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ZipVitals

ZIP code

54806

in Ashland, WisconsinPopulation 11,704

50.16/ 100

Ranked #16,010 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 50%)

Ranked #563 of 763 Wisconsin ZIPs (bottom 26%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Broad coverage across 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.

Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility

37.4 mi

in the top 1.3% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.

Full methodology ›

Mental-health provider access

0.35 per 1,000 residents

in the top 1.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US98th
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 ›

Distance to a Superfund site

In this ZIP

at the national minimum

Higher is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.

Full methodology ›

Outpatient-care access

0.7 per 1,000 residents

in the top 4.0% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The number of outpatient 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 ›

Industrial-pollution burden

in the bottom 4.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST3rd
US4th
Definition & source ›

The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.

Full methodology ›

Grocery access

0.26 per 1,000 residents

in the top 4.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST94th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The number of full supermarkets 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. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”

Full methodology ›

Air-toxics cancer risk

19.6 per million

in the bottom 7.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST8th
US7th
Definition & source ›

The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.

Full methodology ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$0

in the top 8.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST85th
US92nd
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 ›

Pharmacy access

0.35 per 1,000 residents

in the top 10.7% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST95th
US89th
Definition & 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 ›

Tree cover

58.2%

in the top 16% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST96th
US84th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.

Full methodology ›

The read

Ashland, Wisconsin (ZIP 54806), overall, ranks in the top 50% healthiest ZIPs nationally (16,010th) and the bottom 26% of Wisconsin (563rd), based on limited data; treat as directional.

continue reading

Taken together, the data gives a genuinely mixed reading: distance to a hazardous-chemical facility registers in the top 1.3% nationally, mental-health providers resides in the top 1.6% nationally, and outpatient settles in the top 4.0% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden is in the bottom 4.3% nationally, and grocery sits in the top 4.6% nationally. Distance to an emergency room lands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled air-toxics cancer risk lies in the bottom 7.5% nationally, and pharmacy stands in the top 10.7% nationally. On the other side, distance to a Superfund site rests at the national minimum, and modeled expected annual loss registers in the top 8.1% nationally.

Measured against the nearby ZIPs, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, 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 Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. ZIP 54847, just across the boundary, comes out 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.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 87%

14%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

healthier than 99%

5%

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 44%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 46%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 50%

13%

Holding it back

Risk Behavior

healthier than 30%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 29%

8%

Disability

healthier than 37%

7%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 92%

14%

Climate / Disaster RiskPartial

in the top 0.2%

5%

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 33%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 29%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 15%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 32%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 5%

8%

Disability

healthier than 16%

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

2 of our published findings list 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 what income predicts

    The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes

    Estimated life expectancy is 76.2 ± 1.9 years. A median household income of $64,864 predicts 78.4 years — 2.1 years below.

    Ranked #2,886 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.

  • Below its nearby ZIPs

    The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors

    Estimated life expectancy is 76.2 ± 1.9 years. The 47 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 80.3 years — 4.0 years below them.

    Ranked #3,030 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.

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 adults28.3%25.7–31.0
High blood pressure among adults35.3%32.1–38.5
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.0%8.3–9.8
Current asthma among adults11.7%10.6–13.0
Coronary heart disease among adults7.9%7.2–8.7
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.4%7.6–9.3
Depression among adults25.9%22.8–29.2
Diagnosed diabetes among adults13.3%11.8–15.0
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened34.6%31.2–37.9
Obesity among adults41.3%35.5–47.2
Stroke among adults4.1%3.8–4.5
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years13.3%10.9–15.7
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years8.0%6.9–9.4
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure79.1%76.8–81.3
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults77.4%74.2–80.3
Cholesterol screening among adults84.1%82.3–85.8
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years68.3%63.8–72.1
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults61.9%58.6–64.9
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years75.6%68.9–81.2
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults17.5%14.9–20.3
Current cigarette smoking among adults17.3%15.2–19.4
No leisure-time physical activity among adults30.9%27.1–35.0
Short sleep duration among adults33.3%28.3–38.4
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults21.1%18.9–23.6
Frequent mental distress among adults17.3%15.6–19.1
Frequent physical distress among adults15.3%13.8–17.0
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults15.0%13.5–16.5
Any disability among adults34.0%30.4–37.8
Hearing disability among adults8.6%7.8–9.4
Independent living disability among adults9.9%9.0–11.0
Mobility disability among adults16.4%14.7–18.3
Self-care disability among adults4.5%4.1–4.9
Vision disability among adults5.8%5.3–6.3
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults20.9%18.2–23.6
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults15.1%13.1–17.2
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults17.2%15.0–19.4
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults11.4%9.9–12.9
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults8.7%7.8–9.7
Loneliness among adults32.9%28.8–36.9
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults7.2%6.3–8.1
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)WI median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate13.9%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3648.5% (3.6–16.0%) n=765
Uninsured 18–6410.3%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2866.7% (2.4–14.9%) n=764
No HS diploma (25+)4.0%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5055.9% (2.3–12.6%) n=768
Bachelor's or higher (25+)27.4%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50523.5% (12.7–44.0%) n=768
Unemployment rate (16+)3.7%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2742.6% (0.9–5.6%) n=763
Households without a vehicle5.4%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.6% (0.8–9.0%) n=764
Broadband subscription86.5%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32288.8% (80.0–94.8%) n=764
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)23.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32221.8% (14.7–29.1%) n=764
Homeownership rate70.9%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32281.3% (62.1–91.8%) n=764
Crowded housing (>1 per room)3.1%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.1% (0.0–3.7%) n=764
Foreign-born population2.3%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.9% (0.3–6.8%) n=768
Single-parent households57.5%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08759.0% (47.7–72.8%) n=762
Population 65+19.7%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.4% (13.9–32.2%) n=768
Median age41.2 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29244.2 yr (36.2–56.1) n=765
Median household income$64,864$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$75,147 ($57,542–$101,625) n=755
Median home value$185,800$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$231,900 ($160,140–$367,300) n=755
Median gross rent$763$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 birth76.2 yr ± 0.9778.9 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 0.97 years of 76.2, 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