ZIP code
98541
in Elma, WashingtonPopulation 10,810
44.73/ 100
Ranked #22,693 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 29%)
Ranked #517 of 581 Washington ZIPs (bottom 11.1%)
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.
Air-toxics cancer risk
19.2 per million
in the bottom 7.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.8%
in the bottom 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS22ndDefinition & 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 ›Short sleep
38.5%
in the top 27% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS73rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›The read
Elma, Washington (ZIP 98541), by its overall standing, sits in the bottom 29% nationally (22,693rd) and the bottom 11.1% of Washington (517th).
The profile opens balanced, with readings on either hand: distance to an emergency room is at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk resides in the bottom 7.2% nationally. Distance to a community health center rests at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Mental-health providers lies in the top 11.4% nationally, and modeled tree cover sits in the top 12.3% nationally. Modeled humid heat settles in the bottom 13.2% nationally, and pfas registers in the bottom 18% nationally. By contrast, modeled expected annual loss stands in the top 13.2% nationally, and unemployment lands in the top 16% nationally. Crowded housing is in the top 18% nationally.
Defined in plain terms, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. 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. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 98557, 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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 95%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 72%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 68%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 55%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 41%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 34%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 12%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 8%
8%
Disability
healthier than 30%
7%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 89%
14%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 53%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 13%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 16%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 20%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 5%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 6%
8%
Disability
healthier than 12%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 34%
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
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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 77.2 ± 1.3 years. A median household income of $78,816 predicts 79.1 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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 95.4 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 34.3 — 61 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,653 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
98557
Washingtonshares a border
Score 49.39
Closest healthier
98560
Washingtonshares a border
Score 51.77
Similar health profile
97391
Oregon96% similar profile
Score 45.07
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 | 30.8% | 28.2–33.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.7% | 34.6–40.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.3% | 8.6–10.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.1% | 10.9–13.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.8% | 7.1–8.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.6% | 7.8–9.5 |
| Depression among adults | 28.4% | 25.3–31.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.0% | 11.6–14.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.2% | 35.1–41.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.5% | 32.8–42.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.1% | 3.8–4.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.9% | 15.3–20.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.3% | 9.0–11.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 73.4% | 70.7–76.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 69.2% | 65.8–72.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.1% | 80.3–83.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.7% | 59.7–67.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.7% | 55.7–61.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.6% | 65.5–76.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.1% | 13.8–18.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.3% | 14.4–18.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.2% | 21.2–27.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.5% | 34.2–42.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.0% | 20.7–25.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.8% | 17.9–21.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.7% | 15.1–18.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.7% | 16.1–19.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.2% | 32.8–39.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.9% | 8.0–9.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.9–10.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.5% | 14.8–18.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.4–5.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.8% | 5.3–6.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.6% (3.5–22.3%) n=583 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.2% (1.8–22.7%) n=582 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.0% (1.5–16.5%) n=588 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 16.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 27.4% (12.3–59.7%) n=588 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.5% (0.0–9.7%) n=584 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.2%) n=580 |
| Broadband subscription | 92.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.7% (81.1–97.4%) n=580 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 28.9% (14.6–40.6%) n=580 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.2% (48.2–91.7%) n=580 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 4.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.6% (0.0–7.9%) n=580 |
| Foreign-born population | 4.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.7% (0.3–27.6%) n=588 |
| Single-parent households | 56.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (40.5–76.0%) n=574 |
| Population 65+ | 17.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (10.3–36.9%) n=588 |
| Median age | 44.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (32.9–58.8) n=584 |
| Median household income | $78,816 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,646 ($56,217–$132,145) n=547 |
| Median home value | $390,000 | $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 | 77.2 yr ± 0.67 | 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 0.67 years of 77.2, 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