ZIP code
54981
in Waupaca, WisconsinPopulation 14,870
55.00/ 100
Ranked #9,449 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 29%)
Ranked #300 of 763 Wisconsin ZIPs (top 39%)
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.
Mammography
82.2%
in the top 3.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST89thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Nitrate in drinking water
1.3%
in the top 6.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS94thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams per liter.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 8.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Recreation access
0.93 per 1,000 residents
in the top 10.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
19.2%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST61stUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Pharmacy access
0.33 per 1,000 residents
in the top 11.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS89thDefinition & 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 ›Physician access
1.1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 17% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS83rdDefinition & source ›
The number of physicians’ 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 ›The read
On the composite measure, Waupaca, Wisconsin (ZIP 54981) stands in the top 29% healthiest ZIPs nationally (9,449th) and the top 39% of Wisconsin (300th).
The bright spots in the data define much of the story here: distance to an emergency room lands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled mammography settles in the top 3.6% nationally, and recreation rests in the top 10.3% nationally. Modeled loneliness lands in the bottom 10.3% nationally, and utility shutoff settles in the bottom 10.9% nationally. Distance to a community health center rests at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Elder services lands in the top 11.4% nationally. On the other side, modeled nitrate settles in the top 6.2% nationally, expected annual loss rests in the top 8.1% nationally, and binge drinking lands in the top 9.8% nationally.
Set beside the wider area around it, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. ZIP 54406, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 78%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 85%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 71%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 75%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 48%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 43%
11%
Disability
healthier than 60%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 25%
14%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 74%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 74%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 76%
8%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 57%
11%
Disability
healthier than 47%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 37%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 18%
14%
“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 75.2 ± 1.5 years. A median household income of $72,640 predicts 78.8 years — 3.6 years below.
Ranked #4,751 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 75.2 ± 1.5 years. The 41 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 80.5 years — 5.2 years below them.
Ranked #3,425 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
54406
Wisconsinshares a border
Score 56.11
Closest healthier
54946
Wisconsinshares a border
Score 63.36
Similar health profile
53406
Wisconsin99% similar profile
Score 55.79
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% | 28.1–34.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.8% | 33.1–40.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.3–11.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 9.8–12.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.8% | 7.0–8.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.4% | 6.6–8.4 |
| Depression among adults | 22.4% | 19.4–25.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.8% | 11.2–14.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.7% | 33.9–41.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.9% | 30.9–42.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.5–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.3% | 8.4–12.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.5% | 6.2–8.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.5% | 77.8–83.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.3% | 76.0–82.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.6% | 86.0–89.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.0% | 65.6–74.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.3% | 63.0–69.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 82.2% | 76.7–87.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 19.2% | 16.2–22.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.2% | 12.0–16.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.4% | 23.4–31.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.6% | 27.4–38.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.4% | 16.0–20.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.9% | 13.3–16.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.8% | 12.2–15.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.6% | 11.1–14.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.3% | 27.6–35.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.4–9.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.2–9.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.0% | 13.1–17.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.3–4.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.0–5.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 19.3% | 16.5–22.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.5% | 8.8–12.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.1% | 9.4–12.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 7.1–9.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.9% | 5.2–6.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 28.5% | 24.6–32.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 4.8% | 4.1–5.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WI median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (3.6–16.0%) n=765 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.7% (2.4–14.9%) n=764 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.9% (2.3–12.6%) n=768 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 27.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 23.5% (12.7–44.0%) n=768 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.6% (0.9–5.6%) n=763 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.8–9.0%) n=764 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.8% (80.0–94.8%) n=764 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.8% (14.7–29.1%) n=764 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.5% | 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 | 1.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.9% (0.3–6.8%) n=768 |
| Single-parent households | 63.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 59.0% (47.7–72.8%) n=762 |
| Population 65+ | 24.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.4% (13.9–32.2%) n=768 |
| Median age | 47.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 44.2 yr (36.2–56.1) n=765 |
| Median household income | $72,640 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $75,147 ($57,542–$101,625) n=755 |
| Median home value | $218,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $231,900 ($160,140–$367,300) n=755 |
| Median gross rent | $830 | $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 | 75.2 yr ± 0.77 | 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 0.77 years of 75.2, 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