ZIP code
98255
in Hamilton, WashingtonPopulation 198
52.78/ 100
Ranked #12,401 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 39%)
Ranked #321 of 581 Washington ZIPs (bottom 45%)
Ranked #10 of 13 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA ZIPs (bottom 23%)
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.
Crowded housing
15.2%
in the top 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Transportation noise
0.03%
in the bottom 6.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a nursing home
11.3 mi
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST77thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›The read
Hamilton, Washington (ZIP 98255), by its overall standing, sits in the top 39% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,401st) and the bottom 45% of Washington (321st), based on limited data; treat as directional.
Both sides of the picture show up plainly in this area's numbers: modeled expected annual loss lies in the bottom 2.9% nationally, and transportation noise sits in the bottom 6.6% nationally. Households without a vehicle settles at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled extreme heat registers at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled humid heat stands in the bottom 10.5% nationally, and short sleep lands in the bottom 12.0% nationally. By contrast, crowded housing is in the top 2.1% nationally, and distance to a nursing home resides in the top 8.9% nationally. Modeled disaster risk rests in the top 12.7% nationally, and housing-cost burden lies in the top 13.6% nationally.
Held up against its neighbors, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 98284, 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.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 64%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 89%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 86%
11%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.8%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 45%
16%
Disability
healthier than 57%
7%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 23%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 19%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 12%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 77%
14%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 97%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 41%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 58%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 37%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 10%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 26%
8%
Disability
healthier than 31%
7%
Healthcare Access
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
98284
Washingtonshares a border
Score 53.57
Closest healthier
98263
Washingtonabout 2.3 mi away
Score 53.45
Similar health profile
84652
Utah98% similar profile
Score 53.74
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 | 30.3% | 27.4–33.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 32.0% | 28.8–35.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.0% | 8.1–10.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.0% | 10.7–13.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.3% | 5.5–7.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.8% | 5.5–8.1 |
| Depression among adults | 27.8% | 24.6–31.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.5% | 9.0–12.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.3% | 31.1–37.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.6% | 28.9–38.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.5% | 3.0–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.9% | 9.6–14.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.0% | 7.1–11.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 73.5% | 70.2–76.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 70.4% | 67.0–73.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.3% | 82.1–86.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.6% | 64.2–72.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.5% | 63.4–69.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 70.5% | 63.3–77.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.0% | 13.7–18.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.7% | 10.0–15.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 19.7% | 16.1–23.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.5% | 26.5–34.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.3% | 15.2–21.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.5% | 15.3–19.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.1% | 12.9–17.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.2% | 12.9–17.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.9% | 26.7–35.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.7–8.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.1% | 6.7–9.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.8% | 11.4–16.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.2–4.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.0–5.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 21.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.6% (3.5–22.3%) n=583 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 3.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.2% (1.8–22.7%) n=582 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 36.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.0% (1.5–16.5%) n=588 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 8.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 27.4% (12.3–59.7%) n=588 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.5% (0.0–9.7%) n=584 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.2%) n=580 |
| Broadband subscription | 82.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.7% (81.1–97.4%) n=580 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 37.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 28.9% (14.6–40.6%) n=580 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.2% (48.2–91.7%) n=580 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 15.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.6% (0.0–7.9%) n=580 |
| Foreign-born population | 9.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.7% (0.3–27.6%) n=588 |
| Single-parent households | 66.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (40.5–76.0%) n=574 |
| Population 65+ | 20.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (10.3–36.9%) n=588 |
| Median age | 38.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (32.9–58.8) n=584 |
| Median household income | $68,194 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,646 ($56,217–$132,145) n=547 |
| Median home value | $217,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $452,750 ($241,540–$826,380) n=542 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 80.0 yr ± 1.71 | 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 1.71 years of 80.0, 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