ZIP code
45843
in Forest, OhioPopulation 4,184
48.51/ 100
Ranked #18,295 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 43%)
Ranked #519 of 1,176 Ohio ZIPs (top 44%)
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.
Civic-institution access
1.1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The number of civic and social organizations 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 ›Radon
3.2 pCi/L
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST77thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Child-care access
0.53 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Walkability
3.4 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 19% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS19thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
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
Forest, Ohio (ZIP 45843), overall, ranks in the bottom 43% nationally (18,295th) and the top 44% of Ohio (519th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
Reading the numbers as a whole, the picture lands somewhere in between: civic sits in the top 3.7% nationally, and childcare lands in the top 9.3% nationally. Crowded housing lies at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Housing-cost burden stands in the bottom 24% nationally. On the other side, modeled radon rests in the top 7.9% nationally. Recreation registers at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs. Modeled loud transportation noise resides in the top 18% nationally, and walkability settles in the bottom 19% nationally. Modeled transportation noise is in the top 20% nationally. Park land sits at the national minimum, shared with about 48% of ZIPs.
Defined simply, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. ZIP 43351, just across the boundary, comes out healthier 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
Disability
healthier than 61%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 75%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 41%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 51%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 38%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 39%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 23%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 27%
8%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 66%
14%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 63%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 55%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 41%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 47%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 45%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 59%
8%
Disability
healthier than 58%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
“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
43326
Ohioshares a border
Score 40.52
Closest healthier
43351
Ohioshares a border
Score 52.94
Similar health profile
16049
Pennsylvania99% similar profile
Score 48.94
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 | 31.5% | 29.0–33.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.5% | 36.5–42.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.4% | 8.7–10.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.9–11.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.5% | 6.9–8.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.6% | 7.8–9.5 |
| Depression among adults | 25.4% | 22.8–28.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.1% | 11.8–14.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.5% | 34.6–40.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.8% | 34.8–44.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.4–3.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.6% | 13.6–17.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.5% | 6.4–8.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.5% | 77.5–81.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.3% | 76.7–81.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.1% | 84.6–87.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.3% | 61.8–68.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 61.3% | 58.6–63.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.1% | 68.5–79.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.7% | 14.6–18.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.2% | 15.3–19.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.6% | 25.2–31.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.6% | 34.3–43.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.2% | 17.3–21.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.9% | 16.4–19.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.6% | 13.3–16.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.3% | 12.9–15.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.3% | 27.2–33.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.7–8.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.3–8.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.2% | 12.7–15.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–4.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.1% | 18.5–23.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.2% | 10.5–14.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.0% | 8.5–11.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 8.6–11.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.8% | 6.1–7.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.2% | 30.4–38.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.3% | 6.3–8.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | OH median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.7% (3.5–26.2%) n=1,177 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 12.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.8% (2.5–18.1%) n=1,174 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 7.5% (2.3–17.0%) n=1,179 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.7% (8.1–45.8%) n=1,179 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.7% (0.0–9.8%) n=1,171 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.4% (0.0–14.5%) n=1,177 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.9% (76.5–96.0%) n=1,177 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 16.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (11.2–34.6%) n=1,177 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.3% (52.8–91.8%) n=1,177 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.8% (0.0–3.5%) n=1,177 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–6.8%) n=1,180 |
| Single-parent households | 58.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.2% (36.6–68.1%) n=1,168 |
| Population 65+ | 13.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.1–27.2%) n=1,180 |
| Median age | 40.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.5 yr (33.2–50.5) n=1,169 |
| Median household income | $71,541 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $70,500 ($46,328–$101,197) n=1,127 |
| Median home value | $176,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $177,700 ($104,860–$310,980) n=1,117 |
| Median gross rent | $920 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $907 ($714–$1,294) n=1,007 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | OH median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 80.4 yr ± 1.06 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 77.9 yr (74.0–81.3) n=1,154 |
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 1.06 years of 80.4, 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