ZIP code
49288
in Waldron, MichiganPopulation 1,483
42.47/ 100
Ranked #24,851 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 23%)
Ranked #871 of 973 Michigan ZIPs (bottom 10.5%)
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.
Child-care access
0.77 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Floodplain exposure
0.00%
in the bottom 6.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST18thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 7.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST12thUS7thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
9.9%
in the top 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
5.1%
in the top 8.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a nursing home
9.9 mi
in the top 11.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS89thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
0.40%
in the bottom 13.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS14thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Radon
2.7 pCi/L
in the top 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS84thDefinition & 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 ›PFAS in drinking water
17.3%
in the bottom 29% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS29thDefinition & 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 ›The read
In its overall standing, Waldron, Michigan (ZIP 49288) lands in the bottom 23% nationally (24,851st) and the bottom 10.5% of Michigan (871st).
Taken together, the data gives a genuinely mixed reading: childcare registers in the top 4.3% nationally, floodplain exposure resides in the bottom 6.7% nationally, and modeled disaster risk settles in the bottom 7.0% nationally. Modeled transportation noise is in the bottom 13.7% nationally. On the other side, unemployment sits in the top 9.7% nationally, and modeled energy burden lands in the top 8.7% nationally. Distance to a nursing home lies in the top 11.3% nationally, and walkability stands in the bottom 13.2% nationally. Modeled radon rests in the top 16% nationally. Recreation registers at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs.
Put simply, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". On the overall standing, ZIP 43501, 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.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 72%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 91%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 47%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 27%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 16%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 21%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 5%
8%
Disability
healthier than 28%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 25%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 64%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 71%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 26%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 15%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 13%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 12%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 5%
8%
Disability
healthier than 18%
7%
Healthcare Access
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
43501
Ohioshares a border
Score 43.19
Closest healthier
43521
Ohioshares a border
Score 47.62
Similar health profile
48097
Michigan99% similar profile
Score 43.12
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 | 32.3% | 28.7–36.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.9% | 35.4–44.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.4% | 8.4–10.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.1% | 10.6–13.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.4% | 7.4–9.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.0% | 9.6–12.6 |
| Depression among adults | 30.3% | 26.0–34.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.4% | 11.4–15.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.7% | 34.1–43.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.0% | 31.6–46.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.5% | 11.4–18.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.8% | 6.3–9.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.1% | 73.8–80.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.7% | 75.0–82.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.1% | 82.9–87.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.2% | 62.6–73.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 61.9% | 57.7–65.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.7% | 63.4–80.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.4% | 13.4–19.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 20.4% | 17.2–23.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.4% | 24.4–34.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.9% | 29.1–43.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.4% | 20.2–27.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.2% | 17.8–22.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.0% | 14.8–19.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.8% | 15.5–20.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.0% | 32.0–42.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.7% | 7.6–9.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.7% | 9.4–12.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.2% | 14.8–19.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.9% | 5.2–6.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.0% | 20.3–28.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.9% | 15.0–21.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 18.0% | 15.0–21.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.4% | 10.4–14.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 7.9–10.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.1% | 29.0–39.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.3% | 7.9–10.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.7% (4.3–22.3%) n=974 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.8% (2.5–13.5%) n=975 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.7% (2.5–14.2%) n=974 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 12.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.1% (11.4–48.3%) n=974 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 9.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (1.3–10.0%) n=974 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.5% (0.9–10.8%) n=973 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (79.5–95.5%) n=973 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 17.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.5% (14.8–32.9%) n=973 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 85.3% (62.2–94.6%) n=973 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.6%) n=973 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.3–10.0%) n=975 |
| Single-parent households | 43.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.5% (43.6–74.2%) n=970 |
| Population 65+ | 16.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (13.7–35.2%) n=975 |
| Median age | 38.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (35.2–58.2) n=974 |
| Median household income | $66,833 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,216 ($47,282–$105,129) n=962 |
| Median home value | $147,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $192,350 ($116,360–$355,650) n=952 |
| Median gross rent | $1,023 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $972 ($719–$1,368) n=849 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 76.1 yr ± 0.83 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 78.6 yr (75.7–81.6) n=940 |
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 0.83 years of 76.1, 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