ZIP code
53506
in Avoca, WisconsinPopulation 1,011
48.87/ 100
Ranked #17,826 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 44%)
Ranked #614 of 763 Wisconsin ZIPs (bottom 20%)
Ranked #64 of 67 Madison, WI ZIPs (bottom 4.5%)
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.
Fatal road crashes
49.5 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Slow internet speeds
1.9%
in the top 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Nitrate in drinking water
0.81%
in the top 6.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams per liter.
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 ›Outer-floodplain exposure
3.7%
in the top 9.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
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 ›Poverty rate
17.6%
in the top 24% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS76thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Avoca, Wisconsin (ZIP 53506) ranks in the bottom 44% nationally (17,826th) and the bottom 20% of Wisconsin (614th).
Strengths and concerns sit side by side across the measures here: fatal road crashes settles in the top 4.0% nationally. On the other hand, slow internet speeds lies in the top 6.3% nationally, and modeled nitrate resides in the top 6.7% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure lands in the top 9.5% nationally. Fiber broadband registers at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled radon sits in the top 11.7% nationally, walkability rests in the bottom 16% nationally, and floodplain exposure is in the top 16% nationally. Modeled obesity stands in the top 14.4% nationally. Recreation settles at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 53533, 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 Madison, WI metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 45%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 47%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 47%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 58%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 44%
8%
Disability
healthier than 47%
7%
Holding it back
Risk Behavior
healthier than 20%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 37%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 25%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 34%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 30%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 39%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 24%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 14%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 19%
8%
Disability
healthier than 28%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 8%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 31%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 42%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 8%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 15%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 27%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 26%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 3%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 17%
8%
Disability
healthier than 8%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 8%
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
53533
Wisconsinshares a border
Score 56.97
Closest healthier
53543
Wisconsinshares a border
Score 50.48
Similar health profile
42436
Kentucky94% similar profile
Score 49.53
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 | 30.3% | 26.9–33.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.9% | 31.8–39.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.4% | 8.5–10.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 9.7–12.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.0% | 7.1–9.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.4% | 7.3–9.6 |
| Depression among adults | 24.6% | 21.1–28.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.0% | 11.2–14.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.8% | 32.6–41.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.7% | 34.1–49.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.9% | 7.1–11.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.8% | 6.3–9.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.5% | 76.6–82.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.1% | 73.6–80.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.2% | 84.3–87.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.9% | 60.6–70.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.6% | 60.8–68.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.4% | 69.7–83.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.2% | 15.2–21.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.3% | 14.6–20.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.7% | 27.8–38.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.2% | 27.8–40.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.6% | 17.8–23.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.4% | 14.4–18.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.0% | 13.2–17.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.9% | 12.1–15.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.9% | 28.5–37.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.4–9.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.0% | 7.9–10.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.7% | 13.6–18.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.8–4.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.5–5.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 19.8% | 16.5–23.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.0% | 10.5–15.5 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 14.6% | 12.0–17.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 8.3–11.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.0% | 5.9–8.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.7% | 24.9–34.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.1% | 5.1–7.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (3.6–16.0%) n=765 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.7% (2.4–14.9%) n=764 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 11.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.9% (2.3–12.6%) n=768 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 13.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.5% (12.7–44.0%) n=768 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.6% (0.9–5.6%) n=763 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.8–9.0%) n=764 |
| Broadband subscription | 83.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (80.0–94.8%) n=764 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 24.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.8% (14.7–29.1%) n=764 |
| Homeownership rate | 83.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 81.3% (62.1–91.8%) n=764 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.7%) n=764 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.9% (0.3–6.8%) n=768 |
| Single-parent households | 60.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 59.0% (47.7–72.8%) n=762 |
| Population 65+ | 19.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.4% (13.9–32.2%) n=768 |
| Median age | 48.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 44.2 yr (36.2–56.1) n=765 |
| Median household income | $59,861 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $75,147 ($57,542–$101,625) n=755 |
| Median home value | $171,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $231,900 ($160,140–$367,300) n=755 |
| Median gross rent | $908 | $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 at birth | 81.8 yr ± 1.40 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 80.4 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 1.40 years of 81.8, 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