ZIP code
05261
in Pownal, VermontPopulation 2,171
51.43/ 100
Ranked #14,231 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 44%)
Ranked #215 of 249 Vermont ZIPs (bottom 13.7%)
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.
Child-care access
0.85 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a Superfund site
Under 0.1 mi
in the bottom 3.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST4thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
79.2%
in the top 5.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST66thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Park land
18.4%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
5.0%
in the top 9.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST63rdUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20 per million
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS25thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Overall, Pownal, Vermont (ZIP 05261) lands in the top 44% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,231st) and the bottom 13.7% of Vermont (215th).
A handful of measures stand out most sharply across the profile here: childcare stands in the top 3.4% nationally, and modeled tree cover lies in the top 5.2% nationally. Park land lands in the top 7.5% nationally. Modeled extreme heat sits at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Transit is in the top 14.5% nationally, modeled humid heat settles in the bottom 17% nationally, and homeownership resides in the top 17% nationally. Fiber broadband registers in the top 18% nationally. On the other side, distance to a Superfund site rests in the bottom 3.6% nationally, and modeled energy burden stands in the top 9.4% nationally.
Set beside the nearby areas, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. A note on the terms: distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 01267, just across the boundary, ranks better 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 77%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 74%
11%
Disability
healthier than 61%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 89%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 53%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 59%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 16%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 16%
8%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 62%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 23%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 20%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 36%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 21%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 2%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 6%
8%
Disability
healthier than 20%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 39%
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
01247
Massachusettsshares a border
Score 47.04
Closest healthier
01267
Massachusettsshares a border
Score 62.89
Similar health profile
04287
Maine96% similar profile
Score 52.56
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 | 32.2% | 29.1–35.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.5% | 32.9–39.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.7% | 9.7–11.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.7% | 10.4–13.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.5% | 6.6–8.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.0% | 6.8–9.3 |
| Depression among adults | 29.6% | 26.2–33.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.4% | 8.9–12.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.2% | 30.8–37.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 31.9% | 27.1–37.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.9% | 9.7–14.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.6% | 5.2–8.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.9% | 73.8–79.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.9% | 73.6–79.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.6% | 84.7–88.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.3% | 66.5–74.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.3% | 62.2–68.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.2% | 68.0–80.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.0% | 13.5–18.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.0% | 11.6–16.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.3% | 17.7–25.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.6% | 29.5–38.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.0% | 14.4–19.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.7% | 14.8–18.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.9% | 13.1–17.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.2% | 11.4–15.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.3% | 26.6–34.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.7% | 7.6–9.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.6–8.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.6% | 11.5–15.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.2–4.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.5% | 3.9–5.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VT median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 7.8% (2.6–16.6%) n=249 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.1% (0.5–11.7%) n=249 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.4% (1.1–10.6%) n=249 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 21.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.6% (23.1–61.5%) n=249 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.5% (0.0–6.9%) n=248 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.7% (0.0–9.1%) n=249 |
| Broadband subscription | 81.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 90.2% (79.4–96.9%) n=249 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 32.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 28.2% (16.0–37.4%) n=249 |
| Homeownership rate | 90.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 83.7% (67.1–94.3%) n=249 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.5% (0.0–4.2%) n=249 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.4% (0.0–7.3%) n=250 |
| Single-parent households | 57.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 60.6% (46.4–74.0%) n=248 |
| Population 65+ | 24.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 23.8% (15.2–32.4%) n=250 |
| Median age | 45.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 46.5 yr (38.1–56.3) n=249 |
| Median household income | $62,917 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $79,091 ($59,484–$109,843) n=238 |
| Median home value | $260,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $281,300 ($200,110–$447,750) n=242 |
| Median gross rent | $932 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,131 ($858–$1,557) n=190 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VT median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 81.9 yr ± 2.67 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 82.0 yr (78.6–85.9) n=250 |
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 2.67 years of 81.9, 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