ZIP code
04257
in Mexico, MainePopulation 2,782
43.53/ 100
Ranked #23,879 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 26%)
Ranked #311 of 408 Maine ZIPs (bottom 24%)
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.
Energy-cost burden
6.3%
in the top 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS98thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
73.2%
in the top 7.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST86thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
13.2%
in the top 9.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Distance to a community health center
14 mi
in the top 13.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS87thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
0.6 mi
in the bottom 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS16thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
19.7%
in the top 19% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS81stDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 31% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS69thDefinition & 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 ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
0.27%
in the top 32% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS68thDefinition & source ›
The share of days in the year when modeled fine-particle (PM2.5) pollution was above the EPA’s daily limit of 35 micrograms per cubic meter.
Full methodology ›The read
Mexico, Maine (ZIP 04257) ranks in the bottom 26% nationally (23,879th) and the bottom 24% of Maine (311th).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: modeled tree cover lies in the top 7.7% nationally. Modeled extreme heat is at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled humid heat registers in the bottom 14.3% nationally. Crowded housing lies at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Modeled disaster risk is in the bottom 16% nationally, and distance to an emergency room registers in the bottom 16% nationally. By contrast, modeled energy burden lies in the top 2.1% nationally, households without a vehicle is in the top 9.2% nationally, and distance to a community health center registers in the top 13.5% nationally. Recreation lies at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs.
Against its neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 04224, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 65%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 69%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 51%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 50%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 24%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 5%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 15%
8%
Disability
healthier than 34%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 17%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 46%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 54%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 28%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 3%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 11%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 22%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 35%
8%
Disability
healthier than 22%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 20%
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
04224
Maineshares a border
Score 46.05
Closest healthier
04275
Maineshares a border
Score 44.40
Similar health profile
16131
Pennsylvania98% similar profile
Score 45.49
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 | 34.1% | 31.4–37.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.6% | 33.7–39.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.6% | 8.7–10.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 13.6% | 12.1–15.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.4% | 7.4–9.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.3% | 9.0–11.8 |
| Depression among adults | 26.8% | 23.8–30.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.0% | 11.5–14.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.1% | 36.9–43.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.0% | 30.6–40.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.1% | 3.7–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.9% | 14.0–20.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.0% | 7.3–11.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.6% | 73.7–79.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.6% | 77.9–83.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.7% | 83.8–87.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.6% | 63.5–71.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.7% | 57.6–63.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.3% | 67.9–80.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.0% | 13.6–18.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.5% | 15.8–21.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.4% | 21.9–29.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.1% | 29.0–37.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.1% | 19.3–25.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.9% | 16.8–21.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.7% | 14.8–18.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.7% | 15.7–20.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.5% | 29.9–37.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.9% | 7.9–10.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.7% | 8.6–11.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.7% | 13.8–18.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.8–4.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.8–6.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 25.8% | 22.6–29.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.4% | 12.0–16.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 19.1% | 16.1–22.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.6% | 10.7–14.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.4% | 8.1–10.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.6% | 30.0–37.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.3% | 8.0–10.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | ME median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 19.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.3% (3.2–19.5%) n=416 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 18.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.8% (3.0–20.9%) n=413 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.2% (0.8–11.7%) n=417 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 13.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 29.4% (14.9–57.3%) n=417 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=415 |
| Households without a vehicle | 13.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–11.5%) n=416 |
| Broadband subscription | 85.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.9% (79.7–97.2%) n=416 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 25.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.4% (13.9–35.0%) n=416 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.0% | 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 | 2.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.1% (0.1–5.9%) n=417 |
| Single-parent households | 53.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 61.5% (48.8–80.6%) n=414 |
| Population 65+ | 20.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 24.6% (16.3–42.1%) n=417 |
| Median age | 43.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 49.0 yr (39.3–60.7) n=413 |
| Median household income | $55,727 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,485 ($50,225–$100,018) n=396 |
| Median home value | $110,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $246,500 ($130,660–$484,830) n=402 |
| Median gross rent | $1,027 | $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 | 79.9 yr ± 2.47 | 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 2.47 years of 79.9, 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