ZIP code
01532
in Northborough, MassachusettsPopulation 15,750
66.08/ 100
Ranked #1,585 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 5.0%)
Ranked #103 of 527 Massachusetts ZIPs (top 20%)
Ranked #7 of 112 Worcester, MA-CT ZIPs (top 6.3%)
Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.
What defines this ZIP
Metrics where this ZIP sits in the tails of the national distribution — the ones that most set it apart. Select any tile for its definition and methodology.
Mammography
86.4%
in the top 0.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$153,199
in the top 3.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST85thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
7.2%
in the bottom 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST21stUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
6.7%
in the bottom 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST19thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
0.8 mi
in the bottom 6.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST10thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
98.5%
in the top 6.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
4.9%
in the bottom 6.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST18thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
12.2%
in the bottom 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST18thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
62.2%
in the top 7.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST80thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
9.0%
in the bottom 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST16thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Northborough, Massachusetts (ZIP 01532) lands in the top 5.0% healthiest ZIPs nationally (1,585th) and the top 20% of Massachusetts (103rd).
A number of measures pull each way for this area: modeled mammography lies in the top 0.2% nationally, and household income lands in the top 3.6% nationally. Modeled food insecurity sits in the bottom 4.3% nationally, and housing insecurity is in the bottom 5.4% nationally. Home broadband subscription settles in the top 6.6% nationally, modeled transportation resides in the bottom 6.7% nationally, and modeled fair or poor health registers in the bottom 3.8% nationally. Modeled mobility disability rests in the bottom 5.6% nationally. Set against that, distance to a Superfund site stands in the bottom 6.5% nationally, and modeled pfas lies in the top 7.1% nationally.
Set beside the nearby areas, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. A note on the terms: distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 01545, just across the boundary, ranks better overall. The ZIP also sits on the healthier half of the national range on at least seven of the ten good-life measures tracked here, from quiet and green space to nearby care, a combination reached by about one in twenty-five US ZIP codes.
What’s driving this score
Nine domains make up the ZipVitals Score — here is how this ZIP does on each, and how much each one counts. Compare it against the US, this state and the Worcester, MA-CT metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 84%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 92%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 99%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 91%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 68%
8%
Disability
healthier than 96%
7%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 59%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 55%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 18%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 68%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 82%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 78%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 70%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 71%
8%
Disability
healthier than 83%
7%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 49%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 23%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 30%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 87%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 95%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 88%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 95%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 91%
8%
Disability
healthier than 96%
7%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 42%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 20%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 16%
5%
“Share” is how much of this ZIP’s score the domain accounts for. Percentages are rounded; higher is healthier in every domain. How the score works, and who it compares you with ›
Findings that name this ZIP
2 of our published findings list this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 79.5 ± 1.5 years. A median household income of $153,199 predicts 81.8 years — 2.3 years below.
Ranked #3,155 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 17.7; chronic-disease standing 84.3 — 67 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #16,089 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
01503
Massachusettsshares a border
Score 61.80
Closest healthier
01545
Massachusettsshares a border
Score 66.37
Similar health profile
02061
Massachusetts100% similar profile
Score 66.48
How these were chosen: only ZIPs with a published Score appear — a nearby ZIP with too little data to score won’t. Nearby means closest by distance between ZIP boundaries, which can cross state lines. A similar health profile is a close match across the nine Score domains, not similar demographics. Distances are measured between ZIP boundaries — ZIPs that touch share a border. How distance is measured
Evidence
Every measure this page draws on, by source. Collapsed by default — the full data stays in the page for search engines either way.
Health OutcomesCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Arthritis among adults | 25.6% | 23.4–28.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 30.6% | 27.9–33.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.3% | 8.5–10.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.4% | 10.3–12.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.0% | 4.4–5.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.5% | 3.9–5.2 |
| Depression among adults | 23.8% | 21.3–26.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 8.6% | 7.6–9.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.5% | 32.6–38.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 28.0% | 24.2–32.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.5% | 2.2–2.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 7.4% | 6.0–8.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 2.8% | 2.3–3.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.0% | 73.1–78.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.9% | 80.5–85.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 92.2% | 91.1–93.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 71.7% | 68.3–74.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 78.5% | 76.3–80.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 86.4% | 82.1–89.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.8% | 15.6–20.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 8.3% | 7.0–9.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 17.5% | 15.1–20.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.7% | 27.1–34.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 12.2% | 10.7–14.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.3% | 12.8–15.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 10.7% | 9.6–12.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 10.6% | 9.4–11.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 22.1% | 19.6–25.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.5–5.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.6–6.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 9.0% | 7.9–10.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.2% | 2.0–2.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 2.8% | 2.5–3.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.1% | 18.8–23.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.1–8.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 6.3–8.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 6.7% | 5.7–7.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 4.9% | 4.3–5.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.4% | 28.4–34.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 4.6% | 4.0–5.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 3.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.4% (2.6–16.9%) n=524 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 1.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 2.4% (0.0–6.3%) n=525 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 2.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.7% (1.1–15.2%) n=526 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 65.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 45.7% (23.6–77.5%) n=526 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (1.6–7.9%) n=523 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.6% (0.4–20.2%) n=522 |
| Broadband subscription | 98.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 94.1% (87.2–98.4%) n=522 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 25.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 30.5% (21.2–43.7%) n=522 |
| Homeownership rate | 83.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 79.1% (39.6–93.5%) n=522 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.8%) n=522 |
| Foreign-born population | 17.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.7% (1.9–28.4%) n=527 |
| Single-parent households | 48.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.5% (40.0–68.7%) n=520 |
| Population 65+ | 17.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.4% (12.1–33.8%) n=527 |
| Median age | 45.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.5 yr (34.3–57.2) n=524 |
| Median household income | $153,199 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $110,450 ($68,196–$177,335) n=505 |
| Median home value | $620,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $519,200 ($297,220–$949,670) n=508 |
| Median gross rent | $1,919 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,659 ($1,104–$2,452) n=461 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.5 yr ± 0.76 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 81.3 yr (78.1–84.4) n=514 |
About the ± — it’s this estimate’s give-or-take (statisticians call it the standard error). The true life expectancy for this ZIP most likely falls within 0.76 years of 79.5, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.
More ZIPs to explore ▾More ZIPs to explore ▴
How these lists were built: they draw only from ZIPs that have a published Score, so ZIPs with too little data to score are not listed. Distance-based lists use distance between ZIP boundaries with no state filter, so an out-of-state ZIP can appear. Statistically similar means a close match across the nine Score domains, not a demographic match: the measure is the cosine similarity between two ZIPs’ domain scores, taken over the domains both ZIPs have data for and only where that overlap covers at least six of the nine — and where no ZIP clears that minimum-overlap floor, that list is left out rather than filled with a weak match. How distance is measured