ZIP code
04553
in Newcastle, MainePopulation 1,913
56.31/ 100
Ranked #7,962 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 25%)
Ranked #72 of 408 Maine ZIPs (top 18%)
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.
Pharmacy access
0.54 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies 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 ›Short sleep
28.2%
in the bottom 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Outpatient-care access
0.54 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST89thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient clinics 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 ›Food insecurity
8.0%
in the bottom 7.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST16thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
16.5%
in the top 8.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST59thUS91stDefinition & 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
72.2%
in the top 9.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST69thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
0.3 mi
in the bottom 14.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS14thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Loud transportation noise
1.1%
in the top 18% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS82ndDefinition & 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 ›The read
On the composite measure, Newcastle, Maine (ZIP 04553) stands in the top 25% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,962nd) and the top 18% of Maine (72nd).
The bright spots in the data define much of the story here: pharmacy sits in the top 4.3% nationally, and modeled short sleep resides in the bottom 3.6% nationally. Outpatient stands in the top 6.7% nationally, and modeled food insecurity sits in the bottom 7.3% nationally. Unemployment resides at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled extreme heat stands at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Civic sits in the top 11.3% nationally, modeled humid heat resides in the bottom 11.5% nationally, and poverty stands in the bottom 11.7% nationally. On the other side, modeled arsenic sits in the top 8.8% nationally.
For clarity, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. ZIP 04535, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 64%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 67%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 94%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 96%
11%
Disability
healthier than 65%
7%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 34%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 31%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 83%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 80%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 89%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 76%
8%
Disability
healthier than 68%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 48%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 51%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 35%
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
04348
Maineshares a border
Score 50.21
Closest healthier
04535
Maineshares a border
Score 56.72
Similar health profile
16444
Pennsylvania97% similar profile
Score 60.64
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 | 37.5% | 34.5–40.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.8% | 35.4–42.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 12.1% | 11.0–13.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.1% | 10.8–13.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.1% | 7.1–9.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.1% | 6.8–9.5 |
| Depression among adults | 26.1% | 23.0–29.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.7% | 10.1–13.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.7% | 38.2–45.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 30.6% | 26.2–35.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.3–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.5% | 7.8–11.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.5% | 5.1–8.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.1% | 77.3–82.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 84.2% | 81.6–86.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 90.0% | 88.5–91.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 72.2% | 68.5–75.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 69.5% | 66.6–72.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.8% | 74.2–84.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.0% | 10.9–15.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.1% | 9.8–14.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 20.6% | 17.2–24.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 28.2% | 24.4–32.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.1% | 14.6–19.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.6% | 13.7–17.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.8% | 12.0–15.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.0% | 11.1–14.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.6% | 26.8–34.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.9% | 7.8–9.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.1% | 6.1–8.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.4% | 12.2–16.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.3% | 2.8–3.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.5–4.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.1% | 18.1–24.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.0% | 6.4–9.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.4% | 8.2–12.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.6% | 6.2–9.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.9% | 5.0–6.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.1% | 25.6–32.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.7% | 4.7–6.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | ME median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 3.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.3% (3.2–19.5%) n=416 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 14.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.8% (3.0–20.9%) n=413 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.2% (0.8–11.7%) n=417 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 45.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 29.4% (14.9–57.3%) n=417 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=415 |
| Households without a vehicle | 7.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–11.5%) n=416 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.9% (79.7–97.2%) n=416 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 29.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.4% (13.9–35.0%) n=416 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.6% | 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 | 1.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.1% (0.1–5.9%) n=417 |
| Single-parent households | 72.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 61.5% (48.8–80.6%) n=414 |
| Population 65+ | 24.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 24.6% (16.3–42.1%) n=417 |
| Median age | 49.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 49.0 yr (39.3–60.7) n=413 |
| Median household income | $89,868 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,485 ($50,225–$100,018) n=396 |
| Median home value | $398,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $246,500 ($130,660–$484,830) n=402 |
| Median gross rent | $1,363 | $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 | 78.0 yr ± 1.61 | 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 1.61 years of 78.0, 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