ZIP code
98537
in Cosmopolis, WashingtonPopulation 2,820
47.84/ 100
Ranked #19,131 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 40%)
Ranked #463 of 581 Washington ZIPs (bottom 20%)
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.
PFAS in drinking water
7.2%
in the bottom 3.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
7.3 days/year
in the bottom 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST34thUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.2%
in the bottom 5.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS5thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
17.5 per million
in the bottom 6.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Tree cover
75.3%
in the top 6.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST65thUS90thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
38.9%
in the top 24% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS76thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite measure, Cosmopolis, Washington (ZIP 98537) sits in the bottom 40% nationally (19,131st) and the bottom 20% of Washington (463rd).
The profile cuts both ways, and the readings bear that out: modeled pfas registers in the bottom 3.7% nationally, humid heat lands in the bottom 4.6% nationally, and arsenic resides in the bottom 5.1% nationally. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk lies in the bottom 6.6% nationally, and tree cover settles in the top 6.8% nationally. Modeled extreme heat stands at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled transportation noise is in the bottom 17% nationally. Working the other way, modeled disaster risk rests in the top 9.7% nationally, and walkability sits in the bottom 13.4% nationally. Recreation registers at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs.
In plain language, pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. ZIP 98532, just across the boundary, ranks healthier overall.
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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 61%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 98%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 95%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 51%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 48%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 36%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 17%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 15%
8%
Disability
healthier than 38%
7%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 76%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 15%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 21%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 29%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 8%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 21%
8%
Disability
healthier than 17%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 38%
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
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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 98.3 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 36.4 — 62 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,595 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
98520
Washingtonshares a border
Score 45.81
Closest healthier
98532
Washingtonshares a border
Score 51.37
Similar health profile
97396
Oregon97% similar profile
Score 47.15
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 | 31.7% | 28.6–34.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.7% | 35.1–42.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.2–11.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.7% | 10.4–13.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.0% | 7.1–8.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.2% | 7.1–9.3 |
| Depression among adults | 27.4% | 24.1–30.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.1% | 11.4–14.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.0% | 35.4–42.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.2% | 30.8–41.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.1% | 3.7–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.3% | 11.0–15.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.0% | 7.4–11.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 74.9% | 71.9–77.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 70.5% | 66.8–74.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.0% | 81.7–86.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.1% | 59.8–68.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.7% | 55.5–61.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.5% | 64.8–77.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.4% | 12.9–18.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.0% | 12.6–17.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.3% | 19.9–27.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.9% | 34.3–43.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.4% | 18.6–24.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.6% | 16.7–20.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.9% | 14.1–17.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.3% | 14.4–18.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.2% | 31.3–39.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.1–10.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.0% | 7.9–10.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.1% | 14.0–18.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.8–4.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.7–5.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.6% (3.5–22.3%) n=583 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 2.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.2% (1.8–22.7%) n=582 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.0% (1.5–16.5%) n=588 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 27.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 27.4% (12.3–59.7%) n=588 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.5% (0.0–9.7%) n=584 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.2%) n=580 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.7% (81.1–97.4%) n=580 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 24.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 28.9% (14.6–40.6%) n=580 |
| Homeownership rate | 85.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.2% (48.2–91.7%) n=580 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.6% (0.0–7.9%) n=580 |
| Foreign-born population | 4.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.7% (0.3–27.6%) n=588 |
| Single-parent households | 49.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (40.5–76.0%) n=574 |
| Population 65+ | 19.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (10.3–36.9%) n=588 |
| Median age | 41.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (32.9–58.8) n=584 |
| Median household income | $79,459 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,646 ($56,217–$132,145) n=547 |
| Median home value | $339,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $452,750 ($241,540–$826,380) n=542 |
| Median gross rent | $974 | $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 | 77.5 yr ± 0.61 | 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 0.61 years of 77.5, 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