St. Joseph County, Indiana
26 ZIP codes · Avg score 49/100 · Grade D · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for St. Joseph County: D.
Several federal signals point to home-safety risks in this ZIP.
Your top priority: see the breakdown below and consider a certified water filter. NSF certified filters →
Of 26 ZIP codes in St. Joseph County, a meaningful portion have recorded health-based violations in recent monitoring periods - placing the county in the lower tier for water safety.
How St. Joseph County Compares
How St. Joseph County Compares
St. Joseph County scores 15 points below the Indiana state average (64/100) and 24 points below the national average (73/100).
Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData Last verified:
ZIP Code Risk Map
Water Quality Map: St. Joseph County, Indiana
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Key Risk Factors
Health risk index: 13.4 (asthma 11.1%, diabetes 12.9%)
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,343, driven primarily by flood
70.6% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
Violation History (2021–2024)
→ Stable trendEPA violation counts by year across St. Joseph County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.
Peak year: 2021 with 10 violations. Past 5 years: 20 total (20 health-based).
Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.
County Health Indicators vs National Average
Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Infrastructure Overview
Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINS infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,343
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
113,310 housing units in St. Joseph County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).
Water Safety Affordability
How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in St. Joseph County
Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in St. Joseph County, representing a small fraction of property value.
Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.
Health Outcomes vs National Average
CDC PLACES data for St. Joseph County residents
Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Water systems serving St. Joseph County
8 community water systems serving St. Joseph County.
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- D
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Show all 8 water systems
- D
- D
13 total water systems serve St. Joseph County.
Systems with the most violations in St. Joseph County
5 water systems with recorded EPA violations.
- F
- D
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All ZIP Codes in St. Joseph County
26 ZIP codes tracked in St. Joseph County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 46536 | Lakeville | 66 | C | 1 | $208K |
| 2 | 46545 | Mishawaka | 50 | D | 1 | $175K |
| 3 | 46601 | South Bend | 50 | D | 1 | $132K |
| 4 | 46613 | South Bend | 50 | D | 1 | $71K |
| 5 | 46615 | South Bend | 50 | D | 1 | $128K |
| 6 | 46616 | South Bend | 50 | D | 1 | $136K |
| 7 | 46619 | South Bend | 50 | D | 1 | $98K |
| 8 | 46628 | South Bend | 50 | D | 1 | $165K |
| 9 | 46635 | South Bend | 50 | D | 1 | $193K |
| 10 | 46556 | Notre Dame | 49 | D | 4 | — |
| 11 | 46617 | South Bend | 49 | D | 4 | $231K |
| 12 | 46530 | Granger | 48 | D | 6 | $317K |
| 13 | 46544 | Mishawaka | 48 | D | 5 | $151K |
| 14 | 46554 | North Liberty | 48 | D | 6 | $189K |
| 15 | 46637 | South Bend | 48 | D | 5 | $192K |
| 16 | 46552 | New Carlisle | 47 | D | 6 (2 health) | $212K |
| 17 | 46614 | South Bend | 33 | F | 53 (2 health) | $175K |
| 18 | 46546 | Mishawaka | — | — | — | |
| 19 | 46595 | Wyatt | — | — | — | |
| 20 | 46604 | South Bend | — | — | — | |
| 21 | 46624 | South Bend | — | — | — | |
| 22 | 46626 | South Bend | — | — | — | |
| 23 | 46634 | South Bend | — | — | — | |
| 24 | 46660 | South Bend | — | — | — | |
| 25 | 46680 | South Bend | — | — | — | |
| 26 | 46699 | South Bend | — | — | — |
Recommended Buyer Guides for St. Joseph County
Eight risk categories drive the selection - PFAS exceedance, lead above EPA action level, pre-1978 housing share, EPA Radon Zone 1, flood-top-risk, wildfire-top-risk, multi-contaminant load, and a baseline fallback - and each category maps to a specific buyer-guide track that surfaces when the county data hits its threshold for that hazard signal.
- Best Lead Paint Test Kits — 70.6% of homes built before 1978
- Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap
- Best Radon Test Kits — EPA Radon Zone 1 (highest risk) dominant in county
- Best Sump Pumps — Flood is the top compound risk factor
- Best Mold Test Kits — Flood-driven moisture and mold risk
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for St. Joseph County, Indiana
Overview
St. Joseph County in Indiana covers 26 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of D (49/100) across 17 scored records.
17 of 17 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. 4 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
← Back to Indiana Home Safety Profile
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- PFAS screening: EPA UCMR 5
- Radon zones: EPA Map of Radon Zones
- Air quality: EPA AirData annual AQI
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
What You Can Do
St. Joseph County has a grade of D. Here are steps to protect your household.
Test your tap water
Order a certified lab test kit ($20-$50) to check for lead, bacteria, and other contaminants specific to your ZIP code.
Consider a certified water filter
NSF-certified filters can remove most common contaminants. Match the filter to your test results for best protection. Try our filter matcher
Contact your water utility
Request the latest Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) from your water provider. It details exactly what was found in your water supply.
Check for lead in your home
70.6% of homes in this county were built before 1978. Older plumbing and solder can leach lead into drinking water, especially in the morning.