ZIP code
04742
in Fort Fairfield, MainePopulation 3,309
44.61/ 100
Ranked #22,800 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 29%)
Ranked #278 of 408 Maine ZIPs (bottom 32%)
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
5.7%
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST77thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
7.4 days/year
in the bottom 4.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST20thUS5thDefinition & 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
19.7 per million
in the bottom 7.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST36thUS8thDefinition & 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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
17.5%
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST63rdUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Unemployment rate
9.1%
in the top 11.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS88thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 27% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS73rdDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, Fort Fairfield, Maine (ZIP 04742) lands in the bottom 29% nationally (22,800th) and the bottom 32% of Maine (278th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
Strengths and concerns sit side by side across the measures here: modeled humid heat registers in the bottom 4.7% nationally, and air-toxics cancer risk sits in the bottom 7.6% nationally. Modeled extreme heat rests at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Distance to a community health center is at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Crowded housing stands at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Modeled mammography settles in the top 15% nationally. On the other hand, modeled energy burden lies in the top 4.0% nationally, modeled arsenic resides in the top 7.9% nationally, and unemployment lands in the top 11.9% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility registers at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.
To translate a couple of terms, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 04736, 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 61%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 69%
13%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.00%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 63%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 17%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 10%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 39%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 17%
8%
Disability
healthier than 31%
7%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
in the top 0.00%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 87%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 41%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 30%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 15%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 38%
8%
Disability
healthier than 17%
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
04736
Maineshares a border
Score 46.42
Closest healthier
04740
Maineshares a border
Score 44.87
Similar health profile
04966
Maine98% similar profile
Score 44.17
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 | 35.0% | 32.3–37.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.2% | 38.1–44.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.7% | 8.9–10.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 13.7% | 12.2–15.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.5% | 7.5–9.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.5% | 9.1–12.1 |
| Depression among adults | 26.4% | 23.5–29.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.8% | 12.2–15.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.1% | 36.9–43.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.0% | 35.5–44.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.7–4.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.0% | 14.3–20.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.2% | 7.4–11.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.8% | 75.1–80.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.8% | 79.1–84.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.2% | 84.4–88.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.1% | 66.4–73.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.1% | 53.9–60.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.3% | 73.9–84.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.5% | 11.4–15.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.2% | 15.5–21.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.2% | 27.4–35.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.5% | 32.4–40.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.1% | 20.2–26.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.9% | 17.0–21.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.0% | 15.1–19.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.4% | 15.3–19.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.2% | 33.6–41.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.3% | 8.3–10.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.7% | 8.5–11.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.6% | 15.4–20.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.4% | 3.9–5.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.8–6.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 25.2% | 22.0–28.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.9% | 11.4–16.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 20.3% | 16.9–23.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.8% | 9.9–13.9 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.6–10.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.3% | 30.5–38.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.6–10.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | ME median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.3% (3.2–19.5%) n=416 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.8% (3.0–20.9%) n=413 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.2% (0.8–11.7%) n=417 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 35.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 29.4% (14.9–57.3%) n=417 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 9.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=415 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–11.5%) n=416 |
| Broadband subscription | 91.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.9% (79.7–97.2%) n=416 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.4% (13.9–35.0%) n=416 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.2% | 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 | 3.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.1% (0.1–5.9%) n=417 |
| Single-parent households | 62.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 61.5% (48.8–80.6%) n=414 |
| Population 65+ | 30.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 24.6% (16.3–42.1%) n=417 |
| Median age | 49.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 49.0 yr (39.3–60.7) n=413 |
| Median household income | $70,852 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,485 ($50,225–$100,018) n=396 |
| Median home value | $161,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $246,500 ($130,660–$484,830) n=402 |
| Median gross rent | $945 | $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 | 76.4 yr ± 1.85 | 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 1.85 years of 76.4, 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