These ZIP codes have the lowest COVID vaccination rates in the Sacramento region

About 70% of residents 12 and older in the four-county Sacramento region were fully vaccinated as of Monday, higher than the national average of 66%, state and federal data show.

But there were holdouts. Among ZIP codes with at least 5,000 residents, there were still five communities where most people 12 and older were not fully vaccinated.

Those five ZIP codes are each politically conservative and they each have a relatively high proportion of residents without a four-year college degree, two factors that survey data show are associated with low vaccination rates. Some of them also have a high proportion of residents living in poverty - another predictor of vaccine hesitancy.

95713 (Greater Colfax)

This small community in central Placer County has the lowest vaccination rate in the region, according to state data. Only about 38% of residents 12 and older are vaccinated.

The area is deeply conservative. About 66% of voters recently cast ballots to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom, compared to 38% of voters statewide, state data show. According to Kaiser Family Foundation surveys, about 58% of adults nationwide who identify as Republican said they are already vaccinated, compared to 68% of independents and 90% of Democrats.

About 74% of residents in the area do not have a four-year college degree, compared to 66% of residents statewide. According to Kaiser Family Foundation surveys, about 67% of adults without a college degree said they are already vaccinated, compared to 82% of adults with a college degree.

95631 (Greater Foresthill)

Foresthill is just south of Colfax, and its demographics are similar. About 72% of the voters in the area cast ballots to recall Newsom, making this one of the places in the region with the highest support for the recall. About 84% of residents don’t have a college degree, a much higher percentage than the statewide rate.

95660 (North Highlands)

North Highlands is home to a large number of refugees from the former Soviet Union. While covid vaccination data about that particular demographic is unavailable, schools in North Highlands that cater to families from the former Soviet Union have previously seen very low vaccination rates for illnesses like measles and mumps.

About 38% of North Highlands households earned less than $35,000 a year in 2019, much higher than the statewide rate of 24%, census data show. Census surveys indicate that adults in households earning less than $35,000 a year are more likely to say they will probably not or certainly not get vaccinated.

95673 (Rio Linda)

Rio Linda is a suburb just north of the city of Sacramento that maintains a rural feel. It’s also a pretty conservative place - about 64% of voters in the area cast ballots to recall Newsom.

95626 (Elverta)

Elverta is located just north of Rio Linda, and boast similar demographics. Nearly 70% of the area’s residents voted to recall Newsom.

Notes: Shown above are ZIP codes with at least 5,000 residents where most people 12 and older were not vaccinated as of Monday, October 11. Excludes ZIP codes in the Tahoe area.