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ZipVitals

ZIP code

05488

in Swanton, VermontPopulation 8,469

51.01/ 100

Ranked #14,830 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 46%)

Ranked #224 of 249 Vermont ZIPs (bottom 10.1%)

Ranked #31 of 36 Burlington-South Burlington, VT ZIPs (bottom 13.9%)

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.

Industrial-pollution burden

in the bottom 4.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST25th
US5th
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 ›

Mammography

70.7%

in the bottom 17% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST2nd
US17th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.

Full methodology ›

Subsidized affordable housing

78 units

in the top 20% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST91st
US80th
Definition & source ›

The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.

Full methodology ›

Air-toxics cancer risk

20 per million

in the bottom 25% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US25th
Definition & 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 ›

Radon

1.2 pCi/L

in the bottom 33% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST3rd
US33rd
Definition & source ›

The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.

Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.

Full methodology ›

Uninsured (under 65)

7.3%

in the bottom 32% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US32nd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.

Full methodology ›

The read

Swanton, Vermont (ZIP 05488), by its composite score, sits in the top 46% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,830th) and the bottom 10.1% of Vermont (224th), based on limited data; treat as directional.

continue reading

Where the data is kindest to this area, a few readings lead the way: modeled industrial-pollution burden resides in the bottom 4.7% nationally. Modeled extreme heat is at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Distance to a community health center lands at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Grocery stands in the top 15.0% nationally, modeled high cholesterol registers in the bottom 11.0% nationally, and transit settles in the top 16% nationally. Modeled humid heat sits in the bottom 18% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing lies in the top 20% nationally. On the other hand, modeled mammography rests in the bottom 17% nationally, and arsenic resides in the top 20% nationally.

For anyone unfamiliar, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 05440, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 69%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 63%

11%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 96%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 75%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 53%

21%

Preventive Care

healthier than 41%

13%

Disability

healthier than 56%

7%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 21%

16%

Mental Health

healthier than 25%

8%

Lifting this score

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 88%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 92%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 23%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 33%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 18%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 7%

13%

Risk Behavior

in the bottom 0.00%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 16%

8%

Disability

healthier than 9%

7%

Lifting this score

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

in the top 0.00%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 63%

5%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 48%

14%

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 22%

8%

Disability

in the bottom 0.00%

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 adults29.8%27.1–32.3
High blood pressure among adults35.0%31.9–38.0
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.3%8.5–10.2
Current asthma among adults11.9%10.6–13.2
Coronary heart disease among adults7.2%6.4–7.9
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults7.9%7.0–9.0
Depression among adults25.9%22.8–28.8
Diagnosed diabetes among adults10.2%8.9–11.6
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened33.4%30.3–36.4
Obesity among adults38.0%33.0–42.8
Stroke among adults3.7%3.4–4.0
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years15.3%12.6–18.3
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.3%6.1–8.7
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure75.5%72.4–78.0
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults75.7%72.4–78.4
Cholesterol screening among adults84.7%82.7–86.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years70.2%66.4–73.7
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults66.3%63.3–69.3
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years70.7%64.2–76.6
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults17.1%14.5–19.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults14.4%12.4–16.7
No leisure-time physical activity among adults22.8%19.5–26.3
Short sleep duration among adults33.9%29.9–38.0
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults17.4%15.2–19.9
Frequent mental distress among adults17.9%15.9–19.9
Frequent physical distress among adults14.5%12.8–16.2
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults14.8%13.1–16.7
Any disability among adults29.4%26.0–33.0
Hearing disability among adults8.0%7.2–8.9
Independent living disability among adults8.2%7.3–9.2
Mobility disability among adults13.3%11.6–15.1
Self-care disability among adults3.9%3.5–4.3
Vision disability among adults4.8%4.3–5.3
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)VT median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate11.8%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3647.8% (2.6–16.6%) n=249
Uninsured 18–647.3%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.1% (0.5–11.7%) n=249
No HS diploma (25+)6.9%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5054.4% (1.1–10.6%) n=249
Bachelor's or higher (25+)24.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50537.6% (23.1–61.5%) n=249
Unemployment rate (16+)4.7%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.5% (0.0–6.9%) n=248
Households without a vehicle5.2%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.7% (0.0–9.1%) n=249
Broadband subscription86.3%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32290.2% (79.4–96.9%) n=249
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)33.1%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32228.2% (16.0–37.4%) n=249
Homeownership rate77.3%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32283.7% (67.1–94.3%) n=249
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.7%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.5% (0.0–4.2%) n=249
Foreign-born population2.4%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5532.4% (0.0–7.3%) n=250
Single-parent households55.9%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08760.6% (46.4–74.0%) n=248
Population 65+18.8%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55323.8% (15.2–32.4%) n=250
Median age42.1 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29246.5 yr (38.1–56.3) n=249
Median household income$77,154$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$79,091 ($59,484–$109,843) n=238
Median home value$288,700$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$281,300 ($200,110–$447,750) n=242
Median gross rent$1,286$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,131 ($858–$1,557) n=190
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)VT median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth79.2 yr ± 0.7978.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30882.0 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 0.79 years of 79.2, 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