ZIP code
04623
in Columbia Falls, MainePopulation 1,173
42.66/ 100
Ranked #24,673 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 23%)
Ranked #330 of 408 Maine ZIPs (bottom 19%)
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.
Grocery access
1.1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Child-care access
1.1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The number of child day-care services 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 ›Humid extreme heat
3.6 days/year
in the bottom 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
10 per million
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
23.5 mi
in the top 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
5.8%
in the top 3.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST81stUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Tooth loss
26.2%
in the top 5.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS8thDefinition & 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 ›Slow internet speeds
1.3%
in the top 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$50,163
in the bottom 14.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST10thUS14thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite health measure, Columbia Falls, Maine (ZIP 04623) ranks in the bottom 23% nationally (24,673rd) and the bottom 19% of Maine (330th).
A number of measures mark where this area is under strain: distance to an emergency room is in the top 3.6% nationally, and modeled energy burden settles in the top 3.5% nationally. Modeled tooth loss resides in the top 5.9% nationally, and slow internet speeds registers in the top 8.6% nationally. On the brighter side, grocery rests in the top 0.3% nationally, childcare stands in the top 2.0% nationally, and modeled humid heat lies in the bottom 2.1% nationally. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk lands in the bottom 2.8% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden sits in the bottom 7.9% nationally. Modeled extreme heat is at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs.
Read against the ZIPs closest to it, grocery runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To spell things out, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. Close by, ZIP 04648, just across the boundary, ranks healthier overall.
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 98%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 97%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 13%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 9%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 21%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 14%
8%
Disability
healthier than 27%
7%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 97%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 72%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 14%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 12%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 12%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 5%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 28%
8%
Disability
healthier than 13%
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 ›
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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 98.2 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 12.8 — 85 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #264 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
04606
Maineshares a border
Score 39.59
Closest healthier
04648
Maineshares a border
Score 44.22
Similar health profile
04780
Maine99% similar profile
Score 40.87
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 | 38.2% | 35.0–41.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.6% | 38.1–44.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.2–11.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 13.0% | 11.5–14.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.0% | 7.8–10.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.7% | 8.9–12.7 |
| Depression among adults | 26.8% | 23.4–29.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.0% | 12.1–15.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.0% | 34.7–41.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.8% | 34.7–44.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.3% | 3.7–4.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 26.2% | 22.4–30.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.8% | 7.7–12.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.0% | 74.2–79.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.6% | 78.8–84.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.4% | 84.3–88.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.1% | 66.4–73.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.6% | 51.3–57.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.4% | 68.1–79.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.6% | 12.4–17.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.7% | 15.0–22.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.7% | 26.8–36.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.9% | 34.5–43.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.4% | 19.7–27.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.2% | 16.8–21.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.3–20.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.4% | 14.9–20.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.5% | 34.7–44.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.9% | 8.7–11.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.7% | 8.2–11.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.3% | 15.5–21.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.6% | 3.8–5.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.5% | 4.7–6.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 25.3% | 21.9–28.9 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.0% | 11.2–17.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 19.1% | 15.3–23.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 9.5–14.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.3% | 7.8–11.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.0% | 31.1–39.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.7% | 7.2–10.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | ME median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.3% (3.2–19.5%) n=416 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 15.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.8% (3.0–20.9%) n=413 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.2% (0.8–11.7%) n=417 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 23.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 29.4% (14.9–57.3%) n=417 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=415 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–11.5%) n=416 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.7% | 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 | 81.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 84.7% (68.7–95.5%) n=416 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.8% (0.0–3.4%) n=416 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.1% (0.1–5.9%) n=417 |
| Single-parent households | 54.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 61.5% (48.8–80.6%) n=414 |
| Population 65+ | 24.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 24.6% (16.3–42.1%) n=417 |
| Median age | 42.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 49.0 yr (39.3–60.7) n=413 |
| Median household income | $50,163 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,485 ($50,225–$100,018) n=396 |
| Median home value | $180,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $246,500 ($130,660–$484,830) n=402 |
| Median gross rent | $869 | $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 | 77.7 yr ± 1.25 | 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 1.25 years of 77.7, 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