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ZipVitals

ZIP code

01612

in Paxton, MassachusettsPopulation 5,002

63.65/ 100

Ranked #2,637 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 8.3%)

Ranked #165 of 527 Massachusetts ZIPs (top 31%)

Ranked #10 of 112 Worcester, MA-CT ZIPs (top 9.0%)

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

86.4%

in the top 0.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST91st
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

$134,083

in the top 6.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST73rd
US94th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Arsenic in groundwater

21.8%

in the top 5.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US94th
Definition & source ›

The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.

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 ›

Poverty rate

1.4%

in the bottom 5.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST5th
US6th
Definition & source ›

The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Full methodology ›

Food insecurity

7.7%

in the bottom 6.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST28th
US6th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Elder-services access

0.2 per 1,000 residents

in the top 7.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST88th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.

Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.

Full methodology ›

Diabetes

8.0%

in the bottom 4.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST12th
US4th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.

Full methodology ›

Mobility disability

9.1%

in the bottom 5.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST17th
US6th
Definition & source ›

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

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 ›

Housing insecurity

7.2%

in the bottom 8.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST28th
US9th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

The read

Paxton, Massachusetts (ZIP 01612) ranks in the top 8.3% healthiest ZIPs nationally (2,637th) and the top 31% of Massachusetts (165th).

continue reading

A profile of give and take, with clear readings each way: modeled mammography is in the top 0.2% nationally, and household income registers in the top 6.2% nationally. Poverty lies in the bottom 5.8% nationally, and modeled food insecurity is in the bottom 6.2% nationally. Elder services registers in the top 7.2% nationally, modeled diabetes lies in the bottom 4.3% nationally, and modeled mobility disability is in the bottom 5.9% nationally. Modeled fair or poor health registers in the bottom 4.8% nationally, and housing insecurity lies in the bottom 8.8% nationally. On the other side, modeled arsenic is in the top 5.6% nationally.

Against its neighbors, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 01541, about 3.3 miles away.

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 85%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 74%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 98%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 86%

11%

Disability

healthier than 93%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 76%

5%

About typical

Healthcare Access

healthier than 56%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 35%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 39%

8%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 70%

21%

Preventive Care

healthier than 65%

13%

Disability

healthier than 74%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 78%

5%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 49%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 54%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 59%

11%

Holding it back

Mental Health

healthier than 37%

8%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 32%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 89%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 74%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 79%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 88%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 66%

8%

Disability

healthier than 87%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 68%

5%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 53%

14%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 47%

5%

Nothing measured is holding this score back.

“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 ›

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 adults24.9%22.5–27.3
High blood pressure among adults29.4%26.6–32.2
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.0%8.2–9.9
Current asthma among adults12.0%10.7–13.4
Coronary heart disease among adults5.0%4.3–5.8
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults4.8%3.8–5.9
Depression among adults25.6%22.7–28.5
Diagnosed diabetes among adults8.0%6.8–9.3
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened33.6%30.7–36.4
Obesity among adults28.4%24.3–32.6
Stroke among adults2.5%2.1–2.9
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years7.7%6.2–9.3
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years3.3%2.4–4.4
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure75.0%72.3–77.6
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults81.7%79.3–84.0
Cholesterol screening among adults90.3%88.4–91.9
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years72.2%68.6–75.3
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults78.3%76.0–80.3
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years86.4%82.1–89.6
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults19.5%17.1–22.2
Current cigarette smoking among adults8.8%6.7–11.1
No leisure-time physical activity among adults17.6%14.4–21.1
Short sleep duration among adults30.4%26.8–33.8
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults12.6%10.3–15.1
Frequent mental distress among adults16.2%13.8–18.5
Frequent physical distress among adults11.1%9.4–12.9
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults12.3%10.1–14.6
Any disability among adults23.9%20.3–27.6
Hearing disability among adults5.2%4.5–6.0
Independent living disability among adults5.8%4.8–7.0
Mobility disability among adults9.1%7.5–11.0
Self-care disability among adults2.3%1.9–2.7
Vision disability among adults2.8%2.4–3.4
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults22.0%19.0–25.2
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults7.7%5.8–10.0
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults7.9%5.9–10.4
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults7.2%5.7–8.9
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults5.5%4.5–6.7
Loneliness among adults33.8%30.3–37.5
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults4.7%3.8–5.7
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate1.4%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3646.4% (2.6–16.9%) n=524
Uninsured 18–641.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2862.4% (0.0–6.3%) n=525
No HS diploma (25+)4.5%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5054.7% (1.1–15.2%) n=526
Bachelor's or higher (25+)54.7%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50545.7% (23.6–77.5%) n=526
Unemployment rate (16+)4.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.4% (1.6–7.9%) n=523
Households without a vehicle1.7%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.6% (0.4–20.2%) n=522
Broadband subscription95.9%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32294.1% (87.2–98.4%) n=522
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)21.2%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32230.5% (21.2–43.7%) n=522
Homeownership rate91.8%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32279.1% (39.6–93.5%) n=522
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.6%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–3.8%) n=522
Foreign-born population9.7%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5538.7% (1.9–28.4%) n=527
Single-parent households62.6%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08752.5% (40.0–68.7%) n=520
Population 65+18.4%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.4% (12.1–33.8%) n=527
Median age41.8 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29243.5 yr (34.3–57.2) n=524
Median household income$134,083$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$110,450 ($68,196–$177,335) n=505
Median home value$472,300$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$519,200 ($297,220–$949,670) n=508
Median gross rent$1,386$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 birth83.2 yr ± 1.7178.9 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 1.71 years of 83.2, 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