Skip to main content
ZipVitals

Menu

ZIP code

53549

in Jefferson, WisconsinPopulation 9,873

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

54.38/ 100

Ranked #10,220 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 32%)

Ranked #338 of 763 Wisconsin ZIPs (top 44%)

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.

Elder-services access

0.29 per 1,000 residents

in the top 4.7% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST96th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›

Lead in tap water

5.6 ppb

in the top 8.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

US92nd
Definition & source ›

The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.

Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.

Full methodology ›

Loud transportation noise

1.6%

in the top 10.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US90th
Definition & 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 ›

Floodplain exposure

23.2%

in the top 14.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST93rd
US86th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.

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 ›

Outer-floodplain exposure

1.4%

in the top 20% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
US80th
Definition & 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 ›

The read

Jefferson, Wisconsin (ZIP 53549), overall, ranks in the top 32% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,220th) and the top 44% of Wisconsin (338th).

continue reading

This area's most favorable readings come through plainly in the numbers: elder services rests in the top 4.7% nationally. Distance to a nursing home registers at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Crowded housing resides at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Modeled high cholesterol settles in the bottom 11.8% nationally. On the other side, lead in tap water is in the top 8.5% nationally, and modeled loud transportation noise sits in the top 10.1% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss lands in the top 13.0% nationally, and floodplain exposure lies in the top 14.5% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility stands at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Modeled binge drinking rests in the top 14.1% nationally.

Measured against the nearby ZIPs, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. ZIP 53038, just across the boundary, comes out 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.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 62%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 81%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 64%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 64%

8%

Disability

healthier than 65%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 71%

5%

About typical

Risk Behavior

healthier than 43%

11%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 23%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 36%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 62%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 79%

16%

Mental Health

healthier than 61%

8%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 84%

5%

About typical

Risk Behavior

healthier than 56%

11%

Disability

healthier than 56%

7%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 16%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 30%

13%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 7%

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.

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 adults27.6%24.7–30.6
High blood pressure among adults32.6%29.1–36.3
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.1%8.3–10.0
Current asthma among adults11.0%9.8–12.4
Coronary heart disease among adults7.0%6.3–7.7
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults6.9%6.1–7.8
Depression among adults22.7%19.6–26.1
Diagnosed diabetes among adults11.4%9.9–12.9
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened33.6%30.0–37.4
Obesity among adults41.7%35.4–48.0
Stroke among adults3.5%3.2–3.8
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years10.9%8.9–13.4
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years8.5%7.3–10.1
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure78.1%75.2–80.7
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults76.8%73.4–80.0
Cholesterol screening among adults86.2%84.4–87.8
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years68.8%64.2–73.3
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults67.3%63.9–70.5
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years78.2%71.3–84.4
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults18.6%15.7–21.7
Current cigarette smoking among adults14.2%12.0–16.4
No leisure-time physical activity among adults29.0%25.0–33.4
Short sleep duration among adults32.6%27.3–38.4
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults17.9%15.6–20.4
Frequent mental distress among adults15.5%13.8–17.4
Frequent physical distress among adults13.8%12.2–15.5
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults12.9%11.3–14.5
Any disability among adults29.9%26.2–33.8
Hearing disability among adults7.5%6.7–8.3
Independent living disability among adults8.0%7.1–9.0
Mobility disability among adults13.8%12.1–15.7
Self-care disability among adults3.6%3.2–4.0
Vision disability among adults4.5%4.0–4.9
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults20.0%17.0–23.3
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults11.2%9.4–13.4
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults11.2%9.4–13.4
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults9.5%8.1–11.2
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults6.4%5.6–7.4
Loneliness among adults30.8%26.4–35.6
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults5.3%4.5–6.2
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)WI median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate9.8%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (3.6–16.0%) n=765
Uninsured 18–647.5%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2866.7% (2.4–14.9%) n=764
No HS diploma (25+)7.7%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.9% (2.3–12.6%) n=768
Bachelor's or higher (25+)22.8%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50523.5% (12.7–44.0%) n=768
Unemployment rate (16+)2.3%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.6% (0.9–5.6%) n=763
Households without a vehicle2.0%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)24.1%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32221.8% (14.7–29.1%) n=764
Homeownership rate72.1%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32281.3% (62.1–91.8%) n=764
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–3.7%) n=764
Foreign-born population2.8%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.9% (0.3–6.8%) n=768
Single-parent households57.3%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08759.0% (47.7–72.8%) n=762
Population 65+19.6%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.4% (13.9–32.2%) n=768
Median age44.1 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29244.2 yr (36.2–56.1) n=765
Median household income$80,101$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$75,147 ($57,542–$101,625) n=755
Median home value$262,200$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$231,900 ($160,140–$367,300) n=755
Median gross rent$1,066$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 birth78.8 yr ± 0.6978.9 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 0.69 years of 78.8, 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