ZIP code
98942
in Selah, WashingtonPopulation 18,871
52.92/ 100
Ranked #12,203 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 38%)
Ranked #312 of 581 Washington ZIPs (bottom 46%)
Ranked #4 of 21 Yakima, WA ZIPs (top 19%)
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.
Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
3.8%
in the top 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Short sleep
28%
in the bottom 3.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
20.3%
in the top 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST67thUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
27.3 days/year
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS25thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Selah, Washington (ZIP 98942), by its overall standing, sits in the top 38% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,203rd) and the bottom 46% of Washington (312th).
Both sides of the picture show up plainly in this area's numbers: modeled short sleep is in the bottom 3.1% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden resides in the bottom 11.4% nationally. Distance to a nursing home rests at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Modeled energy burden lies in the bottom 15% nationally. By contrast, modeled fine-particle sits in the top 1.6% nationally, and arsenic settles in the top 6.3% nationally. Modeled disaster risk registers in the top 8.9% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility stands at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Distance to a Superfund site lands in the bottom 20% nationally, and modeled expected annual loss is in the top 20% nationally.
Held up against its neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, 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. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 98908, 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 Yakima, 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 72%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 69%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 86%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 80%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 75%
5%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 57%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 10%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 17%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 33%
8%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 61%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 51%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 58%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 45%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 44%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 28%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 12%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 30%
13%
Disability
healthier than 32%
7%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 81%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 81%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 88%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 94%
11%
Disability
healthier than 94%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 75%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 69%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 19%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 19%
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 ›
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.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 10.2; chronic-disease standing 71.6 — 61 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #15,555 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
98901
Washingtonshares a border
Score 43.40
Closest healthier
98908
Washingtonshares a border
Score 56.00
Similar health profile
97005
Oregon97% similar profile
Score 54.15
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 | 24.8% | 22.6–27.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 32.3% | 29.6–35.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.2% | 7.4–8.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.2% | 10.1–12.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.0% | 5.4–6.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.3% | 5.6–7.2 |
| Depression among adults | 24.6% | 21.9–27.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.7% | 9.5–12.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.0% | 32.0–37.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.8% | 32.8–41.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 3.0–3.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.1% | 9.1–13.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.3% | 8.8–11.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 72.4% | 69.6–75.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 70.0% | 66.9–73.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.2% | 80.1–83.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.2% | 61.4–68.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.0% | 63.1–68.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.3% | 67.3–78.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.0% | 14.6–19.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.3% | 10.5–14.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.7% | 18.8–24.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 28.0% | 24.6–31.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.4% | 18.1–22.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.7% | 15.8–19.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.9% | 12.3–15.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.5% | 13.8–17.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.6% | 26.4–32.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.3% | 7.4–9.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.0% | 11.4–14.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.5–4.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.5–5.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.6% (3.5–22.3%) n=583 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.2% (1.8–22.7%) n=582 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 14.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.0% (1.5–16.5%) n=588 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 24.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 27.4% (12.3–59.7%) n=588 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.5% (0.0–9.7%) n=584 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–10.2%) n=580 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.7% (81.1–97.4%) n=580 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 28.9% (14.6–40.6%) n=580 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.2% (48.2–91.7%) n=580 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 2.6% (0.0–7.9%) n=580 |
| Foreign-born population | 7.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 6.7% (0.3–27.6%) n=588 |
| Single-parent households | 51.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (40.5–76.0%) n=574 |
| Population 65+ | 18.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.9% (10.3–36.9%) n=588 |
| Median age | 36.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.0 yr (32.9–58.8) n=584 |
| Median household income | $84,646 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $84,646 ($56,217–$132,145) n=547 |
| Median home value | $382,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $452,750 ($241,540–$826,380) n=542 |
| Median gross rent | $1,445 | $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 ± 0.95 | 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 0.95 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