Skip to main content
ZipVitals

ZIP code

99361

in Waitsburg, WashingtonPopulation 1,992

53.55/ 100

Ranked #11,296 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 35%)

Ranked #291 of 581 Washington ZIPs (bottom 50%)

Too few scored ZIPs in the Walla Walla, WA metro area to rank within it.

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Broad coverage across health domains

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.

Walkability

1.3 intersections/sq mi

in the bottom 3.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST6th
US4th
Definition & source ›

The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.

Full methodology ›

Short sleep

28.4%

in the bottom 4.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST16th
US4th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.

Full methodology ›

Industrial-pollution burden

in the bottom 5.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST5th
US5th
Definition & 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 ›

Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance

1.7%

in the top 5.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST71st
US95th
Definition & 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 ›

PFAS in drinking water

9.3%

in the bottom 7.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST14th
US7th
Definition & 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 ›

Nitrate in drinking water

0.11%

in the top 8.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
US92nd
Definition & 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 ›

Fatal road crashes

25.1 per 100,000 residents per year

in the top 19% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US81st
Definition & source ›

The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.

A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.

Full methodology ›

Dry extreme heat

20 days/year

in the top 23% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US77th
Definition & source ›

The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the bottom 35% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST6th
US35th
Definition & 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 health measure, Waitsburg, Washington (ZIP 99361) ranks in the top 35% healthiest ZIPs nationally (11,296th) and the bottom 50% of Washington (291st), based on limited data; treat as directional.

continue reading

The measures that set this area apart are worth putting up front: modeled short sleep resides in the bottom 4.0% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden registers in the bottom 5.1% nationally. Modeled pfas rests in the bottom 7.5% nationally, and humid heat stands in the bottom 13.2% nationally. Set against that, walkability lies in the bottom 3.8% nationally, modeled fine-particle lands in the top 5.2% nationally, and modeled nitrate sits in the top 8.2% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Recreation settles at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs. Slow internet speeds resides in the top 18% nationally.

To spell things out, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. 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. Close by, ZIP 99143, about 7.6 miles away, 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.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Risk Behavior

healthier than 93%

11%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 70%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 52%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 55%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 44%

13%

Disability

healthier than 58%

7%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 39%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 35%

8%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 29%

5%

Lifting this score

Preventive Care

healthier than 70%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 74%

11%

About typical

Mental Health

healthier than 51%

8%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 26%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 17%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 40%

14%

Disability

healthier than 34%

7%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 31%

5%

Healthcare Access

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 ›

Nearby & similar ZIPs

Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults30.6%27.7–33.6
High blood pressure among adults34.7%31.5–38.3
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.6%9.7–11.6
Current asthma among adults11.7%10.5–13.1
Coronary heart disease among adults7.3%6.5–8.1
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults6.9%6.0–7.9
Depression among adults25.9%22.8–29.2
Diagnosed diabetes among adults11.0%9.7–12.6
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened38.0%34.5–41.4
Obesity among adults33.8%28.9–39.3
Stroke among adults3.8%3.4–4.2
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years11.1%9.3–13.1
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.3%6.0–8.8
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure75.1%72.1–78.0
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults73.0%69.8–76.2
Cholesterol screening among adults85.1%83.3–86.9
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years70.2%66.3–73.9
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults66.6%63.7–69.5
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years74.9%68.9–80.2
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults15.4%13.0–18.0
Current cigarette smoking among adults11.8%9.9–13.8
No leisure-time physical activity among adults18.3%15.3–21.7
Short sleep duration among adults28.4%24.4–32.5
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults18.4%15.9–20.9
Frequent mental distress among adults16.5%14.7–18.5
Frequent physical distress among adults15.0%13.3–16.9
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults14.2%12.5–16.1
Any disability among adults31.3%27.7–35.2
Hearing disability among adults8.5%7.6–9.5
Independent living disability among adults7.9%6.9–8.9
Mobility disability among adults13.7%11.9–15.7
Self-care disability among adults3.8%3.3–4.2
Vision disability among adults4.4%3.9–5.0
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)WA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate10.5%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3649.6% (3.5–22.3%) n=583
Uninsured 18–648.1%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2868.2% (1.8–22.7%) n=582
No HS diploma (25+)7.5%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5057.0% (1.5–16.5%) n=588
Bachelor's or higher (25+)20.9%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50527.4% (12.3–59.7%) n=588
Unemployment rate (16+)2.8%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.5% (0.0–9.7%) n=584
Households without a vehicle5.7%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.7% (0.0–10.2%) n=580
Broadband subscription86.4%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32292.7% (81.1–97.4%) n=580
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)16.4%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32228.9% (14.6–40.6%) n=580
Homeownership rate66.2%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32275.2% (48.2–91.7%) n=580
Crowded housing (>1 per room)3.5%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3222.6% (0.0–7.9%) n=580
Foreign-born population2.5%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5536.7% (0.3–27.6%) n=588
Single-parent households68.2%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08754.3% (40.5–76.0%) n=574
Population 65+18.0%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55318.9% (10.3–36.9%) n=588
Median age40.9 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29241.0 yr (32.9–58.8) n=584
Median household income$91,367$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$84,646 ($56,217–$132,145) n=547
Median home value$295,900$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$452,750 ($241,540–$826,380) n=542
Median gross rent$1,164$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,416 ($840–$2,197) n=476
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)WA median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth80.5 yr ± 1.2278.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30880.2 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 1.22 years of 80.5, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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