ZIP code
98686
in Vancouver, WashingtonPopulation 21,243
58.29/ 100
Ranked #6,157 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 19%)
Ranked #153 of 581 Washington ZIPs (top 26%)
Ranked #29 of 120 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ZIPs (top 24%)
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
74.1%
in the top 3.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS97thDefinition & 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 ›PFOA in drinking water
99%
in the top 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & 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
99%
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS96thDefinition & 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
1.3%
in the bottom 2.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST15thUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 6.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Loud transportation noise
2.0%
in the top 7.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
1.1 mi
in the bottom 7.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST15thUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
35.1 per million
in the top 9.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Outer-floodplain exposure
3.7%
in the top 9.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
30%
in the bottom 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST30thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 98686, one of several in Vancouver, Washington, overall, ranks in the top 19% healthiest ZIPs nationally (6,157th) and the top 26% of Washington (153rd).
This area's strengths are easy to pick out across the measures: distance to an emergency room resides at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled energy burden settles in the bottom 2.7% nationally. Working the other way, modeled pfas is in the top 3.3% nationally, and PFOA in drinking water sits in the top 4.2% nationally. PFOS in drinking water lands in the top 4.5% nationally, and modeled industrial-pollution burden lies in the top 6.5% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise stands in the top 7.2% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site rests in the bottom 7.4% nationally. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk registers in the top 9.0% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure resides in the top 9.5% nationally.
Measured against the nearby ZIPs, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, 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. PFOA in drinking water is one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. PFOS in drinking water is a common one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. ZIP 98642, 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 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 74%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 92%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 92%
11%
Disability
healthier than 80%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 92%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 42%
13%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 26%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 25%
8%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 80%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 68%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 69%
11%
Disability
healthier than 68%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 62%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 53%
21%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 27%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 36%
8%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 78%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 67%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 72%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 67%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 65%
8%
Disability
healthier than 64%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 71%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 54%
21%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
“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.
Above its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 81.4 ± 1.6 years. The 46 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 79.1 years — 2.2 years above them.
Ranked #1,278 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
98604
Washingtonshares a border
Score 56.00
Closest healthier
98642
Washingtonshares a border
Score 59.47
Similar health profile
98465
Washington99% similar profile
Score 54.74
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 | 27.1% | 25.1–29.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 32.0% | 29.7–34.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.5% | 8.7–10.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.5–12.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.8% | 5.2–6.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.5% | 4.9–6.2 |
| Depression among adults | 26.6% | 24.3–29.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.6% | 8.5–10.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.6% | 32.3–37.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 34.3% | 31.1–37.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.1% | 2.8–3.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 7.1% | 5.7–8.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.7% | 5.8–7.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 73.7% | 71.2–76.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 70.5% | 68.0–73.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.6% | 84.2–87.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.0% | 65.7–71.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 69.0% | 66.5–71.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.5% | 71.7–80.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.1% | 14.3–18.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.1% | 8.8–11.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 18.6% | 16.5–20.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.0% | 27.0–32.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.9% | 14.3–17.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.3% | 15.8–19.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.0% | 11.7–14.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.9% | 11.7–14.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.2% | 24.9–29.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.1–7.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.6% | 5.9–7.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.8% | 10.5–13.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.0% | 2.8–3.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.6% (3.5–22.3%) n=583 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.2% (1.8–22.7%) n=582 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.0% (1.5–16.5%) n=588 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 38.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 27.4% (12.3–59.7%) n=588 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.5% (0.0–9.7%) n=584 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.2%) n=580 |
| Broadband subscription | 97.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.7% (81.1–97.4%) n=580 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 30.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 28.9% (14.6–40.6%) n=580 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.2% (48.2–91.7%) n=580 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.6% (0.0–7.9%) n=580 |
| Foreign-born population | 9.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.7% (0.3–27.6%) n=588 |
| Single-parent households | 50.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (40.5–76.0%) n=574 |
| Population 65+ | 17.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (10.3–36.9%) n=588 |
| Median age | 41.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (32.9–58.8) n=584 |
| Median household income | $107,801 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,646 ($56,217–$132,145) n=547 |
| Median home value | $596,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $452,750 ($241,540–$826,380) n=542 |
| Median gross rent | $1,926 | $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 | 81.4 yr ± 0.83 | 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 0.83 years of 81.4, 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