ZIP code
02461
in Newton Highlands, MassachusettsPopulation 6,975
73.14/ 100
Ranked #163 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 0.6%)
Ranked #7 of 527 Massachusetts ZIPs (top 1.4%)
Ranked #7 of 281 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH ZIPs (top 2.5%)
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.
Median household income
$224,000
in the top 0.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Obesity
21%
in the bottom 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
5.7%
in the bottom 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Utility shut-off threat
3.4%
in the bottom 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
5.6%
in the bottom 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Mammography
84.7%
in the top 0.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST70thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
0 per 100,000 residents per year
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Lack of transportation
4.2%
in the bottom 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
8.8%
in the bottom 1.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
27.9%
in the bottom 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›The read
Newton Highlands, Massachusetts (ZIP 02461), by its overall standing, sits in the top 0.6% healthiest ZIPs nationally (163rd) and the top 1.4% of Massachusetts (7th).
The profile opens balanced, with readings on either hand: household income resides in the top 0.7% nationally, modeled obesity rests in the bottom 1.4% nationally, and modeled food insecurity lies in the bottom 1.0% nationally. Modeled utility shutoff sits in the bottom 1.3% nationally, housing insecurity settles in the bottom 1.6% nationally, and mammography registers in the top 0.8% nationally. Fatal road crashes stands at the national minimum, and modeled transportation lands in the bottom 2.2% nationally. Modeled cognitive disability is in the bottom 1.8% nationally, and short sleep resides in the bottom 2.9% nationally.
Held up against its neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 02459, 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 91%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 99%
16%
Preventive Care
in the top 0.8%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the top 1.0%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 91%
8%
Disability
healthier than 98%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 63%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 54%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 27%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 84%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 98%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 86%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 98%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 97%
8%
Disability
healthier than 95%
7%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 41%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 44%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 38%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 78%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 97%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 92%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 98%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 97%
8%
Disability
healthier than 94%
7%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 42%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 40%
14%
“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.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 27.4; chronic-disease standing 90.8 (top 10%) — 63 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #15,741 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
02459
Massachusettsshares a border
Score 73.41
Closest healthier
02468
Massachusettsshares a border
Score 75.48
Similar health profile
35223
Alabama100% similar profile
Score 70.98
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 | 24.6% | 22.7–26.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 28.6% | 26.3–31.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.8% | 9.0–10.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.5–11.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 3.8% | 3.2–4.4 |
| Depression among adults | 21.4% | 19.3–23.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 8.5% | 7.6–9.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.2% | 35.5–40.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 21.0% | 18.2–24.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.4% | 2.2–2.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 3.6% | 2.9–4.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 2.4% | 1.9–2.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.0% | 74.3–79.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 83.0% | 81.0–85.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 93.7% | 92.7–94.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 74.2% | 71.5–76.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 80.7% | 78.7–82.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 84.7% | 81.0–88.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.8% | 13.1–16.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 6.1% | 5.1–7.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 15.0% | 13.1–17.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 27.9% | 24.9–31.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 10.6% | 9.3–12.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 11.7% | 10.5–13.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 8.7% | 7.8–9.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 8.8% | 7.8–10.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 20.3% | 18.2–22.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.4–5.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 4.6% | 4.1–5.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 8.3% | 7.3–9.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 1.9% | 1.7–2.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 2.6% | 2.3–2.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 18.5% | 16.4–20.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 5.7% | 4.8–6.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 5.7% | 4.6–7.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 5.6% | 4.8–6.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 4.2% | 3.7–4.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.7% | 27.8–33.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 3.4% | 2.9–4.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 3.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.4% (2.6–16.9%) n=524 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 2.4% (0.0–6.3%) n=525 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.7% (1.1–15.2%) n=526 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 88.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 45.7% (23.6–77.5%) n=526 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (1.6–7.9%) n=523 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.6% (0.4–20.2%) n=522 |
| Broadband subscription | 98.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 94.1% (87.2–98.4%) n=522 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 30.5% (21.2–43.7%) n=522 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 79.1% (39.6–93.5%) n=522 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.8%) n=522 |
| Foreign-born population | 33.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 8.7% (1.9–28.4%) n=527 |
| Single-parent households | 44.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.5% (40.0–68.7%) n=520 |
| Population 65+ | 14.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.4% (12.1–33.8%) n=527 |
| Median age | 43.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.5 yr (34.3–57.2) n=524 |
| Median household income | $224,000 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $110,450 ($68,196–$177,335) n=505 |
| Median home value | $1,255,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $519,200 ($297,220–$949,670) n=508 |
| Median gross rent | $2,978 | $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 | 84.2 yr ± 0.92 | 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 0.92 years of 84.2, 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