ZIP code
98828
in Malaga, WashingtonPopulation 1,898
56.42/ 100
Ranked #7,846 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 24%)
Ranked #191 of 581 Washington ZIPs (top 33%)
Ranked #10 of 22 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA ZIPs (top 45%)
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.
Energy-cost burden
0.77%
in the bottom 0.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Short sleep
27.5%
in the bottom 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
28.2%
in the top 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Transit access
5.4 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Crowded housing
9.2%
in the top 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 6.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST76thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
19.1 per million
in the bottom 7.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
1.4%
in the top 7.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST66thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of days in the year when modeled fine-particle (PM2.5) pollution was above the EPA’s daily limit of 35 micrograms per cubic meter.
Full methodology ›Walkability
2.3 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 9.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST19thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
56%
in the top 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS90thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Malaga, Washington (ZIP 98828), on the composite measure, lands in the top 24% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,846th) and the top 33% of Washington (191st), based on limited data; treat as directional.
Reading across the measures, this area's clearest strengths come through: modeled energy burden registers in the bottom 0.5% nationally, modeled short sleep lands in the bottom 2.2% nationally, and transit resides in the top 4.4% nationally. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk lies in the bottom 7.2% nationally. By contrast, modeled arsenic settles in the top 3.6% nationally, and crowded housing stands in the top 5.3% nationally. Modeled disaster risk is in the top 6.9% nationally, and fine-particle rests in the top 7.3% nationally. Walkability sits in the bottom 9.5% nationally, and modeled pfas registers in the top 9.9% nationally.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 98801, 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 69%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 86%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 92%
11%
Disability
healthier than 62%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 97%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 39%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 24%
13%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 65%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 69%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 62%
8%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 83%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 46%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 42%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 44%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 40%
14%
Disability
healthier than 40%
7%
“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
98801
Washingtonshares a border
Score 56.90
Closest healthier
98802
Washingtonshares a border
Score 56.57
Similar health profile
80535
Colorado98% similar profile
Score 55.64
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 | 27.7% | 24.9–30.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.0% | 29.7–36.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.0% | 8.1–9.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.6–12.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.6% | 5.7–7.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.4% | 5.2–7.7 |
| Depression among adults | 24.9% | 21.8–28.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.0% | 9.5–12.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.2% | 32.7–39.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 30.4% | 25.4–35.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.5% | 3.0–3.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.3% | 10.8–15.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.7% | 8.5–13.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 72.8% | 69.4–75.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 71.5% | 67.8–75.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.5% | 82.4–86.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.2% | 63.9–72.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 68.5% | 65.5–71.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.4% | 64.3–77.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.8% | 13.3–18.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.2% | 9.9–14.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 20.3% | 16.7–24.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 27.5% | 23.4–31.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.8% | 15.9–22.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.5% | 14.6–18.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.0% | 12.2–16.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.6% | 12.7–16.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.9% | 26.0–34.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.5% | 6.6–8.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.6–8.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.8% | 10.8–15.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.2–4.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.2–5.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 3.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.6% (3.5–22.3%) n=583 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 17.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.2% (1.8–22.7%) n=582 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 2.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.0% (1.5–16.5%) n=588 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 25.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 27.4% (12.3–59.7%) n=588 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.5% (0.0–9.7%) n=584 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.2%) n=580 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.7% (81.1–97.4%) n=580 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 29.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 28.9% (14.6–40.6%) n=580 |
| Homeownership rate | 88.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.2% (48.2–91.7%) n=580 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 9.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.6% (0.0–7.9%) n=580 |
| Foreign-born population | 17.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.7% (0.3–27.6%) n=588 |
| Single-parent households | 40.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (40.5–76.0%) n=574 |
| Population 65+ | 22.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (10.3–36.9%) n=588 |
| Median age | 34.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (32.9–58.8) n=584 |
| Median household income | $70,197 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,646 ($56,217–$132,145) n=547 |
| Median home value | $437,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $452,750 ($241,540–$826,380) n=542 |
| Median gross rent | $1,766 | $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 | 79.4 yr ± 1.36 | 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 1.36 years of 79.4, 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