ZIP code
06385
in Waterford, ConnecticutPopulation 15,966
62.27/ 100
Ranked #3,354 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 10.5%)
Ranked #135 of 277 Connecticut ZIPs (top 49%)
Ranked #8 of 30 Norwich-New London, CT ZIPs (top 27%)
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.
Expected annual disaster loss
$0
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
85.9%
in the top 0.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS99thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
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 ›Outer-floodplain exposure
8.4%
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
75.1%
in the top 2.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST69thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Mammography
80.9%
in the top 7.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST70thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
0 days/year
in the bottom 20% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS20thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
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
On balance, and by the composite measure, Waterford, Connecticut (ZIP 06385) ranks in the top 10.5% healthiest ZIPs nationally (3,354th) and the top 49% of Connecticut (135th).
Strengths and concerns sit side by side across the measures here: modeled expected annual loss is at the national minimum, and colon screening stands in the top 2.9% nationally. Modeled mammography settles in the top 7.1% nationally. Distance to a community health center lies at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Physicians resides in the top 11.3% nationally, modeled food insecurity lands in the bottom 11.6% nationally, and elder services registers in the top 12.1% nationally. On the other hand, modeled pfas sits in the top 0.9% nationally, outer-floodplain exposure rests in the top 4.5% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site is in the bottom 11.8% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 06333, 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 Norwich-New London, CT metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 65%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 79%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 97%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 86%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 78%
8%
Disability
healthier than 83%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 62%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 93%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 46%
14%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 70%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 69%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 63%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 93%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 55%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 58%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 28%
21%
Disability
healthier than 39%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 30%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 64%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 88%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 84%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 84%
8%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 52%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 36%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 16%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 32%
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
06320
Connecticutshares a border
Score 51.06
Closest healthier
06333
Connecticutshares a border
Score 66.01
Similar health profile
53129
Wisconsin99% similar profile
Score 61.59
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 | 29.6% | 26.9–32.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.3% | 33.1–39.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.7% | 9.8–11.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.3% | 10.1–12.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.6% | 5.9–7.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.1% | 5.3–6.9 |
| Depression among adults | 22.0% | 19.4–25.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.7% | 8.5–11.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.6% | 35.4–42.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 30.1% | 25.7–35.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 3.0–3.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.1% | 6.5–10.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.2% | 5.3–7.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.4% | 76.8–82.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 83.0% | 80.6–85.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 91.7% | 90.5–92.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 75.1% | 71.6–78.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 75.9% | 73.3–78.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.9% | 75.6–85.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.5% | 12.4–17.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 8.8% | 7.5–10.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.2% | 20.2–26.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.5% | 30.3–38.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.1% | 13.2–17.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.3% | 12.7–16.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.7% | 11.3–14.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.5% | 10.1–12.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.0% | 24.0–30.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.9% | 6.1–7.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.3% | 5.6–7.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.9% | 10.4–13.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.0% | 2.7–3.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.7% | 18.9–24.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 7.4–10.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.5–7.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 6.7–9.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.5% | 4.8–6.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.9% | 26.4–33.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.2% | 4.5–6.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CT median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 5.8% (2.3–20.8%) n=278 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 5.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 4.5% (1.2–12.9%) n=277 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 4.6% (1.1–14.3%) n=278 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 42.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 43.6% (19.2–70.7%) n=278 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.4% (1.6–9.1%) n=277 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.1% (0.0–13.7%) n=278 |
| Broadband subscription | 92.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 93.7% (86.9–98.8%) n=278 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 29.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 29.3% (18.2–44.9%) n=278 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 80.1% (41.3–93.1%) n=278 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–3.8%) n=278 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 9.3% (2.1–22.3%) n=278 |
| Single-parent households | 50.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.1% (36.0–68.7%) n=277 |
| Population 65+ | 23.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.8% (13.4–30.2%) n=278 |
| Median age | 46.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 44.1 yr (34.7–53.2) n=278 |
| Median household income | $100,484 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $107,247 ($63,371–$163,278) n=270 |
| Median home value | $365,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $365,900 ($239,080–$622,060) n=268 |
| Median gross rent | $1,666 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,450 ($1,128–$2,175) n=247 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | CT median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.5 yr ± 0.99 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 81.2 yr (77.7–83.5) n=266 |
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 0.99 years of 79.5, 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