ZIP code
99688
in Willow, AlaskaPopulation 2,739
47.74/ 100
Ranked #19,268 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 40%)
Ranked #63 of 211 Alaska ZIPs (top 30%)
Ranked #21 of 27 Anchorage, AK ZIPs (bottom 22%)
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.
Walkability
0.44 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 1.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST39thUS1stDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
62.1 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Crowded housing
12.0%
in the top 3.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST55thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Mammography
66.7%
in the bottom 5.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST81stUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
10.5 per million
in the bottom 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Hearing disability
11.4%
in the top 7.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST59thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 8.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST26thUS8thDefinition & 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 ›Homeownership rate
94.1%
in the top 10.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
5.1%
in the top 8.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST27thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›High cholesterol
43.7%
in the top 7.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, Willow, Alaska (ZIP 99688) lands in the bottom 40% nationally (19,268th) and the top 30% of Alaska (63rd), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The burdens that read clearest in the data come first: walkability lands in the bottom 1.0% nationally, and fatal road crashes registers in the top 2.1% nationally. Crowded housing sits in the top 3.4% nationally, and modeled mammography rests in the bottom 5.0% nationally. Modeled hearing disability is in the top 7.0% nationally, energy burden stands in the top 8.0% nationally, and high cholesterol settles in the top 7.8% nationally. Better still, modeled air-toxics cancer risk lies in the bottom 5.4% nationally, modeled industrial-pollution burden resides in the bottom 8.0% nationally, and homeownership lands in the top 10.0% nationally.
To translate a couple of terms, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 99645, 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
Environmental HazardPartial
in the top 0.4%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 72%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 84%
9%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 43%
6%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 18%
22%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 14%
17%
Preventive Care
healthier than 20%
13%
Disability
healthier than 33%
8%
No data: Climate / Disaster Risk — not measured in this ZIP, so it is left out of the score entirely rather than estimated.
“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
99645
Alaskashares a border
Score 55.51
Closest healthier
99654
Alaskashares a border
Score 52.97
Similar health profile
85123
Arizona96% similar profile
Score 44.42
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 | 36.3% | 32.9–39.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.4% | 38.8–45.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.0% | 9.9–12.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.7% | 9.5–11.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.5% | 8.3–10.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.9% | 8.3–11.4 |
| Depression among adults | 20.6% | 17.8–23.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.1% | 11.3–15.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.7% | 40.0–47.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.2% | 34.4–43.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.7% | 4.1–5.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.3% | 13.6–19.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.2% | 6.7–10.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.7% | 72.3–78.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.7% | 73.7–79.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.9% | 84.0–87.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 60.7% | 56.6–64.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.5% | 54.2–60.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 66.7% | 60.0–72.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.6% | 10.7–14.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.3% | 15.2–21.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.7% | 21.8–29.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.4% | 28.6–36.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.0% | 18.9–25.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.2% | 12.4–15.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.3% | 14.2–18.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.6% | 11.8–15.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.3% | 32.1–40.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.4% | 10.1–12.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.7% | 7.5–9.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.3% | 14.8–19.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.1–5.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.8–6.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.3% | 19.6–25.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.4% | 10.4–14.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 8.1–12.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 8.4–11.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.7% | 6.6–8.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 28.7% | 25.5–32.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.1% | 6.1–8.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AK median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.7% (1.4–38.0%) n=230 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 20.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 20.8% (8.5–50.0%) n=225 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 8.4% (1.4–25.1%) n=230 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 28.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 15.0% (0.0–37.4%) n=230 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 8.6% (0.0–29.5%) n=226 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 31.1% (1.0–95.5%) n=228 |
| Broadband subscription | 82.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.8% (49.6–96.0%) n=228 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 20.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 17.0% (0.0–33.2%) n=228 |
| Homeownership rate | 94.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 71.7% (45.5–94.4%) n=228 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 12.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 8.5% (0.0–48.6%) n=228 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.8% (0.0–11.1%) n=231 |
| Single-parent households | 66.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 44.2% (18.7–68.2%) n=221 |
| Population 65+ | 19.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 12.7% (3.0–29.7%) n=231 |
| Median age | 45.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 35.7 yr (22.6–53.6) n=226 |
| Median household income | $77,197 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $66,823 ($39,905–$108,850) n=197 |
| Median home value | $297,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $177,500 ($66,830–$395,940) n=178 |
| Median gross rent | $1,375 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,078 ($688–$1,571) n=143 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AK median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 85.0 yr ± 2.40 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 79.0 yr (75.1–84.7) n=222 |
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 2.40 years of 85.0, 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