ZIP code
04090
in Wells, MainePopulation 11,713
54.38/ 100
Ranked #10,224 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 32%)
Ranked #106 of 408 Maine ZIPs (top 26%)
Ranked #49 of 82 Portland-South Portland, ME ZIPs (bottom 40%)
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.
Arsenic in groundwater
22.4%
in the top 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST77thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
74.4%
in the top 4.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST85thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
8.1%
in the bottom 7.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST17thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Mammography
81.4%
in the top 5.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST80thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Grocery access
0.18 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST87thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The number of full supermarkets 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. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”
Full methodology ›Short sleep
29.8%
in the bottom 8.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST22ndUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 13.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS87thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 14.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS86thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
2.0%
in the top 14.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS85thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Radon
2.6 pCi/L
in the top 18% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS82ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Wells, Maine (ZIP 04090) ranks in the top 32% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,224th) and the top 26% of Maine (106th).
The profile opens on a set of genuinely favorable readings: modeled colon screening registers in the top 4.0% nationally, and food insecurity sits in the bottom 7.8% nationally. Modeled mammography rests in the top 5.5% nationally, and grocery is in the top 9.0% nationally. Modeled short sleep stands in the bottom 8.8% nationally. Modeled extreme heat settles at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled housing insecurity lies in the bottom 13.3% nationally, and home broadband subscription resides in the top 14.1% nationally. On the other side, modeled arsenic lands in the top 5.4% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden registers in the top 13.5% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 03902, 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 Portland-South Portland, ME metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 63%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 95%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 87%
11%
Disability
healthier than 61%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 72%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 53%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 29%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 18%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 37%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 82%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 84%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 72%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 83%
8%
Disability
healthier than 62%
7%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 57%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 55%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 40%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 2%
14%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 71%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 60%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 70%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 63%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 58%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 48%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 16%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 6%
14%
Disability
healthier than 34%
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
03902
Maineshares a border
Score 61.68
Closest healthier
03907
Maineshares a border
Score 65.04
Similar health profile
40280
Kentucky98% similar profile
Score 55.95
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 | 35.5% | 32.8–38.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.9% | 36.1–41.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 12.4% | 11.4–13.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.7% | 11.4–14.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.4–9.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.7% | 7.5–9.9 |
| Depression among adults | 24.4% | 21.8–27.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.6% | 10.2–13.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.6% | 37.6–43.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 32.8% | 28.9–36.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.5–4.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 12.1% | 10.1–14.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.6% | 5.3–8.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.1% | 78.5–83.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 83.1% | 80.7–85.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 90.3% | 88.9–91.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 74.4% | 71.0–77.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.9% | 64.1–69.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 81.4% | 76.7–85.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.1% | 13.0–17.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.8% | 10.7–15.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.6% | 18.6–24.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 29.8% | 26.3–33.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.2% | 15.8–20.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.5% | 13.8–17.3 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.7% | 12.1–15.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.2% | 12.4–16.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.4% | 29.1–35.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.1% | 8.2–10.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.3–8.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.3% | 12.4–16.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.4% | 3.0–3.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.7% | 18.2–23.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.1% | 6.7–9.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.5% | 8.6–12.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.7% | 6.5–9.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.1% | 5.3–7.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.0% | 26.1–32.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.7% | 4.9–6.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | ME median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.3% (3.2–19.5%) n=416 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.8% (3.0–20.9%) n=413 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.2% (0.8–11.7%) n=417 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 43.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 29.4% (14.9–57.3%) n=417 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=415 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–11.5%) n=416 |
| Broadband subscription | 96.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.9% (79.7–97.2%) n=416 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.4% (13.9–35.0%) n=416 |
| Homeownership rate | 90.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 84.7% (68.7–95.5%) n=416 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.8% (0.0–3.4%) n=416 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.1% (0.1–5.9%) n=417 |
| Single-parent households | 60.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 61.5% (48.8–80.6%) n=414 |
| Population 65+ | 31.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 24.6% (16.3–42.1%) n=417 |
| Median age | 53.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 49.0 yr (39.3–60.7) n=413 |
| Median household income | $88,024 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,485 ($50,225–$100,018) n=396 |
| Median home value | $485,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $246,500 ($130,660–$484,830) n=402 |
| Median gross rent | $1,350 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,014 ($618–$1,501) n=320 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | ME median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.3 yr ± 1.23 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 79.0 yr (76.1–82.5) n=363 |
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 1.23 years of 81.3, 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