ZIP code
01970
in Salem, MassachusettsPopulation 44,738
60.47/ 100
Ranked #4,501 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 14.1%)
Ranked #272 of 527 Massachusetts ZIPs (bottom 48%)
Ranked #182 of 281 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH ZIPs (bottom 35%)
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.
Subsidized affordable housing
1,237 units
in the top 0.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Mammography
83.9%
in the top 1.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST52ndUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Mental-health provider access
0.18 per 1,000 residents
in the top 5.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics located 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 ›Transportation noise
12.8%
in the top 5.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Loud transportation noise
2.3%
in the top 5.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS94thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
1 mi
in the bottom 7.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST12thUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Households without a vehicle
14.7%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
42.4%
in the top 7.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST87thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
49.6%
in the bottom 8.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST16thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
29.4%
in the bottom 9.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST23rdUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite health measure, Salem, Massachusetts (ZIP 01970) ranks in the top 14.1% healthiest ZIPs nationally (4,501st) and the bottom 48% of Massachusetts (272nd), based on limited data; treat as directional.
The signals balance out across the profile, strengths against concerns: subsidized affordable housing registers in the top 0.9% nationally, and modeled mammography rests in the top 1.4% nationally. Mental-health providers stands in the top 5.1% nationally. Distance to an emergency room lies at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Set against that, modeled transportation noise lands in the top 5.7% nationally, modeled loud transportation noise sits in the top 5.8% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site is in the bottom 7.4% nationally. Households without a vehicle settles in the top 7.5% nationally, housing-cost burden resides in the top 7.6% nationally, and homeownership registers in the bottom 8.8% nationally.
Read against the ZIPs closest to it, subsidized affordable housing runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To spell things out, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. Close by, ZIP 01907, just across the boundary, ranks healthier overall.
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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 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 83%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 74%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 90%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 71%
11%
Disability
healthier than 78%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 95%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 48%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 23%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 66%
21%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.7%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 48%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 48%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 32%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 29%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 36%
11%
Disability
healthier than 37%
7%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.3%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 51%
21%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 38%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 32%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 36%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 20%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 35%
8%
Disability
healthier than 21%
7%
“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
One of our published findings lists 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 81.0 ± 1.4 years. A median household income of $85,041 predicts 79.4 years — 1.5 years above.
Ranked #1,246 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
01907
Massachusettsshares a border
Score 64.15
Closest healthier
01915
Massachusettsshares a border
Score 61.74
Similar health profile
15216
Pennsylvania99% similar profile
Score 60.20
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 | 23.4% | 21.2–25.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 29.4% | 26.7–31.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.0% | 7.3–8.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.0% | 10.8–13.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.4% | 4.9–6.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.8% | 5.2–6.5 |
| Depression among adults | 24.0% | 21.3–26.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.2% | 8.1–10.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 33.1% | 30.3–35.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 29.7% | 25.7–33.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.8% | 2.6–3.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.2% | 7.5–11.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.5% | 4.7–6.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 74.1% | 71.3–76.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.2% | 77.6–82.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.6% | 87.1–90.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.1% | 66.5–73.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 71.7% | 69.0–74.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 83.9% | 79.4–87.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.7% | 14.5–19.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 11.0% | 9.6–12.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.4% | 19.7–25.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.6% | 31.7–39.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.9% | 14.2–17.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.4% | 14.7–18.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.4% | 11.1–13.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.3% | 12.8–15.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 26.8% | 24.1–29.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 5.8% | 5.1–6.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.5% | 6.7–8.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.1% | 9.8–12.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.1% | 2.8–3.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.3% | 19.8–25.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.3% | 11.6–15.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 14.7% | 12.9–16.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.5% | 10.1–13.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.0% | 7.1–9.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.3% | 29.0–35.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.6% | 6.6–8.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.4% (2.6–16.9%) n=524 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 3.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 2.4% (0.0–6.3%) n=525 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.7% (1.1–15.2%) n=526 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 47.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 45.7% (23.6–77.5%) n=526 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (1.6–7.9%) n=523 |
| Households without a vehicle | 14.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.6% (0.4–20.2%) n=522 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 94.1% (87.2–98.4%) n=522 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 42.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 30.5% (21.2–43.7%) n=522 |
| Homeownership rate | 49.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 79.1% (39.6–93.5%) n=522 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.8%) n=522 |
| Foreign-born population | 16.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.7% (1.9–28.4%) n=527 |
| Single-parent households | 43.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.5% (40.0–68.7%) n=520 |
| Population 65+ | 17.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.4% (12.1–33.8%) n=527 |
| Median age | 39.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.5 yr (34.3–57.2) n=524 |
| Median household income | $85,041 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $110,450 ($68,196–$177,335) n=505 |
| Median home value | $542,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $519,200 ($297,220–$949,670) n=508 |
| Median gross rent | $1,836 | $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 | 81.0 yr ± 0.71 | 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 0.71 years of 81.0, 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