ZIP code
98276
in Nooksack, WashingtonPopulation 1,794
54.09/ 100
Ranked #10,572 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 33%)
Ranked #270 of 581 Washington ZIPs (top 46%)
Ranked #12 of 16 Bellingham, WA ZIPs (bottom 25%)
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.
Outer-floodplain exposure
20.8%
in the top 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
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 ›Fatal road crashes
0 per 100,000 residents per year
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Transit access
7 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of public-transit stops 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 ›Tree cover
0.00%
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
26.6%
in the bottom 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
10.4%
in the top 8.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Diabetes
8.1%
in the bottom 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS8thDefinition & 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 ›High cholesterol
31.8%
in the bottom 6.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
32.7%
in the top 8.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS91stDefinition & 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 ›The read
Nooksack, Washington (ZIP 98276), on the composite measure, lands in the top 33% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,572nd) and the top 46% of Washington (270th).
Where the data leans one way, another reading answers it: fatal road crashes resides at the national minimum, transit lies in the top 2.6% nationally, and modeled high blood pressure settles in the bottom 4.2% nationally. Modeled diabetes stands in the bottom 4.6% nationally, expected annual loss is in the bottom 8.3% nationally, and high cholesterol rests in the bottom 6.1% nationally. On the other hand, outer-floodplain exposure sits in the top 1.9% nationally, and modeled tree cover registers at the national minimum. Modeled transportation noise lands in the top 8.0% nationally, and floodplain exposure resides in the top 8.8% nationally.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 98247, 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 Bellingham, 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 90%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 81%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 80%
11%
Disability
healthier than 77%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 51%
16%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 17%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 7%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 30%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 29%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 79%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 72%
14%
Disability
healthier than 62%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 14%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 30%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 38%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 5%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 4%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 25%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 93%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 60%
14%
Disability
healthier than 80%
7%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 40%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 33%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 13%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 20%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 13%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the bottom 0.00%
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
98247
Washingtonshares a border
Score 54.64
Closest healthier
98295
Washingtonabout 1.9 mi away
Score 54.26
Similar health profile
24020
Virginia98% similar profile
Score 60.38
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 | 22.9% | 20.8–25.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 26.6% | 24.1–29.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.6% | 6.9–8.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 9.9–12.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.9% | 4.3–5.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.1% | 4.2–6.1 |
| Depression among adults | 30.4% | 27.5–33.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 8.1% | 7.0–9.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 31.8% | 29.1–34.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 27.8% | 24.2–31.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.7% | 2.4–3.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.4% | 8.5–12.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.2% | 7.5–11.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 68.7% | 65.6–71.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 68.5% | 65.3–71.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.1% | 79.5–84.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.7% | 63.9–71.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.0% | 62.1–67.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.1% | 69.4–80.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.3% | 16.9–21.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 11.9% | 9.6–14.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 16.9% | 14.1–20.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.8% | 27.3–34.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.4% | 13.9–19.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.8% | 16.6–21.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.0% | 11.3–14.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.5% | 13.3–17.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.8% | 25.2–32.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.4–6.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.2–8.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 10.3% | 8.6–12.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.1% | 2.7–3.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.5–4.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.6% (3.5–22.3%) n=583 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.2% (1.8–22.7%) n=582 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 14.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.0% (1.5–16.5%) n=588 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 27.4% (12.3–59.7%) n=588 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.5% (0.0–9.7%) n=584 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.2%) n=580 |
| Broadband subscription | 96.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.7% (81.1–97.4%) n=580 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 35.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 28.9% (14.6–40.6%) n=580 |
| Homeownership rate | 85.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.2% (48.2–91.7%) n=580 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.6% (0.0–7.9%) n=580 |
| Foreign-born population | 13.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.7% (0.3–27.6%) n=588 |
| Single-parent households | 44.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (40.5–76.0%) n=574 |
| Population 65+ | 12.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (10.3–36.9%) n=588 |
| Median age | 31.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (32.9–58.8) n=584 |
| Median household income | $97,159 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,646 ($56,217–$132,145) n=547 |
| Median home value | $524,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $452,750 ($241,540–$826,380) n=542 |
| Median gross rent | $1,721 | $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 | 79.9 yr ± 0.96 | 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 0.96 years of 79.9, 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