Skip to main content
ZipVitals

ZIP code

05843

in Hardwick, VermontPopulation 2,198

53.45/ 100

Ranked #11,446 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 36%)

Ranked #178 of 249 Vermont ZIPs (bottom 29%)

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.

Grocery access

0.39 per 1,000 residents

in the top 2.4% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST93rd
US98th
Definition & source ›

The number of full supermarkets 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. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”

Full methodology ›

Industrial-pollution burden

in the bottom 3.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST14th
US3rd
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 ›

Pharmacy access

0.39 per 1,000 residents

in the top 8.5% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST90th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The number of pharmacies located 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 hazardous-chemical facility

13.6 mi

in the top 9.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST94th
US91st
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.

Full methodology ›

Energy-cost burden

5.2%

in the top 7.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST70th
US92nd
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 ›

Tree cover

69%

in the top 9.7% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST43rd
US90th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.

Full methodology ›

Humid extreme heat

13 days/year

in the bottom 9.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST31st
US10th
Definition & 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 ›

Home broadband subscription

76.3%

in the bottom 11.4% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST6th
US11th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

Subsidized affordable housing

74 units

in the top 21% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST90th
US79th
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 ›

The read

In its overall standing, Hardwick, Vermont (ZIP 05843) lands in the top 36% healthiest ZIPs nationally (11,446th) and the bottom 29% of Vermont (178th), based on limited data; treat as directional.

continue reading

This area's measures are easy to read as a mixed set: grocery lands in the top 2.4% nationally, modeled industrial-pollution burden lies in the bottom 3.1% nationally, and pharmacy stands in the top 8.5% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility rests in the top 9.2% nationally. Modeled extreme heat registers at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled tree cover resides in the top 9.7% nationally, and humid heat settles in the bottom 9.9% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise is at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Distance to a community health center sits at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Set against that, modeled energy burden lands in the top 7.6% nationally.

Put simply, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. 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. On the overall standing, ZIP 05650, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.

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

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 64%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 78%

14%

Disability

healthier than 64%

7%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

in the top 0.5%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 67%

5%

About typical

Preventive Care

healthier than 44%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 59%

11%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 40%

16%

Mental Health

healthier than 26%

8%

Lifting this score

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 62%

16%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

in the top 0.00%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 87%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 42%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 41%

14%

Holding it back

Preventive Care

healthier than 8%

13%

Risk Behavior

in the bottom 0.00%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 18%

8%

Disability

healthier than 24%

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 adults29.6%26.9–32.7
High blood pressure among adults34.0%30.9–37.6
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.7%8.8–10.7
Current asthma among adults11.4%10.2–12.7
Coronary heart disease among adults6.8%6.1–7.7
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults7.6%6.5–8.7
Depression among adults26.6%23.5–30.1
Diagnosed diabetes among adults9.7%8.4–11.2
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened34.3%31.1–37.8
Obesity among adults30.9%26.2–36.3
Stroke among adults3.6%3.3–4.0
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years13.3%11.0–16.1
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years6.7%5.4–8.3
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure75.6%72.5–78.5
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults76.2%72.8–79.3
Cholesterol screening among adults85.3%83.2–87.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years65.9%61.8–70.0
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults62.5%59.2–65.7
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years75.4%69.1–81.0
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults17.3%14.6–20.2
Current cigarette smoking among adults14.0%11.7–16.5
No leisure-time physical activity among adults23.6%20.0–27.6
Short sleep duration among adults34.5%30.1–39.1
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults16.9%14.6–19.5
Frequent mental distress among adults17.2%15.4–19.3
Frequent physical distress among adults13.7%12.0–15.5
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults14.0%12.3–16.0
Any disability among adults29.0%25.5–32.8
Hearing disability among adults8.2%7.3–9.3
Independent living disability among adults7.6%6.7–8.7
Mobility disability among adults12.4%10.7–14.3
Self-care disability among adults3.6%3.1–4.0
Vision disability among adults4.5%4.0–5.0
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)VT median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate12.9%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3647.8% (2.6–16.6%) n=249
Uninsured 18–643.4%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2865.1% (0.5–11.7%) n=249
No HS diploma (25+)5.8%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5054.4% (1.1–10.6%) n=249
Bachelor's or higher (25+)22.9%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50537.6% (23.1–61.5%) n=249
Unemployment rate (16+)4.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.5% (0.0–6.9%) n=248
Households without a vehicle6.3%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3222.7% (0.0–9.1%) n=249
Broadband subscription76.3%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32290.2% (79.4–96.9%) n=249
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)25.0%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32228.2% (16.0–37.4%) n=249
Homeownership rate71.2%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32283.7% (67.1–94.3%) n=249
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.5% (0.0–4.2%) n=249
Foreign-born population1.8%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5532.4% (0.0–7.3%) n=250
Single-parent households56.7%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08760.6% (46.4–74.0%) n=248
Population 65+30.9%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55323.8% (15.2–32.4%) n=250
Median age49.5 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29246.5 yr (38.1–56.3) n=249
Median household income$71,818$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$79,091 ($59,484–$109,843) n=238
Median home value$191,700$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$281,300 ($200,110–$447,750) n=242
Median gross rent$834$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 birth81.5 yr ± 1.6978.9 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 1.69 years of 81.5, 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