People in neighborhoods such as East Harlem, in upper Manhattan, are at more risk than those in the nearby Upper East Side during heat waves, a new CDC map shows.. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
A low-income ZIP code in East Harlem, a Manhattan neighborhood in New York City, is twice as vulnerable to heat-related health problems as an adjacent ZIP code on the Upper East Side, which is one of the richest neighborhoods in the country, the index shows. The two ZIP codes are separated by East 96th Street, where a major subway line runs above ground and demographics change dramatically.
ZIP code 83203 in southeast Idaho has the highest heat-vulnerability score. Although its temperatures haven't reached 90 degrees yet this year, the area is considered prone to heat danger because of social factors such as high rates of people without health insurance, a lack of public transportation and a relatively large population of people who don't speak English.