ZIP code
98445
in Tacoma, WashingtonPopulation 33,684
49.46/ 100
Ranked #16,988 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 47%)
Ranked #419 of 581 Washington ZIPs (bottom 28%)
Ranked #160 of 166 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ZIPs (bottom 3.7%)
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.
Humid extreme heat
3.8 days/year
in the bottom 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST12thUS2ndDefinition & 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 ›Energy-cost burden
1.6%
in the bottom 5.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST26thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
3.0%
in the top 11.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS89thDefinition & 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 ›Short sleep
39.8%
in the top 19% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS81stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 98445, one of several in Tacoma, Washington, by its overall standing, sits in the bottom 47% nationally (16,988th) and the bottom 28% of Washington (419th).
The measures fall on both sides of the ledger for this area: modeled humid heat is in the bottom 2.3% nationally, modeled energy burden resides in the bottom 5.9% nationally, and lithium in drinking water rests in the bottom 11.2% nationally. Distance to a community health center lies at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Walkability sits in the top 12.8% nationally, and fatal road crashes settles in the bottom 14.4% nationally. Home broadband subscription registers in the top 16% nationally. Set against that, modeled disaster risk stands in the top 10.3% nationally, and expected annual loss lands in the top 10.9% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure is in the top 11.1% nationally.
Held up against its neighbors, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 98387, 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 65%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 72%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 62%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 93%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 81%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 51%
11%
Disability
healthier than 45%
7%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 10%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 13%
8%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 68%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 69%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 59%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 38%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 33%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 17%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 8%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 17%
8%
Disability
healthier than 22%
7%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 71%
14%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 56%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 56%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 8%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 9%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 15%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 6%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 15%
8%
Disability
healthier than 5%
7%
“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
One of our published findings lists 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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 77.8 ± 1.3 years. A median household income of $92,520 predicts 79.8 years — 2.0 years below.
Ranked #2,579 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
98387
Washingtonshares a border
Score 50.75
Closest healthier
98408
Washingtonshares a border
Score 51.92
Similar health profile
80905
Colorado98% similar profile
Score 50.99
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 | 26.8% | 25.1–28.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 34.4% | 32.3–36.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.0% | 6.4–7.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.4% | 10.4–12.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.9% | 5.4–6.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.2% | 5.6–6.8 |
| Depression among adults | 26.7% | 24.6–28.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.3% | 11.2–13.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.1% | 34.0–38.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.0% | 35.9–42.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.5% | 3.2–3.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 12.6% | 10.7–14.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.4% | 9.3–11.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 70.7% | 68.4–72.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 70.2% | 67.8–72.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 81.3% | 79.7–82.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.4% | 59.6–65.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 59.9% | 57.5–62.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 70.9% | 66.6–75.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.0% | 14.3–17.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.7% | 12.3–15.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.5% | 20.4–24.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.8% | 36.9–42.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.7% | 18.9–22.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.6% | 18.0–21.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.4% | 14.0–16.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.8% | 16.3–19.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.6% | 32.3–37.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.1% | 6.5–7.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.0% | 8.2–9.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.1% | 12.9–15.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.7–4.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.5% | 5.0–5.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.6% (3.5–22.3%) n=583 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.2% (1.8–22.7%) n=582 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.0% (1.5–16.5%) n=588 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 18.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 27.4% (12.3–59.7%) n=588 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.5% (0.0–9.7%) n=584 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.2%) n=580 |
| Broadband subscription | 95.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.7% (81.1–97.4%) n=580 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 35.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 28.9% (14.6–40.6%) n=580 |
| Homeownership rate | 68.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.2% (48.2–91.7%) n=580 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 4.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.6% (0.0–7.9%) n=580 |
| Foreign-born population | 13.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.7% (0.3–27.6%) n=588 |
| Single-parent households | 49.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (40.5–76.0%) n=574 |
| Population 65+ | 16.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (10.3–36.9%) n=588 |
| Median age | 38.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (32.9–58.8) n=584 |
| Median household income | $92,520 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,646 ($56,217–$132,145) n=547 |
| Median home value | $444,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $452,750 ($241,540–$826,380) n=542 |
| Median gross rent | $1,778 | $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 | 77.8 yr ± 0.68 | 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 0.68 years of 77.8, 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