ZIP code
02038
in Franklin Town, MassachusettsPopulation 33,154
64.70/ 100
Ranked #2,119 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 6.7%)
Ranked #134 of 527 Massachusetts ZIPs (top 25%)
Ranked #117 of 281 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH ZIPs (top 42%)
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.
Distance to a Superfund site
In this ZIP
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Mammography
84.6%
in the top 0.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST67thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$145,773
in the top 4.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST81stUS96thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Obesity
24%
in the bottom 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST22ndUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›PFOA in drinking water
93.3%
in the top 7.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›PFOS in drinking water
93.3%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOS, one of the most common “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 ›Food insecurity
8.2%
in the bottom 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST35thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
12.8%
in the bottom 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST23rdUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
8.2%
in the bottom 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST16thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
9.6%
in the bottom 7.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST22ndUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›The read
Franklin Town, Massachusetts (ZIP 02038) ranks in the top 6.7% healthiest ZIPs nationally (2,119th) and the top 25% of Massachusetts (134th).
Several signals sit on each side of the ledger here: modeled mammography settles in the top 0.8% nationally, and household income rests in the top 4.4% nationally. Modeled obesity lands in the bottom 4.2% nationally, and food insecurity settles in the bottom 8.3% nationally. Modeled fair or poor health rests in the bottom 5.4% nationally, diabetes lands in the bottom 5.0% nationally, and mobility disability settles in the bottom 7.6% nationally. Working the other way, distance to a Superfund site rests at the national minimum, PFOA in drinking water lands in the top 7.3% nationally, and PFOS in drinking water settles in the top 7.5% nationally.
Against its neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, 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. PFOS in drinking water is a common one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 02053, just across the boundary.
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 87%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 87%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 96%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 87%
11%
Disability
healthier than 91%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 65%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 62%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 56%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 31%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 75%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 71%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 62%
11%
Disability
healthier than 67%
7%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 46%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 50%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 58%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 59%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 42%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 66%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 60%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 62%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 50%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 59%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 51%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 45%
8%
Disability
healthier than 56%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 45%
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 ›
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 83.4 ± 1.6 years. A median household income of $145,773 predicts 81.6 years — 1.8 years above.
Ranked #1,075 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 30.8; chronic-disease standing 86.9 — 56 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #15,008 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
02019
Massachusettsshares a border
Score 60.94
Closest healthier
02053
Massachusettsshares a border
Score 65.95
Similar health profile
15116
Pennsylvania100% similar profile
Score 65.45
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 | 25.7% | 23.2–28.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 28.6% | 25.8–31.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.1% | 8.3–10.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.2% | 10.0–12.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.0% | 4.5–5.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 5.1% | 4.4–5.7 |
| Depression among adults | 23.9% | 21.1–26.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 8.2% | 7.1–9.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.4% | 32.2–38.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 24.0% | 20.3–28.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.5% | 2.3–2.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.3% | 6.7–10.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 3.3% | 2.8–4.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 74.9% | 71.7–77.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.0% | 78.4–83.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 91.1% | 89.8–92.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.4% | 66.6–73.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 75.6% | 73.0–77.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 84.6% | 80.0–88.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.5% | 16.0–21.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 9.7% | 8.2–11.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 15.9% | 13.6–18.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.5% | 27.7–35.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 12.8% | 11.1–14.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.5% | 13.8–17.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.1% | 9.9–12.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.5% | 11.1–14.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 23.7% | 21.0–26.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.8–6.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.3–6.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 9.6% | 8.3–11.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.5% | 2.2–2.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.1% | 2.8–3.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.4% | 18.7–24.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.2% | 6.9–9.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.5% | 8.0–11.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.6% | 6.4–8.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.6% | 4.9–6.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.4% | 28.9–35.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.1% | 4.3–5.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.4% (2.6–16.9%) n=524 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 2.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 2.4% (0.0–6.3%) n=525 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 2.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.7% (1.1–15.2%) n=526 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 58.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 45.7% (23.6–77.5%) n=526 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (1.6–7.9%) n=523 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.6% (0.4–20.2%) n=522 |
| Broadband subscription | 96.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 94.1% (87.2–98.4%) n=522 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 30.5% (21.2–43.7%) n=522 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.2% | 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 | 10.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.7% (1.9–28.4%) n=527 |
| Single-parent households | 47.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.5% (40.0–68.7%) n=520 |
| Population 65+ | 14.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.4% (12.1–33.8%) n=527 |
| Median age | 41.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.5 yr (34.3–57.2) n=524 |
| Median household income | $145,773 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $110,450 ($68,196–$177,335) n=505 |
| Median home value | $611,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $519,200 ($297,220–$949,670) n=508 |
| Median gross rent | $1,899 | $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 | 83.3 yr ± 0.80 | 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 0.80 years of 83.3, 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