ZIP code
47501
in Washington, IndianaPopulation 18,612
41.87/ 100
Ranked #25,326 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 21%)
Ranked #655 of 757 Indiana ZIPs (bottom 13.5%)
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.
Lead in tap water
13 ppb
in the top 1.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
US99thDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Fiber broadband
98%
in the top 6.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
4.7%
in the top 13.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS86thDefinition & 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 ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Washington, Indiana (ZIP 47501) ranks in the bottom 21% nationally (25,326th) and the bottom 13.5% of Indiana (655th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
Neither strongly one way nor the other, the measures sit mixed: distance to an emergency room registers at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Fiber broadband sits in the top 6.7% nationally. Distance to a community health center rests at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Distance to a nursing home is at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Civic stands in the top 14.8% nationally, and physicians settles in the top 15% nationally. Against that, lead in tap water lies in the top 1.2% nationally, modeled arsenic resides in the top 11.9% nationally, and modeled obesity lands in the top 10.5% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility registers at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.
In plainer terms, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. 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. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 47512, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 24%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 18%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 26%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 33%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 15%
8%
Disability
healthier than 28%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 39%
5%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 23%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 11%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 35%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 15%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 26%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 22%
8%
Disability
healthier than 11%
7%
Climate / Disaster RiskPartial
healthier than 19%
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 ›
Findings that name this ZIP
One of our published findings lists this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 76.7 ± 1.4 years. A median household income of $62,982 predicts 78.3 years — 1.5 years below.
Ranked #1,885 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
47512
Indianashares a border
Score 45.36
Closest healthier
47528
Indianashares a border
Score 50.66
Similar health profile
62023
Illinois98% similar profile
Score 43.99
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 | 32.1% | 28.8–35.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.7% | 36.4–44.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.0% | 8.2–9.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.4–13.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.2% | 7.4–9.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.4% | 9.3–11.6 |
| Depression among adults | 26.5% | 22.9–30.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.8% | 13.0–16.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.5% | 36.1–44.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 42.6% | 34.8–50.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.1% | 3.8–4.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.1% | 13.2–19.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.4% | 9.9–13.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.6% | 75.0–80.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.0% | 75.5–82.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.2% | 82.3–85.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.0% | 59.9–69.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.2% | 53.5–60.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.1% | 66.2–80.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.9% | 13.1–19.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.5% | 17.0–22.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.2% | 26.7–35.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.0% | 28.4–41.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.2% | 22.4–28.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.1% | 17.1–21.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.6% | 14.7–18.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.6% | 15.7–19.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.2% | 31.9–40.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.6–9.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.0% | 8.9–11.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.8% | 15.7–20.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.3% | 5.7–6.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.4% | 21.0–28.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.8% | 16.2–21.5 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.9% | 10.2–13.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.2% | 11.4–15.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.3% | 8.2–10.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.8% | 29.8–40.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–11.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.8% (3.3–23.6%) n=764 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 12.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.3% (2.5–19.0%) n=761 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 16.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 8.8% (3.0–19.3%) n=766 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 17.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.4% (8.1–38.5%) n=766 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.4% (0.0–8.2%) n=760 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.0–11.5%) n=764 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (76.7–95.9%) n=764 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 24.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 20.0% (9.8–33.1%) n=764 |
| Homeownership rate | 65.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 81.7% (58.9–94.5%) n=764 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–4.2%) n=764 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–8.8%) n=767 |
| Single-parent households | 51.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.2% (40.5–69.1%) n=756 |
| Population 65+ | 17.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.2% (11.0–26.5%) n=767 |
| Median age | 39.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 40.5 yr (32.5–49.6) n=756 |
| Median household income | $62,982 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $71,016 ($50,417–$99,531) n=721 |
| Median home value | $172,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $178,250 ($109,430–$287,310) n=724 |
| Median gross rent | $861 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $925 ($704–$1,261) n=640 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 76.7 yr ± 0.71 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 78.5 yr (75.1–81.5) n=754 |
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 0.71 years of 76.7, 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