.6
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years75.1%67.1–82.0
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults17.2%14.1–20.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults13.7%11.2–16.6
No leisure-time physical activity among adults20.4%16.7–24.5
Short sleep duration among adults31.5%25.8–37.5
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults18.6%15.8–21.8
Frequent mental distress among adults18.2%16.0–20.7
Frequent physical distress among adults14.1%12.2–16.1
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults15.1%13.0–17.6
Any disability among adults30.0%25.8–34.6
Hearing disability among adults7.0%6.1–7.9
Independent living disability among adults8.0%6.8–9.3
Mobility disability among adults12.9%11.0–15.1
Self-care disability among adults3.4%2.9–3.9
Vision disability among adults4.3%3.7–4.9
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)OR median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate6.4%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36411.7% (4.7–26.4%) n=411
Uninsured 18–6428.6%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2867.9% (0.9–19.7%) n=411
No HS diploma (25+)1.7%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5057.5% (1.2–16.6%) n=412
Bachelor's or higher (25+)17.7%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50523.7% (11.1–49.6%) n=412
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.8% (0.0–10.0%) n=409
Households without a vehicle0.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.3% (0.0–10.0%) n=410
Broadband subscription97.3%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32290.4% (76.7–96.9%) n=410
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)6.5%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32229.9% (14.6–42.0%) n=410
Homeownership rate89.0%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32273.5% (52.8–90.2%) n=410
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3222.1% (0.0–6.7%) n=410
Foreign-born population0.5%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5534.0% (0.0–13.0%) n=412
Single-parent households25.7%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08757.5% (43.5–77.1%) n=407
Population 65+16.4%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55322.5% (12.7–42.1%) n=412
Median age41.7 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29245.1 yr (36.3–62.2) n=410
Median household income$132,292$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$72,301 ($49,007–$109,558) n=378
Median home value$232,600$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$413,900 ($238,120–$653,360) n=374
Median gross rent$809$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,252 ($807–$1,772) n=327
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)OR median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth81.4 yr ± 1.2978.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30879.1 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 1.29 years of 81.4, 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