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ZipVitals

ZIP code

54756

in Nelson, WisconsinPopulation 946

49.35/ 100

Ranked #17,160 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 46%)

Ranked #593 of 763 Wisconsin ZIPs (bottom 22%)

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.

Walkability

1.5 intersections/sq mi

in the bottom 4.7% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST1st
US5th
Definition & source ›

The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a community health center

21.1 mi

in the top 7.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.

Full methodology ›

Utility shut-off threat

4.6%

in the bottom 8.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST29th
US9th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Floodplain exposure

30.4%

in the top 9.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US90th
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 ›

Loud transportation noise

1.6%

in the top 11.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US89th
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 ›

Transportation noise

8.6%

in the top 11.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US89th
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 ›

Energy-cost burden

4.9%

in the top 9.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST94th
US90th
Definition & 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 ›

The read

Nelson, Wisconsin (ZIP 54756), by its overall standing, sits in the bottom 46% nationally (17,160th) and the bottom 22% of Wisconsin (593rd).

continue reading

Both sides of the picture show up plainly in this area's numbers: modeled utility shutoff lies in the bottom 8.6% nationally, modeled loneliness sits in the bottom 13.3% nationally, and distance to an emergency room settles in the bottom 15.0% nationally. Modeled housing insecurity registers in the bottom 15% nationally. By contrast, walkability stands in the bottom 4.7% nationally, and distance to a community health center lands in the top 7.6% nationally. Floodplain exposure is in the top 9.9% nationally, and modeled loud transportation noise resides in the top 11.0% nationally. Modeled transportation noise rests in the top 11.0% nationally, and energy burden lies in the top 9.9% nationally.

Defined in plain terms, distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 54610, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Preventive Care

healthier than 80%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 70%

8%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 46%

14%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 44%

11%

Disability

healthier than 47%

7%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 31%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 31%

16%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 28%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 9%

5%

Lifting this score

Preventive Care

healthier than 63%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 73%

8%

About typical

Risk Behavior

healthier than 58%

11%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 18%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 13%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 37%

14%

Disability

healthier than 28%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 3%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 6%

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 adults33.1%29.9–37.1
High blood pressure among adults38.8%35.0–43.4
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults11.2%10.3–12.5
Current asthma among adults10.7%9.7–12.2
Coronary heart disease among adults8.8%7.8–9.9
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.5%7.3–9.9
Depression among adults22.9%19.9–26.9
Diagnosed diabetes among adults13.7%12.0–15.9
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened39.1%35.2–44.0
Obesity among adults39.2%32.3–47.7
Stroke among adults4.3%3.9–4.9
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years13.0%10.4–15.8
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years7.2%5.7–9.0
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure81.9%79.6–84.7
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults80.0%77.0–83.4
Cholesterol screening among adults87.9%86.3–89.6
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years69.5%64.2–74.3
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults65.0%61.5–68.6
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years77.3%69.6–83.5
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults17.3%14.6–20.8
Current cigarette smoking among adults14.8%12.4–17.7
No leisure-time physical activity among adults30.5%26.2–36.1
Short sleep duration among adults32.8%26.4–39.6
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults19.6%16.9–22.9
Frequent mental distress among adults14.7%13.1–16.8
Frequent physical distress among adults15.0%13.3–17.2
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults12.8%11.2–14.8
Any disability among adults33.6%29.6–38.6
Hearing disability among adults9.2%8.3–10.5
Independent living disability among adults8.6%7.4–9.9
Mobility disability among adults17.0%14.8–19.8
Self-care disability among adults4.1%3.6–4.7
Vision disability among adults4.9%4.3–5.5
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults19.1%15.9–22.2
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults10.6%8.6–12.8
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults11.3%9.2–13.5
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults7.9%6.5–9.3
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults5.9%4.9–6.8
Loneliness among adults28.9%24.1–33.4
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults4.6%3.8–5.3
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)WI median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate8.6%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (3.6–16.0%) n=765
Uninsured 18–647.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2866.7% (2.4–14.9%) n=764
No HS diploma (25+)7.2%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.9% (2.3–12.6%) n=768
Bachelor's or higher (25+)24.7%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50523.5% (12.7–44.0%) n=768
Unemployment rate (16+)4.8%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.6% (0.9–5.6%) n=763
Households without a vehicle3.7%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.6% (0.8–9.0%) n=764
Broadband subscription89.7%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.8% (80.0–94.8%) n=764
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)19.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32221.8% (14.7–29.1%) n=764
Homeownership rate81.7%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32281.3% (62.1–91.8%) n=764
Crowded housing (>1 per room)1.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–3.7%) n=764
Foreign-born population3.2%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.9% (0.3–6.8%) n=768
Single-parent households70.7%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08759.0% (47.7–72.8%) n=762
Population 65+33.1%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.4% (13.9–32.2%) n=768
Median age53.9 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29244.2 yr (36.2–56.1) n=765
Median household income$75,625$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$75,147 ($57,542–$101,625) n=755
Median home value$215,400$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$231,900 ($160,140–$367,300) n=755
Median gross rent$928$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 birth81.9 yr ± 1.4578.9 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 1.45 years of 81.9, 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