ZIP code
49461
in Whitehall, MichiganPopulation 9,707
53.17/ 100
Ranked #11,827 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 37%)
Ranked #350 of 973 Michigan ZIPs (top 36%)
Ranked #4 of 13 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI ZIPs (top 31%)
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.
Distance to a Superfund site
In this ZIP
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
68.4%
in the top 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 11.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS89thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite health measure, Whitehall, Michigan (ZIP 49461) ranks in the top 37% healthiest ZIPs nationally (11,827th) and the top 36% of Michigan (350th).
A number of measures pull each way for this area: distance to a community health center settles at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Pharmacy resides in the top 12.1% nationally. Distance to a nursing home registers at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Elder services rests in the top 14.3% nationally, and modeled colon screening stands in the top 14.7% nationally. Set against that, distance to a Superfund site lies at the national minimum, modeled pfas lands in the top 4.9% nationally, and modeled industrial-pollution burden sits in the top 11.3% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Modeled arsenic settles in the top 17% nationally.
Read against the ZIPs closest to it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To spell things out, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. 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. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Close by, ZIP 49437, just across the boundary, ranks 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 82%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 88%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 74%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 73%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 52%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 58%
11%
Disability
healthier than 58%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 36%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 28%
8%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 85%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 70%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 66%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 76%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 54%
11%
Disability
healthier than 59%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 39%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 37%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 27%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
in the top 0.00%
16%
Preventive Care
in the top 0.00%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the top 0.00%
11%
Mental Health
in the top 0.00%
8%
Disability
healthier than 78%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 67%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 44%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 44%
14%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 33%
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
49437
Michiganshares a border
Score 53.96
Closest healthier
49445
Michiganshares a border
Score 53.75
Similar health profile
48182
Michigan97% similar profile
Score 52.60
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 | 33.3% | 30.0–36.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.3% | 33.6–41.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.0% | 10.0–12.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.3–13.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.8% | 7.0–8.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.9% | 7.9–10.0 |
| Depression among adults | 27.1% | 23.6–30.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.4% | 10.8–14.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.1% | 34.3–42.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.4% | 35.4–47.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.5–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.5% | 7.6–11.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.8% | 4.9–6.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.4% | 76.6–82.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.1% | 78.1–84.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.1% | 87.7–90.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 71.1% | 66.6–75.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 71.1% | 67.8–74.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.4% | 69.4–82.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.4% | 13.7–19.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.8% | 12.8–17.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.0% | 21.3–28.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.4% | 29.1–40.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.8% | 16.5–21.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.6% | 14.7–18.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.4% | 12.8–16.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.4% | 11.9–15.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.7% | 28.0–35.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.5–9.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.3% | 7.4–9.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.5% | 12.7–16.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–5.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.3% | 17.3–23.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.3% | 9.5–13.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.9% | 9.3–12.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.1% | 7.7–10.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.5% | 5.7–7.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.7% | 25.3–34.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.8% | 5.8–7.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 10.7% (4.3–22.3%) n=974 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.8% (2.5–13.5%) n=975 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.7% (2.5–14.2%) n=974 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 30.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.1% (11.4–48.3%) n=974 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.6% (1.3–10.0%) n=974 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.5% (0.9–10.8%) n=973 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (79.5–95.5%) n=973 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 21.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.5% (14.8–32.9%) n=973 |
| Homeownership rate | 88.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 85.3% (62.2–94.6%) n=973 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.6%) n=973 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.3–10.0%) n=975 |
| Single-parent households | 59.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.5% (43.6–74.2%) n=970 |
| Population 65+ | 24.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (13.7–35.2%) n=975 |
| Median age | 45.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (35.2–58.2) n=974 |
| Median household income | $83,363 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $68,216 ($47,282–$105,129) n=962 |
| Median home value | $265,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $192,350 ($116,360–$355,650) n=952 |
| Median gross rent | $960 | $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 | 78.7 yr ± 0.74 | 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 0.74 years of 78.7, 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