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ZipVitals

ZIP code

04944

in Hinckley, MainePopulation 140

42.99/ 100

Ranked #24,378 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 24%)

Ranked #323 of 408 Maine ZIPs (bottom 21%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Broad coverage across health domains

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.

Loud transportation noise

15.4%

in the top 0.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & 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 ›

Transportation noise

25.4%

in the top 1.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US98th
Definition & 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 ›

Poverty rate

0.00%

at the national minimum

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Full methodology ›

Homeownership rate

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.

Full methodology ›

Home broadband subscription

100%

at the national maximum

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

Arsenic in groundwater

31.7%

in the top 2.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST88th
US97th
Definition & 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 ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the bottom 8.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST6th
US8th
Definition & source ›

This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.

Full methodology ›

Energy-cost burden

5.0%

in the top 9.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST55th
US91st
Definition & 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 ›

Utility shut-off threat

10.1%

in the top 22% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US78th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Industrial-pollution burden

in the top 25% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US75th
Definition & 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 ›

The read

By the composite measure, Hinckley, Maine (ZIP 04944) sits in the bottom 24% nationally (24,378th) and the bottom 21% of Maine (323rd), based on limited data; treat as directional.

continue reading

Where this area is stretched, the data is unambiguous: modeled loud transportation noise sits in the top 0.2% nationally, transportation noise registers in the top 1.7% nationally, and arsenic lands in the top 2.8% nationally. Fiber broadband resides at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Better still, poverty lies at the national minimum, and homeownership settles at the national maximum. Home broadband subscription stands at the national maximum. Unemployment is at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Households without a vehicle rests at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled disaster risk sits in the bottom 8.1% nationally.

Compared with the ZIPs that surround it, loud transportation noise runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain language, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. ZIP 04927, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Preventive Care

healthier than 63%

13%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 96%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 22%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 19%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 8%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 23%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 16%

8%

Disability

healthier than 33%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 32%

5%

Lifting this score

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 96%

5%

About typical

Healthcare Access

healthier than 48%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 26%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 33%

16%

Environmental Hazard

in the bottom 0.4%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 20%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 6%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 36%

8%

Disability

healthier than 18%

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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults33.6%30.5–36.8
High blood pressure among adults39.6%36.1–43.0
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.3%8.3–10.4
Current asthma among adults12.6%11.2–14.1
Coronary heart disease among adults9.3%7.9–10.7
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults10.4%8.3–12.6
Depression among adults26.7%23.7–29.9
Diagnosed diabetes among adults13.7%11.7–15.8
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened41.1%37.7–44.5
Obesity among adults37.7%32.8–42.9
Stroke among adults4.2%3.5–4.9
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years15.4%12.5–18.4
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years9.3%6.9–12.4
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure74.5%71.1–77.5
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults81.5%78.4–84.2
Cholesterol screening among adults86.5%84.1–88.6
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years71.0%66.9–74.9
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults58.8%55.6–62.0
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years77.4%71.7–82.4
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults15.8%13.3–18.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults20.4%15.4–24.7
No leisure-time physical activity among adults25.8%20.8–30.7
Short sleep duration among adults38.5%34.3–42.9
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults22.4%18.2–26.6
Frequent mental distress among adults18.9%16.4–21.3
Frequent physical distress among adults16.6%14.1–19.2
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults17.5%14.5–20.2
Any disability among adults36.0%30.9–40.9
Hearing disability among adults9.7%8.4–11.1
Independent living disability among adults9.1%7.4–10.7
Mobility disability among adults15.9%13.0–19.0
Self-care disability among adults4.6%3.7–5.5
Vision disability among adults5.3%4.3–6.3
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults25.1%21.3–29.2
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults13.4%10.2–17.0
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults18.4%13.9–22.9
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults12.4%9.7–15.1
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults9.5%7.7–11.5
Loneliness among adults33.6%29.5–37.8
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults10.1%8.1–12.0
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)ME median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate0.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36410.3% (3.2–19.5%) n=416
Uninsured 18–640.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2869.8% (3.0–20.9%) n=413
No HS diploma (25+)0.0%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.2% (0.8–11.7%) n=417
Bachelor's or higher (25+)0.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50529.4% (14.9–57.3%) n=417
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.1% (0.0–8.3%) n=415
Households without a vehicle0.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.7% (0.0–11.5%) n=416
Broadband subscription100.0%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32289.9% (79.7–97.2%) n=416
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)31.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32223.4% (13.9–35.0%) n=416
Homeownership rate100.0%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32284.7% (68.7–95.5%) n=416
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.8% (0.0–3.4%) n=416
Foreign-born population0.0%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5532.1% (0.1–5.9%) n=417
Single-parent households0.0%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08761.5% (48.8–80.6%) n=414
Population 65+8.6%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55324.6% (16.3–42.1%) n=417
Median age24.4 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29249.0 yr (39.3–60.7) n=413
Median household income$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$68,485 ($50,225–$100,018) n=396
Median home value$171,600$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$246,500 ($130,660–$484,830) n=402
Median gross rent$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,014 ($618–$1,501) n=320
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)ME median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth76.8 yr ± 1.2278.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30879.0 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 1.22 years of 76.8, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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