ZIP code
98148
in Burien, WashingtonPopulation 9,715
58.36/ 100
Ranked #6,101 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 19%)
Ranked #150 of 581 Washington ZIPs (top 26%)
Ranked #93 of 166 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ZIPs (bottom 44%)
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.
Transportation noise
68.2%
in the top 0.2% 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 ›Loud transportation noise
3.8%
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Child-care access
0.81 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The number of child day-care services 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
40 per million
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Obesity
25.9%
in the bottom 7.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST14thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
8.1 days/year
in the bottom 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST37thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Coronary heart disease
4.3%
in the bottom 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Dental provider access
0.99 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of dental 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 ›Hearing disability
4.9%
in the bottom 5.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 98148, one of several in Burien, Washington ranks in the top 19% healthiest ZIPs nationally (6,101st) and the top 26% of Washington (150th).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: childcare stands in the top 3.7% nationally, and modeled obesity sits in the bottom 7.0% nationally. Modeled humid heat resides in the bottom 5.3% nationally, and coronary heart disease stands in the bottom 4.6% nationally. Dental providers sits in the top 6.9% nationally, and modeled hearing disability resides in the bottom 5.7% nationally. By contrast, modeled transportation noise stands in the top 0.2% nationally, loud transportation noise sits in the top 2.4% nationally, and air-toxics cancer risk resides in the top 4.5% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden stands in the top 5.4% nationally.
Against its neighbors, transportation noise runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, 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. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 98166, 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 94%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 71%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 86%
11%
Disability
healthier than 86%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 96%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 83%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 7%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 13%
13%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 84%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 61%
8%
Disability
healthier than 76%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 81%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 72%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 59%
11%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 31%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 8%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 22%
13%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 65%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 66%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 60%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 47%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 52%
8%
Disability
healthier than 50%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 7%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 12%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 20%
13%
“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
2 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.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 7.2 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 94.1 (top 10%) — 87 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #17,689 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 78.8 ± 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
98166
Washingtonshares a border
Score 60.31
Closest healthier
98146
Washingtonabout 0.8 mi away
Score 60.12
Similar health profile
98087
Washington98% similar profile
Score 60.54
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 | 20.1% | 18.8–21.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 27.9% | 26.3–29.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 6.2% | 5.8–6.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.7–11.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.3% | 3.9–4.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.2% | 3.7–4.7 |
| Depression among adults | 24.4% | 22.7–26.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 8.2% | 7.4–9.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 33.8% | 32.1–35.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 25.9% | 23.6–28.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.6% | 2.4–2.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 7.5% | 6.4–8.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.1% | 9.7–12.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 66.5% | 64.3–68.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 68.3% | 66.3–70.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.6% | 82.1–84.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.6% | 61.2–65.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.9% | 61.9–65.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.6% | 72.0–78.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.4% | 16.0–18.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 9.6% | 8.5–10.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 17.4% | 15.7–19.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.8% | 30.6–35.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.2% | 14.7–17.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.9% | 15.7–18.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.7% | 10.7–12.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.0% | 12.8–15.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 25.0% | 23.2–27.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.5–5.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.5% | 5.9–7.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 9.0% | 8.1–10.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.1% | 2.8–3.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.9–4.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.6% (3.5–22.3%) n=583 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.2% (1.8–22.7%) n=582 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 11.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.0% (1.5–16.5%) n=588 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 33.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 27.4% (12.3–59.7%) n=588 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.5% (0.0–9.7%) n=584 |
| Households without a vehicle | 13.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.2%) n=580 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.7% (81.1–97.4%) n=580 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 39.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 28.9% (14.6–40.6%) n=580 |
| Homeownership rate | 50.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.2% (48.2–91.7%) n=580 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 5.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.6% (0.0–7.9%) n=580 |
| Foreign-born population | 19.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.7% (0.3–27.6%) n=588 |
| Single-parent households | 43.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (40.5–76.0%) n=574 |
| Population 65+ | 11.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (10.3–36.9%) n=588 |
| Median age | 36.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (32.9–58.8) n=584 |
| Median household income | $87,342 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,646 ($56,217–$132,145) n=547 |
| Median home value | $607,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $452,750 ($241,540–$826,380) n=542 |
| Median gross rent | $1,816 | $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 | 78.8 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 78.8, 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