ZIP code
05459
in Highgate Center, VermontPopulation 1,925
49.14/ 100
Ranked #17,458 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 46%)
Ranked #232 of 249 Vermont ZIPs (bottom 6.9%)
Ranked #33 of 36 Burlington-South Burlington, VT ZIPs (bottom 8.4%)
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.
Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS2ndDefinition & 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 ›Energy-cost burden
5.4%
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS9thDefinition & 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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
11.6%
in the top 14.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS86thDefinition & 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 ›Housing-cost burden
13.5%
in the bottom 15% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS15thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
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
Judged by its overall standing, Highgate Center, Vermont (ZIP 05459) sits in the bottom 46% nationally (17,458th) and the bottom 6.9% of Vermont (232nd), based on limited data; treat as directional.
A balanced showing across the data, with a few readings each side: modeled industrial-pollution burden lands in the bottom 2.4% nationally, and disaster risk rests in the bottom 8.6% nationally. Modeled extreme heat settles at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled loud transportation noise lands at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Crowded housing rests at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Housing-cost burden settles in the bottom 15% nationally, and modeled high cholesterol lands in the bottom 12.7% nationally. On the other hand, modeled energy burden rests in the top 5.5% nationally, and arsenic settles in the top 14.3% nationally. Recreation lands at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs.
Put plainly, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 05457, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Burlington-South Burlington, VT metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 83%
14%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 93%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 50%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 57%
11%
Disability
healthier than 50%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 11%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 39%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 20%
8%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 61%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 63%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 55%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 18%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 7%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 7%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the bottom 0.00%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 10%
8%
Disability
healthier than 4%
7%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 71%
14%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 75%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
in the bottom 0.00%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
in the bottom 0.00%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 23%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the bottom 0.00%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 20%
8%
Disability
in the bottom 0.00%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 34%
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
05457
Vermontshares a border
Score 53.15
Closest healthier
05478
Vermontshares a border
Score 53.34
Similar health profile
15540
Pennsylvania99% similar profile
Score 50.14
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 | 30.2% | 27.3–32.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.4% | 32.2–38.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.0% | 8.1–10.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.1% | 10.7–13.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.2% | 6.3–8.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.4% | 7.1–10.0 |
| Depression among adults | 26.2% | 23.0–29.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.6% | 9.1–12.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 33.8% | 30.6–36.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.8% | 33.6–43.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.3–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.2% | 11.7–17.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.9% | 6.2–9.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.3% | 72.2–78.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 75.3% | 71.9–78.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.0% | 81.7–86.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.3% | 64.3–71.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.3% | 61.2–67.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.1% | 68.2–79.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.9% | 14.3–19.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.8% | 13.2–18.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.0% | 20.3–28.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.7% | 29.6–37.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.6% | 15.8–21.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.4% | 16.3–20.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.2% | 13.3–17.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.7% | 13.6–18.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.4% | 26.5–34.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.9% | 6.9–8.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.4–10.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.9% | 11.8–16.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.5–4.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.4–5.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VT median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 7.8% (2.6–16.6%) n=249 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.1% (0.5–11.7%) n=249 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 21.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.4% (1.1–10.6%) n=249 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 13.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 37.6% (23.1–61.5%) n=249 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.5% (0.0–6.9%) n=248 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.7% (0.0–9.1%) n=249 |
| Broadband subscription | 91.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 90.2% (79.4–96.9%) n=249 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 13.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 28.2% (16.0–37.4%) n=249 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 83.7% (67.1–94.3%) n=249 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.5% (0.0–4.2%) n=249 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.4% (0.0–7.3%) n=250 |
| Single-parent households | 83.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 60.6% (46.4–74.0%) n=248 |
| Population 65+ | 21.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 23.8% (15.2–32.4%) n=250 |
| Median age | 43.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 46.5 yr (38.1–56.3) n=249 |
| Median household income | $88,646 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $79,091 ($59,484–$109,843) n=238 |
| Median home value | $291,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $281,300 ($200,110–$447,750) n=242 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 77.1 yr ± 0.83 | 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 0.83 years of 77.1, 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