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ZipVitals

ZIP code

03031

in Amherst, New HampshirePopulation 11,849

66.70/ 100

Ranked #1,374 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 4.3%)

Ranked #11 of 243 New Hampshire ZIPs (top 4.6%)

Ranked #3 of 34 Manchester-Nashua, NH ZIPs (top 8.9%)

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.

Median household income

$153,125

in the top 3.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST91st
US96th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Food insecurity

6.0%

in the bottom 1.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST4th
US1st
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Lack of transportation

4.0%

in the bottom 1.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST5th
US2nd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Housing insecurity

5.8%

in the bottom 2.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST7th
US2nd
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Dental provider access

1.3 per 1,000 residents

in the top 3.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST94th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The number of dental offices 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 ›

Utility shut-off threat

4.0%

in the bottom 3.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST7th
US4th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Mammography

82.6%

in the top 2.9% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST94th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.

Full methodology ›

Fair or poor health

11.6%

in the bottom 2.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST5th
US3rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.

Full methodology ›

Cognitive disability

9.6%

in the bottom 3.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST6th
US4th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a Superfund site

0.6 mi

in the bottom 5.9% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST13th
US6th
Definition & 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 ›

The read

By its overall health score, Amherst, New Hampshire (ZIP 03031) lands in the top 4.3% healthiest ZIPs nationally (1,374th) and the top 4.6% of New Hampshire (11th).

continue reading

Strengths and concerns sit side by side across the measures here: household income lands in the top 3.6% nationally, and modeled food insecurity registers in the bottom 1.5% nationally. Modeled transportation sits in the bottom 1.6% nationally, and housing insecurity rests in the bottom 2.1% nationally. Dental providers is in the top 3.8% nationally, modeled utility shutoff stands in the bottom 3.8% nationally, and modeled mammography settles in the top 2.9% nationally. Modeled fair or poor health lies in the bottom 2.7% nationally, and cognitive disability resides in the bottom 3.6% nationally. On the other hand, distance to a Superfund site lands in the bottom 5.9% nationally.

Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of terms, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 03110, just across the boundary. On a broader view, the area also sits on the healthier half of the national range on at least seven of the ten good-life measures tracked here, from quiet and green space to nearby care, a combination reached by about one in twenty-five US ZIP codes.

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 Manchester-Nashua, NH 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 81%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 92%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 96%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 93%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 88%

8%

Disability

healthier than 94%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 62%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 71%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 23%

14%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 83%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 94%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 91%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 79%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 91%

8%

Disability

healthier than 95%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 85%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 8%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 22%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 61%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 94%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 91%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 91%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 88%

8%

Disability

healthier than 97%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 64%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 30%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 21%

5%

“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 23.5; chronic-disease standing 80.7 — 57 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #15,126 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.

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 adults27.3%25.0–29.7
High blood pressure among adults31.9%29.4–34.6
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.6%9.8–11.6
Current asthma among adults10.4%9.3–11.5
Coronary heart disease among adults5.5%4.9–6.2
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults4.9%4.1–5.7
Depression among adults20.7%18.3–23.2
Diagnosed diabetes among adults8.6%7.6–9.8
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened36.0%33.1–38.7
Obesity among adults31.2%27.2–35.4
Stroke among adults2.7%2.4–3.0
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years6.4%5.3–7.8
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years4.3%3.5–5.4
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure79.0%76.5–81.3
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults80.2%77.6–82.5
Cholesterol screening among adults91.2%89.8–92.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years73.9%70.4–77.2
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults74.3%71.6–77.0
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years82.6%78.1–86.7
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults15.8%13.7–17.9
Current cigarette smoking among adults7.9%6.4–9.7
No leisure-time physical activity among adults17.6%15.1–20.5
Short sleep duration among adults32.0%28.1–36.2
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults11.6%10.0–13.5
Frequent mental distress among adults13.1%11.7–14.8
Frequent physical distress among adults10.1%9.0–11.5
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults9.6%8.3–11.1
Any disability among adults22.3%19.8–25.1
Hearing disability among adults6.5%5.8–7.3
Independent living disability among adults5.2%4.6–6.0
Mobility disability among adults9.5%8.2–11.0
Self-care disability among adults2.4%2.1–2.7
Vision disability among adults2.9%2.6–3.3
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults19.9%17.3–22.7
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults6.0%4.7–7.6
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults3.8%2.8–5.0
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults5.8%4.7–7.1
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults4.0%3.4–4.8
Loneliness among adults29.5%26.3–33.0
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults4.0%3.3–4.9
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NH median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate4.4%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3646.7% (2.0–13.3%) n=243
Uninsured 18–643.7%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2867.1% (2.2–14.5%) n=242
No HS diploma (25+)0.3%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5054.5% (1.3–9.8%) n=243
Bachelor's or higher (25+)65.8%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50538.8% (21.4–60.3%) n=243
Unemployment rate (16+)1.5%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.8% (0.0–6.0%) n=243
Households without a vehicle2.5%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.5% (0.0–8.4%) n=243
Broadband subscription98.2%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32292.9% (85.7–99.0%) n=243
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)20.4%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32227.1% (17.2–36.4%) n=243
Homeownership rate91.9%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32286.0% (62.6–96.9%) n=243
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.3%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.7% (0.0–3.1%) n=243
Foreign-born population4.6%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5533.1% (0.5–7.1%) n=243
Single-parent households53.3%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08760.9% (46.9–76.5%) n=243
Population 65+20.3%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55322.1% (15.1–37.1%) n=243
Median age45.9 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29247.1 yr (38.4–58.4) n=243
Median household income$153,125$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$98,684 ($67,733–$147,723) n=235
Median home value$537,300$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$371,500 ($252,560–$570,440) n=237
Median gross rent$1,462$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,360 ($1,037–$1,893) n=197
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NH median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth83.4 yr ± 1.5878.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30881.2 yr (78.0–85.7) n=242

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 1.58 years of 83.4, 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