ZIP code
54601
in La Crosse, WisconsinPopulation 50,397
52.51/ 100
Ranked #12,738 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 40%)
Ranked #450 of 763 Wisconsin ZIPs (bottom 41%)
Ranked #19 of 26 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN ZIPs (bottom 27%)
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.
Expected annual disaster loss
$1
in the top 0.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 2.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Lead in tap water
10 ppb
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
US98thDefinition & 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 ›Subsidized affordable housing
354 units
in the top 6.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
19.9%
in the top 6.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST75thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Loud transportation noise
2.0%
in the top 7.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Mammography
81.5%
in the top 5.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST85thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
27.9%
in the bottom 5.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
10.4%
in the top 8.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Fatal road crashes
2.4 per 100,000 residents per year
in the bottom 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS8thDefinition & 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 ›The read
By the composite health measure, ZIP 54601, one of several in La Crosse, Wisconsin ranks in the top 40% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,738th) and the bottom 41% of Wisconsin (450th).
A number of measures pull each way for this area: distance to an emergency room lands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Subsidized affordable housing sits in the top 6.8% nationally, and modeled mammography is in the top 5.2% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure settles in the bottom 5.9% nationally. Set against that, modeled expected annual loss resides in the top 0.9% nationally, modeled disaster risk registers in the top 2.0% nationally, and lead in tap water rests in the top 2.4% nationally. Modeled binge drinking stands in the top 6.6% nationally, loud transportation noise lies in the top 7.6% nationally, and transportation noise lands in the top 8.1% nationally.
Read against the ZIPs closest to it, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To spell things out, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Close by, ZIP 54614, just across the boundary, ranks 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 80%
21%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 59%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 44%
11%
Disability
healthier than 58%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 58%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 14%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 14%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 90%
21%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 44%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 58%
11%
Disability
healthier than 45%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 10%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 14%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 1%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 25%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
in the top 0.00%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 65%
16%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 52%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 4%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 13%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 35%
11%
Mental Health
in the bottom 0.00%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 22%
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 13.8; chronic-disease standing 80.5 — 67 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #16,092 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.
Nearby
54603
Wisconsinshares a border
Score 45.97
Closest healthier
54614
Wisconsinshares a border
Score 56.12
Similar health profile
49519
Michigan98% similar profile
Score 52.85
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 | 23.0% | 20.7–25.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 27.9% | 25.0–30.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.3% | 6.7–7.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.8% | 10.5–13.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.6% | 5.0–6.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.0% | 5.4–6.6 |
| Depression among adults | 27.2% | 23.8–30.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 9.1% | 8.0–10.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 32.2% | 29.0–35.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.9% | 32.3–43.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.8% | 2.6–3.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.2% | 8.2–12.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.7% | 6.5–9.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 72.8% | 70.4–75.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.2% | 73.9–80.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 79.5% | 77.5–81.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.9% | 66.2–75.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.9% | 61.4–68.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 81.5% | 75.1–86.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.9% | 16.9–23.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.0% | 11.3–14.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.6% | 23.0–30.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.9% | 27.7–38.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.0% | 16.0–20.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.9% | 16.9–21.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.7% | 11.3–14.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.3% | 14.6–18.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.2% | 29.6–37.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.5% | 5.8–7.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.9% | 8.8–11.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 11.9% | 10.6–13.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.3% | 3.0–3.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.4–5.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 19.5% | 16.7–22.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.6% | 12.5–16.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 16.6% | 14.4–18.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.4% | 8.8–12.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.3% | 8.1–10.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.4% | 29.9–38.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.5% | 5.6–7.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 19.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (3.6–16.0%) n=765 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.7% (2.4–14.9%) n=764 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.9% (2.3–12.6%) n=768 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 39.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.5% (12.7–44.0%) n=768 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.6% (0.9–5.6%) n=763 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.8–9.0%) n=764 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (80.0–94.8%) n=764 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 31.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.8% (14.7–29.1%) n=764 |
| Homeownership rate | 54.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 81.3% (62.1–91.8%) n=764 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.1% (0.0–3.7%) n=764 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.9% (0.3–6.8%) n=768 |
| Single-parent households | 54.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 59.0% (47.7–72.8%) n=762 |
| Population 65+ | 17.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.4% (13.9–32.2%) n=768 |
| Median age | 32.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 44.2 yr (36.2–56.1) n=765 |
| Median household income | $61,639 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $75,147 ($57,542–$101,625) n=755 |
| Median home value | $235,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $231,900 ($160,140–$367,300) n=755 |
| Median gross rent | $1,044 | $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 unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled. | |||
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