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ZIP code

01545

in Shrewsbury, MassachusettsPopulation 38,876

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

66.37/ 100

Ranked #1,490 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 4.7%)

Ranked #94 of 527 Massachusetts ZIPs (top 18%)

Ranked #6 of 112 Worcester, MA-CT ZIPs (top 5.4%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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

86.3%

in the top 0.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST90th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.

Full methodology ›

Median household income

$139,302

in the top 5.3% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST77th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a Superfund site

0.6 mi

in the bottom 5.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST9th
US6th
Definition & 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 ›

Obesity

26.6%

in the bottom 8.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST45th
US8th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.

Full methodology ›

Mobility disability

9.0%

in the bottom 5.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST16th
US6th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.

Full methodology ›

Independent-living disability

5.3%

in the bottom 4.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST11th
US4th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.

Full methodology ›

Fair or poor health

12.6%

in the bottom 4.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST21st
US5th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.

Full methodology ›

Hearing disability

5.0%

in the bottom 6.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST13th
US6th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.

Full methodology ›

PFOA in drinking water

91.5%

in the top 8.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST82nd
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOA, one of the man-made “forever chemicals,” was detected in EPA testing.

Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.

Full methodology ›

Stroke

2.4%

in the bottom 5.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST13th
US5th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.

Full methodology ›

The read

Shrewsbury, Massachusetts (ZIP 01545), by its composite score, sits in the top 4.7% healthiest ZIPs nationally (1,490th) and the top 18% of Massachusetts (94th).

continue reading

The measures fall on both sides for this area, fairly evenly: modeled mammography lands in the top 0.2% nationally, and household income stands in the top 5.3% nationally. Modeled obesity registers in the bottom 8.4% nationally, and mobility disability settles in the bottom 5.6% nationally. Modeled independent living disability sits in the bottom 4.2% nationally, fair or poor health lies in the bottom 4.8% nationally, and hearing disability rests in the bottom 6.4% nationally. Modeled stroke resides in the bottom 5.4% nationally. Pulling the other way, distance to a Superfund site is in the bottom 5.8% nationally, and PFOA in drinking water lands in the top 8.1% nationally.

Next to the surrounding area, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For anyone unfamiliar, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. PFOA in drinking water is one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 01581, just across the boundary. The area further 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 88%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 88%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 98%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 89%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 78%

8%

Disability

healthier than 96%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 64%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 91%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 10%

14%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 77%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 74%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 67%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 67%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 79%

8%

Disability

healthier than 83%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 90%

5%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 56%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 9%

14%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 92%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 93%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 80%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 91%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 96%

8%

Disability

healthier than 95%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 89%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 4%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 21%

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.

  • Above what income predicts

    The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes

    Estimated life expectancy is 82.8 ± 1.1 years. A median household income of $139,302 predicts 81.4 years — 1.5 years above.

    Ranked #1,282 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 10.5; chronic-disease standing 87.9 — 77 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #17,012 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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults24.2%22.0–26.4
High blood pressure among adults30.1%27.4–32.8
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults8.6%7.9–9.4
Current asthma among adults10.9%9.8–12.1
Coronary heart disease among adults4.9%4.4–5.4
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults4.4%3.9–5.0
Depression among adults22.4%20.0–24.9
Diagnosed diabetes among adults8.8%7.7–10.0
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened35.2%32.3–38.1
Obesity among adults26.6%23.1–30.5
Stroke among adults2.4%2.2–2.7
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years7.7%6.3–9.2
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years3.2%2.7–3.7
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure75.7%72.9–78.4
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults82.5%80.1–84.7
Cholesterol screening among adults91.7%90.6–92.7
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years70.5%67.0–73.6
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults75.5%73.0–77.7
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years86.3%82.0–89.6
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults16.8%14.7–19.1
Current cigarette smoking among adults8.4%7.2–9.7
No leisure-time physical activity among adults18.8%16.3–21.4
Short sleep duration among adults32.2%28.5–35.7
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults12.6%11.1–14.2
Frequent mental distress among adults14.0%12.6–15.5
Frequent physical distress among adults10.6%9.4–11.8
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults10.6%9.4–11.8
Any disability among adults22.1%19.7–24.6
Hearing disability among adults5.0%4.5–5.6
Independent living disability among adults5.3%4.7–5.9
Mobility disability among adults9.0%7.9–10.3
Self-care disability among adults2.2%2.0–2.5
Vision disability among adults2.9%2.6–3.2
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults23.0%20.6–25.6
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults8.3%7.1–9.6
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults8.2%7.1–9.6
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults7.2%6.2–8.3
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults5.2%4.6–5.9
Loneliness among adults32.5%29.4–35.7
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults4.7%4.1–5.4
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate3.7%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3646.4% (2.6–16.9%) n=524
Uninsured 18–642.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2862.4% (0.0–6.3%) n=525
No HS diploma (25+)3.9%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5054.7% (1.1–15.2%) n=526
Bachelor's or higher (25+)65.6%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50545.7% (23.6–77.5%) n=526
Unemployment rate (16+)2.4%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.4% (1.6–7.9%) n=523
Households without a vehicle4.6%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.6% (0.4–20.2%) n=522
Broadband subscription95.5%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32294.1% (87.2–98.4%) n=522
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)27.0%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32230.5% (21.2–43.7%) n=522
Homeownership rate72.2%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32279.1% (39.6–93.5%) n=522
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.3%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–3.8%) n=522
Foreign-born population26.8%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5538.7% (1.9–28.4%) n=527
Single-parent households45.4%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08752.5% (40.0–68.7%) n=520
Population 65+15.4%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.4% (12.1–33.8%) n=527
Median age40.6 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29243.5 yr (34.3–57.2) n=524
Median household income$139,302$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$110,450 ($68,196–$177,335) n=505
Median home value$592,300$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$519,200 ($297,220–$949,670) n=508
Median gross rent$2,116$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,659 ($1,104–$2,452) n=461
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MA median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth82.8 yr ± 0.5778.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30881.3 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 0.57 years of 82.8, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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