ZIP code
98626
in Kelso, WashingtonPopulation 26,892
48.07/ 100
Ranked #18,840 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 41%)
Ranked #456 of 581 Washington ZIPs (bottom 22%)
Ranked #8 of 10 Longview-Kelso, WA 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.
Natural-disaster risk
in the top 0.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 4.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Transit access
3.8 per 1,000 residents
in the top 7.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST86thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
11.9 days/year
in the bottom 8.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST58thUS9thDefinition & 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 ›Obesity
41.2%
in the top 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS83rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›The read
Kelso, Washington (ZIP 98626), on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 41% nationally (18,840th) and the bottom 22% of Washington (456th).
The readings split fairly evenly between strengths and concerns: transit stands in the top 7.8% nationally, modeled humid heat is in the bottom 8.8% nationally, and modeled tree cover rests in the top 10.7% nationally. Distance to a community health center sits at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Subsidized affordable housing registers in the top 15% nationally. Working the other way, modeled disaster risk lands in the top 0.2% nationally, and expected annual loss resides in the top 4.4% nationally. Modeled transportation noise lies in the top 11.8% nationally, and unemployment settles in the top 15% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility stands at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, 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. 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. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 98611, 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 Longview-Kelso, WA metro area.
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 72%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 94%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 89%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 50%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 51%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 55%
11%
Disability
healthier than 44%
7%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 16%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 9%
8%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 72%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 83%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 51%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 24%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 32%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 25%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 9%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 7%
8%
Disability
healthier than 21%
7%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 67%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 67%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 89%
5%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 44%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 22%
16%
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.00%
14%
Preventive Care
in the bottom 0.00%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the bottom 0.00%
11%
Mental Health
in the bottom 0.00%
8%
“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
98611
Washingtonshares a border
Score 51.47
Closest healthier
98625
Washingtonshares a border
Score 55.68
Similar health profile
97355
Oregon96% similar profile
Score 45.97
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 | 31.8% | 29.3–34.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 34.0% | 31.2–37.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.8% | 8.1–9.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.7% | 11.4–14.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.7% | 6.0–7.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.3% | 6.6–8.1 |
| Depression among adults | 28.5% | 25.6–31.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.9% | 9.6–12.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 33.4% | 30.6–36.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.2% | 36.8–45.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–3.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.7% | 11.6–16.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.4% | 8.2–10.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 70.9% | 67.9–73.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 70.4% | 67.3–73.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 81.9% | 80.0–83.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.3% | 62.7–69.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.4% | 55.6–61.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.0% | 68.5–79.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.9% | 14.6–19.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.2% | 12.5–16.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.4% | 19.6–25.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.8% | 33.0–40.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.9% | 18.8–23.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.7% | 17.9–21.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.7% | 14.1–17.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.9% | 15.3–18.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.6% | 30.5–37.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.8% | 7.0–8.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.3–10.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.2% | 12.6–15.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.2% | 4.7–5.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.6% (3.5–22.3%) n=583 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.2% (1.8–22.7%) n=582 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 9.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.0% (1.5–16.5%) n=588 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 14.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 27.4% (12.3–59.7%) n=588 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.5% (0.0–9.7%) n=584 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.2%) n=580 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.7% (81.1–97.4%) n=580 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 33.7% | 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) | 2.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.6% (0.0–7.9%) n=580 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.7% (0.3–27.6%) n=588 |
| Single-parent households | 54.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (40.5–76.0%) n=574 |
| Population 65+ | 17.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (10.3–36.9%) n=588 |
| Median age | 41.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (32.9–58.8) n=584 |
| Median household income | $75,528 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,646 ($56,217–$132,145) n=547 |
| Median home value | $368,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $452,750 ($241,540–$826,380) n=542 |
| Median gross rent | $1,267 | $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 | 77.6 yr ± 0.85 | 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 0.85 years of 77.6, 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