ZIP code
02452
in Waltham, MassachusettsPopulation 15,808
60.86/ 100
Ranked #4,225 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 13.2%)
Ranked #256 of 527 Massachusetts ZIPs (top 49%)
Ranked #178 of 281 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH ZIPs (bottom 37%)
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.
Obesity
23.9%
in the bottom 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST21stUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
25%
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
7.2%
in the bottom 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
1.3 per 100,000 residents per year
in the bottom 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Mammography
82.2%
in the top 3.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST27thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
4.3%
in the bottom 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Stroke
2.3%
in the bottom 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
8.9%
in the bottom 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST15thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
5.0%
in the bottom 6.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
31.6%
in the bottom 5.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 02452, one of several in Waltham, Massachusetts, in overall standing, comes out in the top 13.2% healthiest ZIPs nationally (4,225th) and the top 49% of Massachusetts (256th).
A balanced showing across the data, with a few readings each side: modeled obesity stands in the bottom 4.1% nationally, high blood pressure resides in the bottom 2.8% nationally, and diabetes sits in the bottom 2.6% nationally. Fatal road crashes stands in the bottom 5.0% nationally, modeled mammography resides in the top 3.6% nationally, and modeled coronary heart disease sits in the bottom 4.6% nationally. Modeled stroke stands in the bottom 4.3% nationally, and mobility disability resides in the bottom 5.3% nationally. Modeled hearing disability sits in the bottom 6.4% nationally, and high cholesterol stands in the bottom 5.7% nationally.
Set within its surrounding area, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 02421, 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 94%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 63%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 71%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 86%
11%
Disability
healthier than 80%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 68%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 76%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 36%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 21%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 90%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 60%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 67%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 65%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 55%
14%
Disability
healthier than 40%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 37%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 17%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 18%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 86%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 63%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 71%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 66%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 48%
11%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 26%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 19%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 6%
8%
Disability
healthier than 27%
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
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 83.0 ± 1.7 years. A median household income of $118,431 predicts 80.7 years — 2.3 years above.
Ranked #770 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 36.1; chronic-disease standing 93.8 (top 10%) — 58 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #15,190 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
02421
Massachusettsshares a border
Score 74.06
Closest healthier
02451
Massachusettsshares a border
Score 64.34
Similar health profile
01002
Massachusetts98% similar profile
Score 62.45
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 | 19.9% | 18.2–21.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 25.0% | 22.9–27.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 6.9% | 6.3–7.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.9% | 10.7–13.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.3% | 3.8–4.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.4% | 3.8–5.0 |
| Depression among adults | 26.1% | 23.5–28.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 7.2% | 6.4–8.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 31.6% | 29.3–34.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 23.9% | 20.7–27.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.3% | 2.0–2.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.3% | 8.5–12.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.1% | 4.2–6.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 68.3% | 65.9–70.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.0% | 75.6–80.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.5% | 82.5–86.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 73.2% | 70.2–76.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 67.8% | 65.3–70.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 82.2% | 78.0–85.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.9% | 15.0–18.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 9.3% | 7.9–10.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 19.9% | 17.1–22.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.2% | 28.9–35.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.1% | 13.2–17.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.4% | 16.4–20.3 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.6% | 14.5–18.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.1% | 25.1–31.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.4–5.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.3–9.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 8.9% | 7.7–10.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 2.5% | 2.2–2.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.6–4.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.1% | 20.5–25.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.6% | 12.3–17.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 16.5% | 13.7–19.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.8% | 10.0–13.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.5% | 8.9–12.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 37.9% | 34.8–41.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.4% | 6.2–8.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.4% (2.6–16.9%) n=524 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 3.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 2.4% (0.0–6.3%) n=525 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.7% (1.1–15.2%) n=526 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 53.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 45.7% (23.6–77.5%) n=526 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (1.6–7.9%) n=523 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.6% (0.4–20.2%) n=522 |
| Broadband subscription | 96.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 94.1% (87.2–98.4%) n=522 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 35.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 30.5% (21.2–43.7%) n=522 |
| Homeownership rate | 51.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 79.1% (39.6–93.5%) n=522 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 5.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.8%) n=522 |
| Foreign-born population | 27.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.7% (1.9–28.4%) n=527 |
| Single-parent households | 50.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.5% (40.0–68.7%) n=520 |
| Population 65+ | 16.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.4% (12.1–33.8%) n=527 |
| Median age | 31.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.5 yr (34.3–57.2) n=524 |
| Median household income | $118,431 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $110,450 ($68,196–$177,335) n=505 |
| Median home value | $808,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $519,200 ($297,220–$949,670) n=508 |
| Median gross rent | $2,322 | $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 | 83.0 yr ± 0.86 | 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 0.86 years of 83.0, 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