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ZipVitals

ZIP code

53215

in Milwaukee, WisconsinPopulation 58,146

37.61/ 100

Ranked #28,232 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 12.0%)

Ranked #753 of 763 Wisconsin ZIPs (bottom 1.4%)

Ranked #72 of 80 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI ZIPs (bottom 10.0%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 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.

Uninsured (under 65)

28.1%

in the top 1.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.

Full methodology ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$1

in the top 0.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 0.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & 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 ›

Vision disability

10.8%

in the top 3.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.

Full methodology ›

Fair or poor health

34.5%

in the top 3.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.

Full methodology ›

Food insecurity

37.4%

in the top 2.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Industrial-pollution burden

in the top 2.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US97th
Definition & 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 ›

Housing insecurity

26.8%

in the top 3.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Colon-cancer screening

54.6%

in the bottom 4.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST1st
US5th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.

Full methodology ›

Self-care disability

7.1%

in the top 5.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.

Full methodology ›

The read

In its overall standing, ZIP 53215, one of several in Milwaukee, Wisconsin lands in the bottom 12.0% nationally (28,232nd) and the bottom 1.4% of Wisconsin (753rd).

continue reading

This area's pressures are easy to read across the measures: modeled uninsured lands in the top 1.5% nationally, expected annual loss lies in the top 0.5% nationally, and disaster risk stands in the top 0.8% nationally. Modeled vision disability rests in the top 3.4% nationally, fair or poor health registers in the top 3.0% nationally, and food insecurity resides in the top 2.6% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden settles in the top 2.8% nationally, and housing insecurity is in the top 3.0% nationally. Modeled colon screening sits in the bottom 4.6% nationally, and self-care disability lands in the top 5.4% nationally.

Against the wider neighborhood, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put simply, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. On the overall standing, ZIP 53207, 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. 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 83%

5%

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 59%

21%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 4%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 8%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 5%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 5%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 29%

8%

Disability

healthier than 8%

7%

Lifting this score

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 74%

5%

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 56%

21%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 1%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 5%

14%

Preventive Care

in the bottom 0.6%

13%

Risk Behavior

in the bottom 0.9%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 5%

8%

Disability

in the bottom 0.9%

7%

Lifting this score

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 79%

5%

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 19%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 10%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 25%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 3%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 7%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 13%

8%

Disability

healthier than 8%

7%

“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 8.0 (bottom 10%); chronic-disease standing 59.3 — 51 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #14,519 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.

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 adults22.1%20.4–23.8
High blood pressure among adults33.5%31.3–35.8
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults4.4%4.0–4.8
Current asthma among adults11.2%10.1–12.4
Coronary heart disease among adults6.5%5.9–7.1
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults7.4%6.8–8.1
Depression among adults23.3%21.1–25.6
Diagnosed diabetes among adults16.2%14.8–17.7
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened32.8%30.6–35.0
Obesity among adults43.4%40.0–46.9
Stroke among adults3.8%3.5–4.1
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years20.3%17.6–23.3
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years28.1%25.5–30.9
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure72.2%69.5–74.7
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults73.5%70.6–76.1
Cholesterol screening among adults78.3%76.1–80.3
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years54.6%51.2–57.9
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults49.3%46.6–51.9
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years77.0%72.3–81.1
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults16.3%14.3–18.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults19.2%17.4–21.2
No leisure-time physical activity among adults40.9%38.1–44.0
Short sleep duration among adults38.9%35.9–42.0
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults34.5%32.2–37.0
Frequent mental distress among adults19.1%17.4–20.9
Frequent physical distress among adults17.9%16.4–19.5
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults20.4%18.6–22.3
Any disability among adults39.2%36.5–41.9
Hearing disability among adults6.6%6.0–7.4
Independent living disability among adults13.5%12.4–14.8
Mobility disability among adults19.2%17.7–20.8
Self-care disability among adults7.1%6.6–7.7
Vision disability among adults10.8%10.0–11.7
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults29.2%26.6–31.9
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults37.4%34.6–40.4
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults37.1%34.4–40.0
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults26.8%24.3–29.3
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults17.5%15.9–19.3
Loneliness among adults38.2%35.3–41.0
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults14.5%12.9–16.1
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)WI median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate22.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (3.6–16.0%) n=765
Uninsured 18–6428.2%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2866.7% (2.4–14.9%) n=764
No HS diploma (25+)34.1%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.9% (2.3–12.6%) n=768
Bachelor's or higher (25+)11.3%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50523.5% (12.7–44.0%) n=768
Unemployment rate (16+)4.3%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.6% (0.9–5.6%) n=763
Households without a vehicle12.8%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.6% (0.8–9.0%) n=764
Broadband subscription86.7%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.8% (80.0–94.8%) n=764
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)35.8%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32221.8% (14.7–29.1%) n=764
Homeownership rate47.4%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32281.3% (62.1–91.8%) n=764
Crowded housing (>1 per room)8.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–3.7%) n=764
Foreign-born population32.1%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.9% (0.3–6.8%) n=768
Single-parent households33.5%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08759.0% (47.7–72.8%) n=762
Population 65+9.5%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.4% (13.9–32.2%) n=768
Median age31.9 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29244.2 yr (36.2–56.1) n=765
Median household income$54,289$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$75,147 ($57,542–$101,625) n=755
Median home value$156,800$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$231,900 ($160,140–$367,300) n=755
Median gross rent$977$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$914 ($696–$1,261) n=706
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS 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 ▾

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