ZIP code
54451
in Medford, WisconsinPopulation 11,198
52.87/ 100
Ranked #12,268 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 38%)
Ranked #433 of 763 Wisconsin ZIPs (bottom 43%)
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.
Elder-services access
0.26 per 1,000 residents
in the top 5.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Park land
24.7%
in the top 5.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Obesity
44.1%
in the top 6.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
12.7 days/year
in the bottom 9.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.
Full methodology ›Mammography
80.9%
in the top 7.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST78thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
5.1%
in the top 8.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Recreation access
0.87 per 1,000 residents
in the top 11.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS88thDefinition & source ›
The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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 ›Dental provider access
0.69 per 1,000 residents
in the top 14.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS86thDefinition & source ›
The number of dental offices 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 ›Pharmacy access
0.26 per 1,000 residents
in the top 17% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS83rdDefinition & 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 ›The read
In its overall standing, Medford, Wisconsin (ZIP 54451) lands in the top 38% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,268th) and the bottom 43% of Wisconsin (433rd).
Reading the numbers as a whole, this area's strong points come through first: distance to an emergency room is at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Elder services sits in the top 5.4% nationally, park land lands in the top 5.7% nationally, and modeled humid heat lies in the bottom 9.5% nationally. Modeled mammography stands in the top 7.1% nationally. Distance to a community health center rests at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Set against that, modeled obesity registers in the top 6.1% nationally, and expected annual loss resides in the top 8.9% nationally. Modeled fine-particle settles in the top 10.1% nationally, and energy burden is in the top 8.7% nationally.
Against the wider neighborhood, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put simply, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Fine-particle is fine airborne particles about one-thirtieth the width of a hair, counted on modeled days above the EPA standard. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. On the overall standing, ZIP 54426, about 9.4 miles away, ranks healthier.
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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 64%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 76%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 61%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 88%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 47%
21%
Disability
healthier than 51%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 37%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 32%
11%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 65%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 85%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 52%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 36%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 19%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 36%
11%
Disability
healthier than 34%
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
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.
Above what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 83.5 ± 2.6 years. A median household income of $71,349 predicts 78.7 years — 4.7 years above.
Ranked #86 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
54411
Wisconsinshares a border
Score 50.14
Closest healthier
54426
Wisconsinabout 9.4 mi away
Score 54.65
Similar health profile
13350
New York99% similar profile
Score 51.84
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 | 29.7% | 26.7–32.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.6% | 31.9–39.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.4% | 8.6–10.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.6–12.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.4% | 6.7–8.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.8% | 6.9–8.8 |
| Depression among adults | 22.0% | 18.9–25.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.8% | 10.4–13.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.5% | 32.7–40.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 44.1% | 37.9–50.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.5–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.7% | 11.2–16.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.9% | 6.7–9.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.9% | 77.2–82.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.8% | 75.5–81.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.3% | 84.6–87.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.9% | 64.3–73.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.2% | 61.8–68.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.9% | 74.6–86.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.0% | 15.1–21.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.0% | 13.9–18.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.9% | 26.8–35.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.2% | 27.7–38.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.5% | 17.2–22.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.3% | 14.5–18.3 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.5% | 12.9–16.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.7% | 12.2–15.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.8% | 29.0–36.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.3–9.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.8% | 7.8–9.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.8% | 13.9–17.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 19.4% | 16.6–22.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.6% | 9.8–13.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.2% | 11.3–15.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 7.9–10.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.6% | 5.8–7.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.7% | 26.4–35.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.5% | 4.7–6.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (3.6–16.0%) n=765 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 4.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.7% (2.4–14.9%) n=764 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.9% (2.3–12.6%) n=768 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.5% (12.7–44.0%) n=768 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.3% | 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 | 86.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (80.0–94.8%) n=764 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 20.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.8% (14.7–29.1%) n=764 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 81.3% (62.1–91.8%) n=764 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.6% | 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 | 59.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 59.0% (47.7–72.8%) n=762 |
| Population 65+ | 21.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.4% (13.9–32.2%) n=768 |
| Median age | 46.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 44.2 yr (36.2–56.1) n=765 |
| Median household income | $71,349 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $75,147 ($57,542–$101,625) n=755 |
| Median home value | $213,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $231,900 ($160,140–$367,300) n=755 |
| Median gross rent | $850 | $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 | 83.4 yr ± 1.34 | 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 1.34 years of 83.4, 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