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ZipVitals

ZIP code

53224

in Milwaukee, WisconsinPopulation 21,223

45.13/ 100

Ranked #22,266 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 31%)

Ranked #727 of 763 Wisconsin ZIPs (bottom 4.8%)

Ranked #67 of 80 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI ZIPs (bottom 16%)

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.

Distance to a Superfund site

In this ZIP

at the national minimum

Higher is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & 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 ›

Industrial-pollution burden

in the top 3.5% 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 ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$0

in the top 4.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US96th
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 ›

Mammography

82.4%

in the top 3.3% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST90th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.

Full methodology ›

Park land

20.7%

in the top 6.7% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST95th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.

Full methodology ›

Lack of transportation

14.7%

in the top 6.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Housing insecurity

21.6%

in the top 7.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Subsidized affordable housing

340 units

in the top 7.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST98th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.

Full methodology ›

Food insecurity

28.6%

in the top 7.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 7.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US92nd
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 ›

The read

ZIP 53224, one of several in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 31% nationally (22,266th) and the bottom 4.8% of Wisconsin (727th).

continue reading

What the numbers press hardest on defines much of the story here: distance to a Superfund site registers at the national minimum, modeled industrial-pollution burden lands in the top 3.5% nationally, and modeled expected annual loss resides in the top 4.2% nationally. Modeled transportation lies in the top 6.8% nationally, housing insecurity settles in the top 7.0% nationally, and food insecurity stands in the top 7.3% nationally. Modeled disaster risk is in the top 7.8% nationally. On the encouraging side, modeled mammography rests in the top 3.3% nationally, and park land sits in the top 6.7% nationally. Subsidized affordable housing registers in the top 7.1% nationally.

Set against the neighboring ZIPs, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 53022, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 75%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 75%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 46%

21%

Preventive Care

healthier than 54%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 41%

8%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 11%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 5%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 18%

11%

Disability

healthier than 27%

7%

Lifting this score

Healthcare Access

healthier than 86%

5%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 52%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 35%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 3%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 2%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 17%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 11%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 15%

8%

Disability

healthier than 6%

7%

Lifting this score

Healthcare Access

healthier than 68%

5%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 56%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 11%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 18%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 11%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 14%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 17%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 19%

8%

Disability

healthier than 17%

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

2 of our published findings list 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.

  • Below what income predicts

    The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes

    Estimated life expectancy is 75.2 ± 1.6 years. A median household income of $67,803 predicts 78.5 years — 3.4 years below.

    Ranked #4,564 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.

  • Below its nearby ZIPs

    The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors

    Estimated life expectancy is 75.2 ± 1.6 years. The 37 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 79.3 years — 4.1 years below them.

    Ranked #3,072 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, 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 adults25.4%23.6–27.3
High blood pressure among adults39.7%37.4–42.1
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults5.4%4.9–5.9
Current asthma among adults13.1%11.8–14.5
Coronary heart disease among adults6.1%5.6–6.7
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults7.2%6.5–8.0
Depression among adults22.2%20.1–24.6
Diagnosed diabetes among adults15.5%14.2–17.0
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened32.1%29.9–34.4
Obesity among adults43.4%40.2–46.7
Stroke among adults4.3%4.0–4.7
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years16.9%14.5–19.4
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years11.2%9.6–12.9
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure77.2%74.9–79.3
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults80.4%78.1–82.5
Cholesterol screening among adults84.6%82.8–86.3
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years66.1%62.9–69.0
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults54.9%52.3–57.5
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years82.4%78.5–85.7
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults14.1%12.4–16.0
Current cigarette smoking among adults17.1%15.2–19.2
No leisure-time physical activity among adults32.3%29.6–35.2
Short sleep duration among adults42.2%39.1–45.2
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults26.2%24.0–28.6
Frequent mental distress among adults18.5%16.8–20.3
Frequent physical distress among adults14.4%13.1–15.9
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults16.1%14.4–17.8
Any disability among adults33.2%30.6–35.9
Hearing disability among adults5.1%4.6–5.7
Independent living disability among adults12.0%10.9–13.4
Mobility disability among adults17.2%15.7–18.9
Self-care disability among adults6.1%5.6–6.7
Vision disability among adults7.7%7.1–8.5
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 adults28.6%26.1–31.3
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults33.0%30.3–35.7
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults21.6%19.5–23.9
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults14.7%13.2–16.2
Loneliness among adults37.6%34.8–40.4
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults14.3%12.7–16.0
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)WI median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate25.3%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (3.6–16.0%) n=765
Uninsured 18–648.5%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2866.7% (2.4–14.9%) n=764
No HS diploma (25+)7.8%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.9% (2.3–12.6%) n=768
Bachelor's or higher (25+)27.5%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50523.5% (12.7–44.0%) n=768
Unemployment rate (16+)7.1%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.6% (0.9–5.6%) n=763
Households without a vehicle11.7%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.6% (0.8–9.0%) n=764
Broadband subscription89.4%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.8% (80.0–94.8%) n=764
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)37.8%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32221.8% (14.7–29.1%) n=764
Homeownership rate50.3%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32281.3% (62.1–91.8%) n=764
Crowded housing (>1 per room)4.2%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–3.7%) n=764
Foreign-born population6.5%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.9% (0.3–6.8%) n=768
Single-parent households37.8%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08759.0% (47.7–72.8%) n=762
Population 65+8.9%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.4% (13.9–32.2%) n=768
Median age29.6 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29244.2 yr (36.2–56.1) n=765
Median household income$67,803$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$75,147 ($57,542–$101,625) n=755
Median home value$211,100$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$231,900 ($160,140–$367,300) n=755
Median gross rent$1,156$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 at birth75.2 yr ± 0.8378.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30880.4 yr (77.7–83.6) n=712

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 75.2, 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