ZIP code
98851
in Soap Lake, WashingtonPopulation 4,437
43.84/ 100
Ranked #23,570 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 26%)
Ranked #536 of 581 Washington ZIPs (bottom 7.8%)
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.
Crowded housing
12.5%
in the top 3.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Nitrate in drinking water
6.6%
in the top 3.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams 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 ›Tree cover
0.00%
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
1.9%
in the top 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST72ndUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Fiber broadband
98.6%
in the top 5.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
21%
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Energy-cost burden
1.7%
in the bottom 7.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST31stUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Hearing disability
10.7%
in the top 11.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS88thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
9.6%
in the top 13.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS87thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Stroke
5.0%
in the top 14.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS86thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›The read
Soap Lake, Washington (ZIP 98851), overall, ranks in the bottom 26% nationally (23,570th) and the bottom 7.8% of Washington (536th).
Taken together, the data gives a genuinely mixed reading: fiber broadband rests in the top 5.6% nationally, and modeled energy burden registers in the bottom 7.3% nationally. On the other side, crowded housing resides in the top 3.1% nationally, modeled nitrate settles in the top 3.7% nationally, and modeled tree cover is at the national minimum. Modeled fine-particle sits in the top 4.9% nationally, and arsenic lands in the top 6.0% nationally. Unemployment lies in the top 11.6% nationally, and modeled mammography stands in the bottom 11.0% nationally. Modeled hearing disability rests in the top 11.8% nationally.
Defined simply, nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. ZIP 98823, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Risk Behavior
healthier than 69%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 75%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 64%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 58%
16%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 18%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 33%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 16%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 28%
8%
Disability
healthier than 17%
7%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 49%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 7%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 18%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 35%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 26%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 20%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 39%
8%
Disability
healthier than 3%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 38%
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
98823
Washingtonshares a border
Score 49.02
Closest healthier
98837
Washingtonshares a border
Score 50.01
Similar health profile
97862
Oregon97% similar profile
Score 42.32
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 | 34.7% | 31.8–37.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.0% | 37.8–44.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.4% | 9.4–11.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.8% | 10.6–13.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.6% | 8.6–10.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–11.2 |
| Depression among adults | 25.2% | 22.2–28.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.3% | 12.7–16.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.7% | 36.3–43.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.3% | 34.4–44.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.5–5.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.0% | 13.4–18.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 12.5% | 10.7–14.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.3% | 74.6–80.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 74.0% | 70.8–77.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.8% | 80.7–84.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.0% | 59.7–68.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.7% | 55.6–61.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 69.2% | 62.6–75.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.2% | 12.9–17.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.2% | 13.2–17.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.1% | 23.6–31.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.2% | 27.3–35.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.6% | 22.8–29.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.9% | 16.1–20.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.7% | 15.7–19.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.9% | 16.0–20.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.0% | 35.2–43.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.7% | 9.6–11.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.7% | 9.5–12.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.2% | 17.0–21.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.5% | 4.9–6.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.9% | 6.2–7.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.6% (3.5–22.3%) n=583 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 18.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.2% (1.8–22.7%) n=582 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 17.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.0% (1.5–16.5%) n=588 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 14.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 27.4% (12.3–59.7%) n=588 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 9.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.5% (0.0–9.7%) n=584 |
| Households without a vehicle | 9.3% | 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) | 29.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 28.9% (14.6–40.6%) n=580 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.2% (48.2–91.7%) n=580 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 12.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.6% (0.0–7.9%) n=580 |
| Foreign-born population | 16.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.7% (0.3–27.6%) n=588 |
| Single-parent households | 49.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (40.5–76.0%) n=574 |
| Population 65+ | 19.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (10.3–36.9%) n=588 |
| Median age | 35.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (32.9–58.8) n=584 |
| Median household income | $63,333 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,646 ($56,217–$132,145) n=547 |
| Median home value | $242,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $452,750 ($241,540–$826,380) n=542 |
| Median gross rent | $1,001 | $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 | 79.2 yr ± 1.26 | 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 1.26 years of 79.2, 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