ZIP code
04256
in Mechanic Falls, MainePopulation 3,134
44.22/ 100
Ranked #23,208 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 28%)
Ranked #288 of 408 Maine ZIPs (bottom 29%)
Ranked #11 of 14 Lewiston-Auburn, ME ZIPs (bottom 21%)
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.
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 ›PFAS in drinking water
66.2%
in the top 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
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 ›Mammography
81.7%
in the top 4.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST81stUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
97.4%
in the top 8.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
6.3%
in the top 18% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS82ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Loud transportation noise
0.86%
in the top 23% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS77thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
13.0%
in the top 30% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS70thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, Mechanic Falls, Maine (ZIP 04256) lands in the bottom 28% nationally (23,208th) and the bottom 29% of Maine (288th).
Neither strongly one way nor the other, the measures sit mixed: fatal road crashes registers at the national minimum, and modeled mammography sits in the top 4.7% nationally. Home broadband subscription rests in the top 8.9% nationally. Modeled extreme heat is at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Pharmacy stands in the top 12.2% nationally. Crowded housing settles at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Modeled tree cover lies in the top 15% nationally. Against that, modeled pfas resides in the top 5.6% nationally. Fiber broadband lands at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled energy burden registers in the top 10.3% nationally.
To translate a couple of terms, pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 04258, 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 Lewiston-Auburn, ME metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 61%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 57%
13%
Disability
healthier than 42%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 38%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 15%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 34%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 38%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 4%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 27%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 57%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 42%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 23%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 11%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 14%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 14%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 3%
8%
Disability
healthier than 35%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 37%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 62%
21%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 8%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 15%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 15%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 31%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 15%
8%
Disability
healthier than 38%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 23%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the bottom 0.00%
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
04258
Maineshares a border
Score 45.29
Closest healthier
04274
Maineshares a border
Score 51.00
Similar health profile
04085
Maine98% similar profile
Score 45.41
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 | 32.2% | 29.5–35.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 33.2% | 30.2–36.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.5% | 7.8–9.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 13.6% | 12.1–15.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.3% | 6.6–8.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.1% | 7.9–10.5 |
| Depression among adults | 30.7% | 27.5–34.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.0% | 10.5–13.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.5% | 34.4–40.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.5% | 31.8–41.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–4.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.6% | 13.9–19.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.0% | 7.1–11.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 73.9% | 71.0–77.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.0% | 76.1–81.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.2% | 83.2–87.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.5% | 63.3–71.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.1% | 57.0–63.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 81.7% | 76.6–86.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.3% | 13.0–17.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.9% | 15.0–21.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.1% | 23.1–31.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.9% | 32.7–41.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.7% | 17.9–23.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.4% | 17.9–22.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.7% | 13.8–17.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.8% | 15.4–20.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.5% | 30.5–38.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.2% | 7.3–9.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.3% | 8.1–10.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.7% | 12.7–16.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.4–4.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.3–5.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.7% | 21.5–28.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.9% | 11.4–16.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 18.7% | 15.6–22.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.0% | 10.9–15.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.7% | 8.4–11.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.1% | 30.3–37.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 8.5–11.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | ME median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.3% (3.2–19.5%) n=416 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 23.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.8% (3.0–20.9%) n=413 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.2% (0.8–11.7%) n=417 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 29.4% (14.9–57.3%) n=417 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=415 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–11.5%) n=416 |
| Broadband subscription | 97.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.9% (79.7–97.2%) n=416 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.4% (13.9–35.0%) n=416 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 84.7% (68.7–95.5%) n=416 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.8% (0.0–3.4%) n=416 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.1% (0.1–5.9%) n=417 |
| Single-parent households | 50.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 61.5% (48.8–80.6%) n=414 |
| Population 65+ | 16.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 24.6% (16.3–42.1%) n=417 |
| Median age | 39.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 49.0 yr (39.3–60.7) n=413 |
| Median household income | $69,914 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,485 ($50,225–$100,018) n=396 |
| Median home value | $270,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $246,500 ($130,660–$484,830) n=402 |
| Median gross rent | $1,076 | $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 | 79.7 yr ± 2.14 | 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 2.14 years of 79.7, 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