ZIP code
98104
in Seattle, WashingtonPopulation 16,542
55.85/ 100
Ranked #8,448 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 26%)
Ranked #206 of 581 Washington ZIPs (top 35%)
Ranked #108 of 166 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ZIPs (bottom 35%)
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.
Subsidized affordable housing
3,593 units
in the top 0.06% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
56.7%
in the top 0.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Physician access
8 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Civic-institution access
2.9 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of civic and social organizations 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 ›Loud transportation noise
7.9%
in the top 0.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$1
in the top 0.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Pharmacy access
1.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies 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 ›Outpatient-care access
1.5 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient clinics 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 ›Households without a vehicle
56.1%
in the top 0.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Walkability
280 intersections/sq mi
in the top 0.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 98104, one of several in Seattle, Washington, in overall standing, comes out in the top 26% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,448th) and the top 35% of Washington (206th).
An even profile, with readings pulling both ways: subsidized affordable housing stands in the top 0.06% nationally, physicians resides in the top 0.5% nationally, and civic sits in the top 0.5% nationally. Pharmacy stands in the top 0.7% nationally, outpatient resides in the top 0.8% nationally, and walkability sits in the top 0.9% nationally. Against that, modeled transportation noise stands in the top 0.4% nationally, and loud transportation noise resides in the top 0.5% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss sits in the top 0.6% nationally, and households without a vehicle stands in the top 0.9% nationally.
Set within its surrounding area, subsidized affordable housing runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, for reference, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 98101, 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, 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 86%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
in the top 0.02%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 81%
11%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 42%
8%
Disability
healthier than 57%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.9%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 7%
13%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 73%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
in the top 0.3%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 63%
8%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.8%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 12%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 39%
11%
Disability
healthier than 33%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 11%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
in the top 0.7%
16%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 44%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 55%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 2%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 10%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 33%
11%
Disability
healthier than 9%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 11%
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
3 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.
Above what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 82.4 ± 1.9 years. A median household income of $61,460 predicts 78.2 years — 4.3 years above.
Ranked #158 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 0.9 (bottom 1%); chronic-disease standing 85.5 — 85 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #17,537 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 40.0 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 82.4 ± 1.9 years.
Ranked #504 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
98101
Washingtonshares a border
Score 70.15
Closest healthier
98122
Washingtonshares a border
Score 66.91
Similar health profile
98032
Washington90% similar profile
Score 52.89
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 | 20.2% | 19.0–21.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 31.3% | 29.8–33.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.5% | 5.1–5.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.0% | 9.2–10.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.8% | 5.4–6.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.5% | 5.0–6.1 |
| Depression among adults | 23.9% | 22.3–25.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.6% | 9.8–11.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.3% | 32.7–36.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 26.1% | 23.8–28.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.5% | 3.2–3.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.8% | 14.6–19.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.8% | 9.6–12.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 68.0% | 66.3–69.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 67.9% | 65.9–69.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 80.0% | 78.5–81.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 59.9% | 57.5–62.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.5% | 56.4–60.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.2% | 68.4–75.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.5% | 15.2–18.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 11.5% | 10.3–12.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 20.8% | 19.0–22.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.8% | 30.5–35.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.0% | 18.4–21.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.1% | 15.9–18.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.6% | 11.6–13.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.2% | 14.0–16.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.6% | 26.7–30.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.3% | 5.8–6.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.3% | 7.5–9.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.4% | 10.5–12.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.9–4.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.7–6.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 31.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.6% (3.5–22.3%) n=583 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.2% (1.8–22.7%) n=582 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 15.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.0% (1.5–16.5%) n=588 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 45.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 27.4% (12.3–59.7%) n=588 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 9.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.5% (0.0–9.7%) n=584 |
| Households without a vehicle | 56.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.2%) n=580 |
| Broadband subscription | 85.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.7% (81.1–97.4%) n=580 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 43.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 28.9% (14.6–40.6%) n=580 |
| Homeownership rate | 8.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.2% (48.2–91.7%) n=580 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 6.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.6% (0.0–7.9%) n=580 |
| Foreign-born population | 34.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.7% (0.3–27.6%) n=588 |
| Single-parent households | 73.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (40.5–76.0%) n=574 |
| Population 65+ | 17.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (10.3–36.9%) n=588 |
| Median age | 37.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (32.9–58.8) n=584 |
| Median household income | $61,460 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,646 ($56,217–$132,145) n=547 |
| Median home value | $616,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $452,750 ($241,540–$826,380) n=542 |
| Median gross rent | $1,556 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,416 ($840–$2,197) n=476 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 82.4 yr ± 0.99 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 80.2 yr (77.3–83.1) n=584 |
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 0.99 years of 82.4, 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