ZIP code
03824
in Durham, New HampshirePopulation 15,080
56.14/ 100
Ranked #8,123 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 25%)
Ranked #171 of 243 New Hampshire ZIPs (bottom 30%)
Ranked #234 of 281 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH ZIPs (bottom 17%)
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.
High cholesterol
24.3%
in the bottom 1.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
19.7%
in the bottom 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
4.4%
in the bottom 1.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
2.9%
in the bottom 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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
1.5%
in the bottom 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
5.9%
in the bottom 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Loneliness
41.4%
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›Slow internet speeds
3.9%
in the top 3.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Self-care disability
1.9%
in the bottom 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›Lithium in drinking water
9.8 µg/L
in the bottom 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST15thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.
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 ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Durham, New Hampshire (ZIP 03824) ranks in the top 25% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,123rd) and the bottom 30% of New Hampshire (171st).
The measures split the difference for this area: modeled high cholesterol registers in the bottom 1.2% nationally, and high blood pressure sits in the bottom 1.3% nationally. Modeled diabetes rests in the bottom 1.1% nationally, and coronary heart disease is in the bottom 1.4% nationally. Modeled stroke stands in the bottom 1.3% nationally, mobility disability settles in the bottom 1.3% nationally, and self-care disability lies in the bottom 1.6% nationally. Lithium in drinking water resides in the bottom 6.0% nationally. Against that, modeled loneliness lands in the top 2.4% nationally, and slow internet speeds registers in the top 3.1% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, slow internet speeds runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 03801, 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 98%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 90%
11%
Disability
healthier than 83%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 67%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 46%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 53%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 27%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 12%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 1%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
in the top 0.5%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 63%
11%
Disability
healthier than 66%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 81%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 24%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 12%
14%
Preventive Care
in the bottom 0.5%
13%
Mental Health
in the bottom 0.00%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 12%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 94%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 61%
11%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 41%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 16%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 1%
13%
Mental Health
in the bottom 0.00%
8%
Disability
healthier than 34%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 39%
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 27.6; chronic-disease standing 98.3 (top 10%) — 71 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #16,452 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
03801
New Hampshireshares a border
Score 66.45
Closest healthier
03820
New Hampshireshares a border
Score 61.80
Similar health profile
24595
Virginia99% similar profile
Score 53.96
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 | 14.7% | 13.2–16.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 19.7% | 17.6–22.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 4.9% | 4.4–5.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.8% | 10.4–13.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 2.9% | 2.6–3.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 3.7% | 3.3–4.2 |
| Depression among adults | 31.1% | 27.6–34.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 4.4% | 3.8–5.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 24.3% | 22.0–26.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 28.1% | 23.8–32.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 1.5% | 1.4–1.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.0% | 6.5–9.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.5% | 6.1–9.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 57.0% | 54.8–59.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 72.4% | 68.7–75.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 73.6% | 70.4–77.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.2% | 65.5–72.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 62.1% | 58.9–65.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.7% | 74.6–84.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.4% | 15.7–21.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 7.8% | 6.5–9.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 17.2% | 14.4–20.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 31.0% | 27.0–35.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 13.1% | 11.2–15.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 23.5% | 20.8–26.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 9.2% | 8.1–10.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.2% | 15.7–20.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.8% | 24.3–31.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.8% | 7.5–10.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 5.9% | 5.1–6.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 1.9% | 1.7–2.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.5–4.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.4% | 20.3–26.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.1% | 12.4–18.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.5% | 8.3–12.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.6% | 8.9–12.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.7% | 9.1–12.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 41.4% | 37.2–45.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.1–8.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NH median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 6.7% (2.0–13.3%) n=243 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 2.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.1% (2.2–14.5%) n=242 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.5% (1.3–9.8%) n=243 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 75.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 38.8% (21.4–60.3%) n=243 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.8% (0.0–6.0%) n=243 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.5% (0.0–8.4%) n=243 |
| Broadband subscription | 85.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 92.9% (85.7–99.0%) n=243 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 32.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 27.1% (17.2–36.4%) n=243 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 86.0% (62.6–96.9%) n=243 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–3.1%) n=243 |
| Foreign-born population | 4.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 3.1% (0.5–7.1%) n=243 |
| Single-parent households | 55.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 60.9% (46.9–76.5%) n=243 |
| Population 65+ | 11.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.1% (15.1–37.1%) n=243 |
| Median age | 20.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 47.1 yr (38.4–58.4) n=243 |
| Median household income | $124,056 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $98,684 ($67,733–$147,723) n=235 |
| Median home value | $504,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $371,500 ($252,560–$570,440) n=237 |
| Median gross rent | $1,429 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,360 ($1,037–$1,893) n=197 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NH median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled. | |||
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