20of every 100 homes in Vega Alta likely have lead-based paint somewhere
That's about 880 of Vega Alta's 4,492 homes. 45% of them are homes that were built in the 1960s and '70s (40% of all its homes; HUD found lead paint in 24% of homes that age). That's fewer than the U.S. as a whole (26 in 100).
4,492homes (Census estimate)
54%built before 1980 (the Census can't split at 1978)
3%built before 1940
~16in 100 likely have a lead hazard now: failing lead paint, lead dust or soil
100 homes in Vega Alta, oldest first
pre-19401940s1950s1960s1970s1980 and lateroutline = likely no lead paint
Each square is one home in a hundred, coloured by the decade it was built. Solid squares are the homes HUD's rates say are likely to have lead paint; outlines are likely free of it.Every home, by decade built, to scaleWidth is the share of homes built in each decade, oldest on the left. Inside each decade, the solid part is the share likely to have lead paint: nearly all of the pre-1940 block, about a quarter of the 1960s, almost none after 1980.
When was your home built?
The neighbourhood number is a mix. Your own home's odds depend on its own decade. Pick it:
85% of homes built before 1940 had lead-based paint somewhere when HUD tested homes in 2018–19 (95% range 77–93%), and 78% had a lead hazard right then: deteriorated lead paint, lead dust or lead in bare soil. Federal rules treat your home as pre-1978 housing: sellers and landlords must disclose any known lead paint, and paid renovators doing more than minor repairs must be lead-safe certified.61% of homes built 1940–1959 had lead-based paint somewhere when HUD tested homes in 2018–19 (95% range 52–70%), and 51% had a lead hazard right then: deteriorated lead paint, lead dust or lead in bare soil. Federal rules treat your home as pre-1978 housing: sellers and landlords must disclose any known lead paint, and paid renovators doing more than minor repairs must be lead-safe certified.61% of homes built 1940–1959 had lead-based paint somewhere when HUD tested homes in 2018–19 (95% range 52–70%), and 51% had a lead hazard right then: deteriorated lead paint, lead dust or lead in bare soil. Federal rules treat your home as pre-1978 housing: sellers and landlords must disclose any known lead paint, and paid renovators doing more than minor repairs must be lead-safe certified.24% of homes built 1960–1977 had lead-based paint somewhere when HUD tested homes in 2018–19 (95% range 18–29%), and 17% had a lead hazard right then: deteriorated lead paint, lead dust or lead in bare soil. Federal rules treat your home as pre-1978 housing: sellers and landlords must disclose any known lead paint, and paid renovators doing more than minor repairs must be lead-safe certified.24% of homes built 1960–1977 had lead-based paint somewhere when HUD tested homes in 2018–19 (95% range 18–29%), and 17% had a lead hazard right then: deteriorated lead paint, lead dust or lead in bare soil. Federal rules treat your home as pre-1978 housing: sellers and landlords must disclose any known lead paint, and paid renovators doing more than minor repairs must be lead-safe certified.Unlikely. Paint made for consumer use after February 27, 1978 couldn't contain more than 0.06% lead. HUD still found lead in a few newer homes (6% of those built 1978–2017); about 4 in 10 of those had it only in ceramic tile glaze, and most of the rest were built soon after the ban, when leftover paint was still in use. The federal disclosure and renovation rules don't cover homes built in 1978 or later.Unlikely. Paint made for consumer use after February 27, 1978 couldn't contain more than 0.06% lead. HUD still found lead in a few newer homes (6% of those built 1978–2017); about 4 in 10 of those had it only in ceramic tile glaze, and most of the rest were built soon after the ban, when leftover paint was still in use. The federal disclosure and renovation rules don't cover homes built in 1978 or later.Look for the year built on your county assessor's or property-tax record, on a listing, or on your deed or closing papers. If none of those say, treat the house as pre-1978 until a test says otherwise.
Neighbourhoods inside Vega Alta can differ a lot. Check an address:
What to do with this
If your home was built before 1978
Find out the year it was built. Your county assessor’s record or a listing usually has it. Homes built before 1960 are where the odds are highest.
Look for the triggers, not the paint. Peeling or chalking paint, windows that stick and rub, worn painted floors and porches, and bare soil next to the house.
Before you renovate, test. A certified inspector can tell you where lead paint is; a risk assessor can tell you where the hazards are. Hire an EPA- or state-certified renovator for paid work. How testing works →
If a child under 6 lives there or visits often, ask their doctor about a blood lead test. That’s how you find out whether a child has been exposed.