ZIP code
98661
in Vancouver, WashingtonPopulation 50,743
49.88/ 100
Ranked #16,425 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 49%)
Ranked #407 of 581 Washington ZIPs (bottom 30%)
Ranked #98 of 120 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ZIPs (bottom 18%)
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.
Subsidized affordable housing
1,718 units
in the top 0.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
In this ZIP
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
40 per million
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Homeownership rate
42.7%
in the bottom 6.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST7thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›PFOA in drinking water
94.8%
in the top 6.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOA, one of the man-made “forever chemicals,” was detected in EPA testing.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›PFOS in drinking water
94.8%
in the top 6.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOS, one of the most common “forever chemicals,” was detected in EPA testing.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
1.5%
in the bottom 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST21stUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST71stUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›The read
By the composite measure, ZIP 98661, one of several in Vancouver, Washington sits in the bottom 49% nationally (16,425th) and the bottom 30% of Washington (407th).
Where this area is stretched, the data is unambiguous: distance to a Superfund site lands at the national minimum, modeled expected annual loss resides in the top 2.4% nationally, and modeled industrial-pollution burden lies in the top 4.3% nationally. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk settles in the top 4.5% nationally, homeownership stands in the bottom 6.0% nationally, and PFOA in drinking water is in the top 6.5% nationally. PFOS in drinking water rests in the top 6.7% nationally, and modeled disaster risk sits in the top 7.9% nationally. Better still, subsidized affordable housing registers in the top 0.5% nationally, and modeled energy burden lands in the bottom 4.6% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs that surround it, subsidized affordable housing runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain language, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. ZIP 97211, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-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 78%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 92%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 74%
11%
Disability
healthier than 60%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 69%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 87%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 3%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 9%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 8%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 61%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 80%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 80%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 4%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 14%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 29%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 5%
8%
Disability
healthier than 38%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 31%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 64%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 77%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 74%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 24%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 5%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 14%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 17%
8%
Disability
healthier than 26%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 25%
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
4 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 77.4 ± 1.0 years. A median household income of $76,913 predicts 79.0 years — 1.7 years below.
Ranked #2,112 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 77.4 ± 1.0 years. The 46 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 79.3 years — 2.0 years below them.
Ranked #1,571 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 2.8 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 77.9 — 75 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #16,846 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Highest-risk tenth
Air toxics and the years between the two ends of the risk scale
Modeled air-toxics cancer risk is 40.0 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 77.4 ± 1.0 years.
Ranked #504 of the 4,173 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by modeled air-toxics risk, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
97211
Oregonshares a border
Score 55.06
Closest healthier
97217
Oregonshares a border
Score 54.04
Similar health profile
84123
Utah97% similar profile
Score 52.54
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 | 24.0% | 22.3–25.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 30.1% | 28.0–32.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.3% | 6.7–7.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.1% | 11.0–13.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.4% | 4.9–5.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.9% | 5.3–6.5 |
| Depression among adults | 28.2% | 25.8–30.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.7% | 8.7–10.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 31.8% | 29.7–34.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.4% | 34.1–40.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.0% | 2.8–3.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.5% | 8.6–12.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.9% | 9.6–12.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 69.2% | 66.7–71.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 66.5% | 63.9–69.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 80.4% | 78.7–82.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.6% | 60.3–66.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.7% | 57.9–63.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.1% | 68.0–77.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.9% | 15.0–18.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.7% | 11.3–14.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.2% | 19.9–24.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.6% | 29.4–35.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.6% | 17.8–21.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.3% | 18.6–22.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.1% | 12.9–15.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.4% | 15.0–17.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.4% | 28.1–32.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.4% | 5.8–7.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.3% | 7.5–9.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.5% | 11.3–13.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.5–5.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.6% (3.5–22.3%) n=583 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 12.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.2% (1.8–22.7%) n=582 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.0% (1.5–16.5%) n=588 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 28.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 27.4% (12.3–59.7%) n=588 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.5% (0.0–9.7%) n=584 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.2%) n=580 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.7% (81.1–97.4%) n=580 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 40.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 28.9% (14.6–40.6%) n=580 |
| Homeownership rate | 42.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.2% (48.2–91.7%) n=580 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 5.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.6% (0.0–7.9%) n=580 |
| Foreign-born population | 16.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.7% (0.3–27.6%) n=588 |
| Single-parent households | 42.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (40.5–76.0%) n=574 |
| Population 65+ | 14.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (10.3–36.9%) n=588 |
| Median age | 35.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (32.9–58.8) n=584 |
| Median household income | $76,913 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,646 ($56,217–$132,145) n=547 |
| Median home value | $451,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $452,750 ($241,540–$826,380) n=542 |
| Median gross rent | $1,512 | $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 | 77.3 yr ± 0.51 | 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 0.51 years of 77.3, 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