ZIP code
53948
in Mauston, WisconsinPopulation 8,195
45.23/ 100
Ranked #22,167 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 31%)
Ranked #726 of 763 Wisconsin ZIPs (bottom 4.9%)
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.
Pharmacy access
0.37 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies 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 ›Obesity
42.9%
in the top 9.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
7.3%
in the top 13.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS86thDefinition & 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 ›Poverty rate
17.7%
in the top 23% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS77thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
10.5%
in the top 23% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS77thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.
Full methodology ›Self-care disability
5.1%
in the top 24% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS76thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Mauston, Wisconsin (ZIP 53948) places in the bottom 31% nationally (22,167th) and the bottom 4.9% of Wisconsin (726th).
The measures fall on both sides for this area, fairly evenly: distance to an emergency room lies at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Pharmacy rests in the top 9.6% nationally. Distance to a community health center resides at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Elder services is in the top 12.6% nationally. Distance to a nursing home lands at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Grocery stands in the top 16% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled expected annual loss registers in the top 12.1% nationally, and obesity settles in the top 9.4% nationally. Modeled transportation noise sits in the top 13.9% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lies at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.
For readers new to these terms, 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. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 53929, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 42%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 57%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 41%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 26%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 15%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 35%
8%
Disability
healthier than 27%
7%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 55%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 12%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 25%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 9%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 8%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 8%
8%
Disability
healthier than 6%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 26%
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.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 78.2 ± 1.7 years. The 46 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 80.8 years — 2.6 years below them.
Ranked #2,030 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.
Nearby
53929
Wisconsinshares a border
Score 46.43
Closest healthier
53941
Wisconsinshares a border
Score 52.44
Similar health profile
41139
Kentucky96% similar profile
Score 45.40
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 | 31.2% | 27.9–34.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.9% | 35.8–44.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.4% | 8.6–10.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.5% | 10.2–12.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.9% | 8.0–9.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.7% | 8.6–11.0 |
| Depression among adults | 25.1% | 21.7–28.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.6% | 12.8–16.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.8% | 33.7–41.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 42.9% | 35.7–50.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–5.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.3% | 12.6–18.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.4% | 7.8–11.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.5% | 76.9–82.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.4% | 73.9–80.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.8% | 82.8–86.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.7% | 58.6–68.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.0% | 56.4–63.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.0% | 68.7–82.5 |
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 | 19.8% | 17.1–22.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 33.4% | 28.7–38.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.3% | 27.4–39.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.7% | 20.8–26.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.1% | 15.3–19.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.6% | 14.7–18.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.7% | 13.8–17.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.3% | 32.1–40.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.1% | 8.2–10.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.5% | 9.4–11.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.3% | 16.1–20.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.6–5.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.6–6.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.7% | 18.4–25.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.9% | 13.3–18.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 18.9% | 16.0–21.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.6% | 9.8–13.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.4% | 7.3–9.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.8% | 26.0–35.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.1–8.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (3.6–16.0%) n=765 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.7% (2.4–14.9%) n=764 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.9% (2.3–12.6%) n=768 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.5% (12.7–44.0%) n=768 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.6% (0.9–5.6%) n=763 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.8–9.0%) n=764 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (80.0–94.8%) n=764 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.8% (14.7–29.1%) n=764 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 81.3% (62.1–91.8%) n=764 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.7%) n=764 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.9% (0.3–6.8%) n=768 |
| Single-parent households | 59.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 59.0% (47.7–72.8%) n=762 |
| Population 65+ | 21.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.4% (13.9–32.2%) n=768 |
| Median age | 47.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 44.2 yr (36.2–56.1) n=765 |
| Median household income | $62,829 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $75,147 ($57,542–$101,625) n=755 |
| Median home value | $182,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $231,900 ($160,140–$367,300) n=755 |
| Median gross rent | $889 | $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 | 78.2 yr ± 0.85 | 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 0.85 years of 78.2, 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