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ZipVitals

ZIP code

53704

in Madison, WisconsinPopulation 46,730

59.09/ 100

Ranked #5,532 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 17%)

Ranked #121 of 763 Wisconsin ZIPs (top 16%)

Ranked #31 of 67 Madison, WI ZIPs (top 46%)

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.

Transit access

7.6 per 1,000 residents

in the top 2.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US98th
Definition & 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 ›

High cholesterol

29.7%

in the bottom 3.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST3rd
US3rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.

Full methodology ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$0

in the top 3.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST93rd
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 ›

Mental-health provider access

0.19 per 1,000 residents

in the top 4.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US95th
Definition & 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 ›

Binge drinking

20.1%

in the top 5.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST79th
US94th
Definition & 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 ›

Outer-floodplain exposure

5.5%

in the top 6.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US93rd
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 ›

Subsidized affordable housing

343 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 ›

High blood pressure

27.6%

in the bottom 5.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST4th
US5th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.

Full methodology ›

Transportation noise

10.7%

in the top 7.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US92nd
Definition & 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 ›

Park land

14.6%

in the top 9.0% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST93rd
US91st
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

The read

By its overall health score, ZIP 53704, one of several in Madison, Wisconsin lands in the top 17% healthiest ZIPs nationally (5,532nd) and the top 16% of Wisconsin (121st).

continue reading

The measures split the difference for this area: transit registers in the top 2.2% nationally, and modeled high cholesterol sits in the bottom 3.1% nationally. Mental-health providers rests in the top 4.6% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing is in the top 7.1% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure stands in the bottom 5.4% nationally, and park land settles in the top 9.0% nationally. Against that, modeled expected annual loss lies in the top 3.7% nationally, modeled binge drinking resides in the top 5.8% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure lands in the top 6.7% nationally. Modeled transportation noise registers in the top 7.7% nationally.

Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of terms, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 53532, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 90%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 81%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 67%

11%

Disability

healthier than 85%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 79%

5%

About typical

Preventive Care

healthier than 52%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 54%

8%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 15%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 39%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 96%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 79%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 85%

11%

Disability

healthier than 87%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 88%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 12%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 16%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 36%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 9%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 73%

21%

Disability

healthier than 61%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 85%

5%

About typical

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 55%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 59%

11%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 5%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 18%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 32%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 9%

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 ›

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 14.9; chronic-disease standing 89.7 — 75 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #16,811 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 adults20.7%18.7–22.9
High blood pressure among adults27.6%25.0–30.3
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults7.1%6.5–7.8
Current asthma among adults10.4%9.2–11.6
Coronary heart disease among adults5.1%4.6–5.6
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults5.1%4.5–5.6
Depression among adults24.6%21.8–27.5
Diagnosed diabetes among adults9.3%8.2–10.5
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened29.7%27.0–32.6
Obesity among adults35.7%31.4–39.9
Stroke among adults2.7%2.5–2.9
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years8.8%7.2–10.6
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.8%6.7–9.0
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure74.3%71.3–77.0
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults74.0%70.8–76.9
Cholesterol screening among adults85.4%83.7–86.9
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years70.6%66.9–74.0
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults68.5%65.7–71.0
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years76.9%70.9–82.0
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults20.1%17.4–23.0
Current cigarette smoking among adults11.7%10.3–13.3
No leisure-time physical activity among adults22.8%20.1–25.7
Short sleep duration among adults30.2%26.7–33.7
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults15.3%13.7–17.1
Frequent mental distress among adults15.3%13.7–17.0
Frequent physical distress among adults11.5%10.3–12.8
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults12.1%10.8–13.5
Any disability among adults25.9%23.3–28.8
Hearing disability among adults5.4%4.9–6.1
Independent living disability among adults7.1%6.3–7.8
Mobility disability among adults10.7%9.5–12.0
Self-care disability among adults3.1%2.9–3.4
Vision disability among adults4.0%3.7–4.4
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults19.6%17.1–22.1
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults11.9%10.4–13.6
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults12.3%10.8–13.9
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.4%9.1–11.9
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults6.9%6.1–7.7
Loneliness among adults30.9%27.4–34.3
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults5.9%5.1–6.7
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)WI median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate13.7%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (3.6–16.0%) n=765
Uninsured 18–646.6%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2866.7% (2.4–14.9%) n=764
No HS diploma (25+)3.8%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.9% (2.3–12.6%) n=768
Bachelor's or higher (25+)51.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50523.5% (12.7–44.0%) n=768
Unemployment rate (16+)2.5%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.6% (0.9–5.6%) n=763
Households without a vehicle8.6%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.6% (0.8–9.0%) n=764
Broadband subscription92.9%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.8% (80.0–94.8%) n=764
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)33.5%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32221.8% (14.7–29.1%) n=764
Homeownership rate52.2%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32281.3% (62.1–91.8%) n=764
Crowded housing (>1 per room)1.8%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–3.7%) n=764
Foreign-born population9.0%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.9% (0.3–6.8%) n=768
Single-parent households55.3%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08759.0% (47.7–72.8%) n=762
Population 65+13.7%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.4% (13.9–32.2%) n=768
Median age35.4 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29244.2 yr (36.2–56.1) n=765
Median household income$74,034$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$75,147 ($57,542–$101,625) n=755
Median home value$318,400$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$231,900 ($160,140–$367,300) n=755
Median gross rent$1,267$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 birth79.1 yr ± 0.9478.9 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 0.94 years of 79.1, 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