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ZipVitals

ZIP code

47861

in Merom, IndianaPopulation 727

46.88/ 100

Ranked #20,305 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 37%)

Ranked #453 of 757 Indiana ZIPs (bottom 40%)

Ranked #20 of 39 Terre Haute, IN ZIPs (bottom 49%)

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.

Home broadband subscription

97.4%

in the top 9.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST94th
US91st
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a community health center

13.3 mi

in the top 14.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US86th
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.

Full methodology ›

Unemployment rate

8.2%

in the top 14.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US85th
Definition & source ›

The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.

Full methodology ›

Walkability

3.5 intersections/sq mi

in the bottom 20% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST5th
US20th
Definition & source ›

The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.

Full methodology ›

The read

Merom, Indiana (ZIP 47861), by its composite score, sits in the bottom 37% nationally (20,305th) and the bottom 40% of Indiana (453rd), based on limited data; treat as directional.

continue reading

The data opens on a genuinely even set of readings: home broadband subscription sits in the top 9.1% nationally. Crowded housing lies at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Modeled disaster risk rests in the bottom 17% nationally, and households without a vehicle resides in the bottom 18% nationally. On the other side, distance to a community health center is in the top 14.3% nationally, unemployment lands in the top 14.7% nationally, and modeled obesity stands in the top 12.5% nationally. Recreation registers at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs. Modeled arsenic settles in the top 18% nationally. Physicians sits at the national minimum, shared with about 38% of ZIPs.

For anyone unfamiliar, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 47849, 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 Terre Haute, IN 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 62%

14%

About typical

Preventive Care

healthier than 58%

13%

Disability

healthier than 47%

7%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 40%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 26%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 38%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 38%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 32%

8%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 14%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 82%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 70%

8%

About typical

Preventive Care

healthier than 50%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 51%

11%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 29%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 31%

16%

Disability

healthier than 39%

7%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 20%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 4%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 76%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 90%

8%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 53%

21%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 50%

11%

Disability

healthier than 50%

7%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 41%

5%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 31%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 36%

13%

Healthcare Access

in the bottom 0.00%

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.

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 adults31.5%27.9–35.3
High blood pressure among adults40.6%36.2–45.2
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.4%8.4–10.3
Current asthma among adults11.3%10.0–12.8
Coronary heart disease among adults8.0%7.0–9.1
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults9.7%8.2–11.4
Depression among adults25.1%21.5–29.1
Diagnosed diabetes among adults13.7%11.7–15.9
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened41.6%37.0–46.1
Obesity among adults42.1%33.9–50.5
Stroke among adults3.9%3.4–4.4
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years17.7%14.5–21.0
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.4%5.5–9.5
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure79.3%76.3–82.0
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults79.9%76.3–83.0
Cholesterol screening among adults86.5%84.4–88.6
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years68.7%63.6–73.5
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults60.2%56.4–63.8
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years73.1%64.4–80.1
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults16.3%13.4–19.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults18.4%15.2–22.1
No leisure-time physical activity among adults25.5%21.0–30.6
Short sleep duration among adults35.7%28.8–42.7
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults22.0%18.7–25.9
Frequent mental distress among adults17.4%15.3–19.8
Frequent physical distress among adults15.3%13.2–17.6
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults15.2%13.1–17.7
Any disability among adults32.6%27.9–37.6
Hearing disability among adults8.2%7.2–9.3
Independent living disability among adults8.5%7.3–9.9
Mobility disability among adults15.8%13.3–18.5
Self-care disability among adults4.2%3.6–5.0
Vision disability among adults5.0%4.3–5.8
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults21.7%18.3–25.4
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults13.5%10.7–16.5
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults8.1%6.3–10.2
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.1%8.3–12.1
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults7.2%6.0–8.4
Loneliness among adults30.2%25.5–35.4
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults7.8%6.5–9.1
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IN median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate11.3%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3649.8% (3.3–23.6%) n=764
Uninsured 18–647.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2868.3% (2.5–19.0%) n=761
No HS diploma (25+)9.5%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5058.8% (3.0–19.3%) n=766
Bachelor's or higher (25+)23.8%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50519.4% (8.1–38.5%) n=766
Unemployment rate (16+)8.2%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.4% (0.0–8.2%) n=760
Households without a vehicle0.7%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.6% (0.0–11.5%) n=764
Broadband subscription97.4%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.8% (76.7–95.9%) n=764
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)18.2%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32220.0% (9.8–33.1%) n=764
Homeownership rate83.7%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32281.7% (58.9–94.5%) n=764
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–4.2%) n=764
Foreign-born population1.7%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.3% (0.0–8.8%) n=767
Single-parent households69.8%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08753.2% (40.5–69.1%) n=756
Population 65+22.6%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55318.2% (11.0–26.5%) n=767
Median age51.7 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29240.5 yr (32.5–49.6) n=756
Median household income$56,484$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$71,016 ($50,417–$99,531) n=721
Median home value$198,800$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$178,250 ($109,430–$287,310) n=724
Median gross rent$1,077$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$925 ($704–$1,261) n=640
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)IN median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth82.1 yr ± 2.1978.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30878.5 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 2.19 years of 82.1, 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