Índice de comparación contaminación–salud más alto por código postal — 2026

Out of 15,858 ZIP codes with complete EPA air-quality coverage and a CDC PLACES asthma estimate, these areas have the highest Pollution–Health Comparison Index — CDC-modeled adult-asthma prevalence sits furthest above what a statistical model predicts from local pollution and poverty. Each ZIP links to a full report with both datasets shown side by side.

The environmental data (EPA) and the health data (CDC) are independent datasets. A high rank reflects a statistical gap between them — it is not a finding of cause and effect, and it is not a verdict on how healthy an area is. Asthma prevalence is shaped by many factors, including age, income, smoking, occupation and healthcare access.

Top 100 ZIP Codes by Comparison Index

Methodology

An ordinary least-squares regression predicts expected adult-asthma prevalence for each ZIP code from five public measurements: EPA EJScreen PM2.5, diesel and traffic percentiles, modeled NEI air quality, and the EJScreen poverty percentile. The residual — observed CDC PLACES prevalence minus the model's expected value — is percentile-ranked across all ranked ZIP codes to form the Pollution–Health Comparison Index. The model accounts for a modest share of the variation in asthma prevalence (R² ≈ 0.1601); the index is a statistical context measure, not a precise or causal estimate. Only ZIP codes with complete EPA air-quality coverage are ranked. The two datasets are never combined into a single causal score.

Last updated: 2026-06-04.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this ranking measure?

It ranks U.S. ZIP codes by the Pollution–Health Comparison Index: how far CDC-modeled adult-asthma prevalence sits above the level a statistical model predicts from local pollution and poverty. It is a measure of statistical divergence between two independent datasets.

Does a high rank mean local pollution affects health there?

No. The pollution data (EPA) and the asthma data (CDC) are independent datasets. A high rank means observed asthma prevalence is above the model’s prediction — a statistical association only, never evidence of a causal link to any health condition. Many factors, including age, income, smoking and healthcare access, shape asthma prevalence.

How is the index calculated?

An ordinary least-squares regression predicts expected adult-asthma prevalence from EPA pollution percentiles, modeled air quality and poverty. The residual — observed minus expected — is percentile-ranked to form the index. The model accounts for a modest share of the variation (R² ≈ 0.1601), so the index is context, not a precise causal estimate.

Which ZIP codes are included?

Only ZIP codes with complete EPA air-quality coverage and a published CDC PLACES asthma estimate are ranked, so the comparison rests on full data rather than a proxy.

Is this medical advice?

No. The asthma figures are CDC PLACES modeled population estimates with confidence intervals — not diagnoses, and they do not describe any individual. Nothing here is medical advice.

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