ZIP code
04937
in Fairfield, MainePopulation 6,358
41.78/ 100
Ranked #25,404 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 21%)
Ranked #338 of 408 Maine ZIPs (bottom 17%)
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.
Arsenic in groundwater
31.3%
in the top 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Energy-cost burden
5.5%
in the top 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST71stUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Elder-services access
0.16 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›Transportation noise
6.7%
in the top 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS84thDefinition & 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
1.1%
in the top 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS83rdDefinition & 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 ›Utility shut-off threat
10.6%
in the top 20% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS80thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 21% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS79thDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
24 days/year
in the bottom 21% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS21stDefinition & 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 ›Loneliness
35.1%
in the top 23% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS77thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
38.9%
in the top 24% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS76thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›The read
Fairfield, Maine (ZIP 04937), in overall standing, comes out in the bottom 21% nationally (25,404th) and the bottom 17% of Maine (338th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
A few readings each way define this mixed profile: elder services rests in the top 9.6% nationally. Modeled extreme heat settles at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Grocery lands in the top 10.8% nationally. Distance to a community health center rests at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Civic settles in the top 13.7% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled arsenic lands in the top 2.9% nationally, and energy burden rests in the top 4.8% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility settles at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Modeled tooth loss lands in the top 14.1% nationally, and transportation noise rests in the top 16% nationally.
Set within its surrounding area, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, for reference, 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. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 04901, 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
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 95%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 77%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 48%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 47%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 22%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 11%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 5%
8%
Disability
healthier than 31%
7%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 95%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 94%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 27%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 16%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 23%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 7%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 6%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 3%
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
04901
Maineshares a border
Score 46.70
Closest healthier
04927
Maineshares a border
Score 49.73
Similar health profile
48731
Michigan99% similar profile
Score 45.55
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 | 33.4% | 30.8–36.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.7% | 33.8–39.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.9% | 8.1–9.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 13.9% | 12.5–15.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.1% | 7.3–9.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.4% | 9.2–11.7 |
| Depression among adults | 29.9% | 26.8–33.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.7% | 11.2–14.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.2% | 36.2–42.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.4% | 32.9–42.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 21.3% | 18.1–24.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.1% | 7.5–10.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 74.1% | 71.0–76.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.8% | 79.0–84.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.5% | 83.6–87.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.9% | 62.1–69.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.4% | 54.2–60.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.7% | 70.2–80.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.9% | 12.6–17.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 20.2% | 17.6–23.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.0% | 23.6–30.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.9% | 34.7–43.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.4% | 19.8–25.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.9% | 18.8–23.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.7% | 15.0–18.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.7% | 16.7–20.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.4% | 33.0–40.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.8% | 7.9–9.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.1% | 8.9–11.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.1% | 14.3–18.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.0–5.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.9–6.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.5% | 21.7–27.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.4% | 12.4–16.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 20.7% | 18.1–23.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.0% | 11.2–14.9 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 8.8–11.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.1% | 31.6–38.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.6% | 9.3–12.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | ME median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.3% (3.2–19.5%) n=416 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 9.8% (3.0–20.9%) n=413 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.2% (0.8–11.7%) n=417 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 29.4% (14.9–57.3%) n=417 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=415 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.7% (0.0–11.5%) n=416 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.9% (79.7–97.2%) n=416 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.4% (13.9–35.0%) n=416 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 84.7% (68.7–95.5%) n=416 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.8% (0.0–3.4%) n=416 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.1% (0.1–5.9%) n=417 |
| Single-parent households | 47.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 61.5% (48.8–80.6%) n=414 |
| Population 65+ | 17.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 24.6% (16.3–42.1%) n=417 |
| Median age | 43.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 49.0 yr (39.3–60.7) n=413 |
| Median household income | $63,933 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,485 ($50,225–$100,018) n=396 |
| Median home value | $163,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $246,500 ($130,660–$484,830) n=402 |
| Median gross rent | $1,001 | $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 | 76.8 yr ± 0.86 | 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 0.86 years of 76.8, 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