ZIP code
98597
in Yelm, WashingtonPopulation 26,669
52.58/ 100
Ranked #12,662 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 39%)
Ranked #326 of 581 Washington ZIPs (bottom 44%)
Ranked #10 of 12 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA ZIPs (bottom 17%)
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.
Natural-disaster risk
in the top 2.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
6.6 days/year
in the bottom 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST31stUS4thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Yelm, Washington (ZIP 98597), overall, ranks in the top 39% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,662nd) and the bottom 44% of Washington (326th).
This area's measures are easy to read as a mixed set: modeled humid heat settles in the bottom 4.2% nationally. Distance to a community health center is at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Subsidized affordable housing sits in the top 12.1% nationally, and modeled energy burden lands in the bottom 12.7% nationally. Modeled coronary heart disease lies in the bottom 14.6% nationally, and diabetes stands in the bottom 14.6% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility rests in the top 18% nationally, and transit registers in the top 18% nationally. Set against that, modeled disaster risk resides in the top 2.5% nationally, and housing-cost burden settles in the top 19% nationally.
Defined simply, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. ZIP 98513, just across the boundary, comes out 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, 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 74%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 77%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 92%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 78%
11%
Disability
healthier than 66%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 85%
5%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 53%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 11%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 7%
8%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 83%
14%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 53%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 43%
16%
Disability
healthier than 47%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 51%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 41%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 18%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 33%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 5%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 60%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 70%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 70%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 30%
16%
Preventive Care
in the bottom 0.00%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 10%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 10%
8%
Disability
healthier than 30%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 20%
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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 77.4 ± 1.4 years. A median household income of $92,219 predicts 79.8 years — 2.4 years below.
Ranked #3,212 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
98328
Washingtonshares a border
Score 51.60
Closest healthier
98513
Washingtonshares a border
Score 55.68
Similar health profile
97051
Oregon98% similar profile
Score 50.18
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 | 27.4% | 25.3–29.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 32.7% | 30.2–35.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.9% | 7.2–8.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.0% | 10.9–13.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.4% | 4.8–5.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.7% | 5.1–6.3 |
| Depression among adults | 29.7% | 27.0–32.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–10.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.7% | 32.1–37.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 32.8% | 29.3–36.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.0% | 2.8–3.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.3% | 9.3–13.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.3% | 7.3–9.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 68.3% | 65.5–70.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 66.4% | 63.4–69.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 81.2% | 79.3–82.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.4% | 61.9–68.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.8% | 62.0–67.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.0% | 66.5–77.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.8% | 13.8–18.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.3% | 10.7–13.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 18.1% | 15.9–20.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.3% | 32.8–39.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.0% | 16.2–19.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.4% | 17.6–21.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.4% | 13.0–15.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.3% | 14.8–17.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.9% | 28.1–33.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.5% | 5.9–7.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.2% | 7.4–9.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.6% | 10.4–12.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.4% | 3.1–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.9–4.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.6% (3.5–22.3%) n=583 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.2% (1.8–22.7%) n=582 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.0% (1.5–16.5%) n=588 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 24.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 27.4% (12.3–59.7%) n=588 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.5% (0.0–9.7%) n=584 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.2%) n=580 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.7% (81.1–97.4%) n=580 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 34.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 28.9% (14.6–40.6%) n=580 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.2% (48.2–91.7%) n=580 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.6% (0.0–7.9%) n=580 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.7% (0.3–27.6%) n=588 |
| Single-parent households | 46.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (40.5–76.0%) n=574 |
| Population 65+ | 12.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (10.3–36.9%) n=588 |
| Median age | 36.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (32.9–58.8) n=584 |
| Median household income | $92,219 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,646 ($56,217–$132,145) n=547 |
| Median home value | $447,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $452,750 ($241,540–$826,380) n=542 |
| Median gross rent | $1,638 | $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 | 77.4 yr ± 0.73 | 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 0.73 years of 77.4, 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