ZIP code
53203
in Milwaukee, WisconsinPopulation 2,357
55.87/ 100
Ranked #8,412 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 26%)
Ranked #255 of 763 Wisconsin ZIPs (top 33%)
Ranked #56 of 80 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI ZIPs (bottom 30%)
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.
Mental-health provider access
1.8 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.05% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics located 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 ›High cholesterol
23.7%
in the bottom 1.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Transit access
26 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of public-transit stops 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 ›Outpatient-care access
2.8 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient clinics located 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 ›Pharmacy access
1.8 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies located 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 ›Binge drinking
23.4%
in the top 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›Civic-institution access
3.7 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Recreation access
3.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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 ›Loud transportation noise
6.5%
in the top 0.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
34.9%
in the top 0.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›The read
ZIP 53203, one of several in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on the composite measure, lands in the top 26% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,412th) and the top 33% of Wisconsin (255th).
The readings split fairly evenly between strengths and concerns: mental-health providers sits in the top 0.05% nationally, modeled high cholesterol registers in the bottom 1.2% nationally, and transit lands in the top 0.2% nationally. Outpatient resides in the top 0.2% nationally, pharmacy lies in the top 0.2% nationally, and civic settles in the top 0.3% nationally. Recreation stands in the top 0.5% nationally. Working the other way, modeled binge drinking is in the top 1.0% nationally, and loud transportation noise rests in the top 0.8% nationally. Modeled transportation noise sits in the top 0.9% nationally.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, mental-health providers runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, 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. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 53202, 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 97%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
in the top 0.2%
16%
Disability
healthier than 79%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 79%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 78%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 1%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 11%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 26%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 9%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
in the top 0.8%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
in the top 0.00%
16%
Disability
healthier than 80%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 64%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 87%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.3%
14%
Preventive Care
in the bottom 0.9%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 23%
11%
Mental Health
in the bottom 0.6%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
in the top 0.00%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
in the top 0.00%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 67%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 72%
5%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 44%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 3%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 4%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 18%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 1%
8%
“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.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 1.4 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 97.4 (top 10%) — 96 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #18,137 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
53202
Wisconsinshares a border
Score 62.82
Closest healthier
53207
Wisconsinabout 0.6 mi away
Score 56.76
Similar health profile
37203
Tennessee95% similar profile
Score 52.21
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 | 14.2% | 12.9–15.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 22.6% | 20.7–24.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 3.4% | 3.0–3.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.3–13.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 3.3% | 2.9–3.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 4.4% | 3.6–5.2 |
| Depression among adults | 27.6% | 24.8–30.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 6.9% | 6.1–7.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 23.7% | 21.8–25.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 34.2% | 30.9–37.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 1.9% | 1.7–2.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.2% | 8.6–11.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.1% | 7.5–13.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 60.4% | 57.5–63.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 70.8% | 67.5–74.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 76.6% | 72.3–80.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.6% | 61.2–67.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.5% | 61.0–65.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.2% | 75.9–83.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 23.4% | 20.6–26.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.7% | 10.6–17.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.0% | 18.6–25.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.4% | 31.5–37.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.7% | 14.9–21.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.0% | 17.4–22.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 10.8% | 9.3–12.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.5% | 13.7–20.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 26.8% | 23.1–31.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.4–4.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.1% | 7.4–11.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 8.2% | 7.0–9.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.0% | 2.6–3.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.5% | 3.8–5.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.6% | 21.2–28.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.6% | 13.6–22.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 18.2% | 13.9–23.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.3% | 10.6–16.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.3% | 8.3–12.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 38.1% | 34.4–41.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.6% | 6.2–9.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (3.6–16.0%) n=765 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.7% (2.4–14.9%) n=764 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 0.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.9% (2.3–12.6%) n=768 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 73.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.5% (12.7–44.0%) n=768 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.6% (0.9–5.6%) n=763 |
| Households without a vehicle | 21.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.8–9.0%) n=764 |
| Broadband subscription | 94.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (80.0–94.8%) n=764 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 35.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.8% (14.7–29.1%) n=764 |
| Homeownership rate | 11.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 81.3% (62.1–91.8%) n=764 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.7%) n=764 |
| Foreign-born population | 5.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.9% (0.3–6.8%) n=768 |
| Single-parent households | 66.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 59.0% (47.7–72.8%) n=762 |
| Population 65+ | 4.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.4% (13.9–32.2%) n=768 |
| Median age | 31.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 44.2 yr (36.2–56.1) n=765 |
| Median household income | $86,159 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $75,147 ($57,542–$101,625) n=755 |
| Median home value | — | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $231,900 ($160,140–$367,300) n=755 |
| Median gross rent | $1,788 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $914 ($696–$1,261) n=706 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled. | |||
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