ZIP code
61038
in Garden Prairie, IllinoisPopulation 1,274
51.54/ 100
Ranked #14,063 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 44%)
Ranked #622 of 1,368 Illinois ZIPs (top 45%)
Ranked #15 of 25 Rockford, IL ZIPs (bottom 40%)
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.
Distance to a Superfund site
0.3 mi
in the bottom 4.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST3rdUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Fatal road crashes
47.1 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 4.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Loud transportation noise
2.2%
in the top 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Crowded housing
7.7%
in the top 7.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
95.4%
in the top 8.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
10.0%
in the top 9.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20 per million
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS25thDefinition & 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 ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Garden Prairie, Illinois (ZIP 61038) ranks in the top 44% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,063rd) and the top 45% of Illinois (622nd).
Taken together, the profile's clearest strengths surface right away: homeownership stands in the top 8.1% nationally. Against that, distance to a Superfund site settles in the bottom 4.6% nationally, and fatal road crashes lies in the top 4.7% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise resides in the top 6.3% nationally, crowded housing lands in the top 7.2% nationally, and unemployment registers in the top 9.4% nationally. Fiber broadband sits at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled transportation noise rests in the top 10.3% nationally, industrial-pollution burden is in the top 15.0% nationally, and radon stands in the top 17% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, 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. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 60152, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Rockford, IL metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 64%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 52%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 43%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 56%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 59%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 52%
8%
Disability
healthier than 57%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 26%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 38%
5%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 67%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 66%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 70%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 47%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 51%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 40%
8%
Disability
healthier than 44%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 35%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 20%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 42%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 46%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 58%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 58%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 54%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 46%
8%
Disability
healthier than 42%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 13%
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.
Nearby
60033
Illinoisshares a border
Score 51.12
Closest healthier
60152
Illinoisshares a border
Score 55.11
Similar health profile
61072
Illinois92% similar profile
Score 55.21
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 | 30.0% | 26.9–33.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.7% | 32.9–41.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.9% | 9.0–10.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.3–11.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.2–9.6 |
| Depression among adults | 22.7% | 19.6–26.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.2% | 10.7–14.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.6% | 34.6–42.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.4% | 28.3–43.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.9% | 8.8–13.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.7% | 7.2–10.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.7% | 76.0–81.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.7% | 75.3–82.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.2% | 85.6–89.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.1% | 63.0–72.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.0% | 60.1–67.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.1% | 64.9–80.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.0% | 14.2–20.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.2% | 12.1–16.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.2% | 20.2–28.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.4% | 28.0–41.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.8% | 17.1–22.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.8% | 15.0–19.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.1% | 12.5–16.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.8% | 12.2–15.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.3% | 27.5–35.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.8% | 7.0–8.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.4–9.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.8% | 12.7–17.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.3–4.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.8% | 19.7–27.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.2% | 10.9–15.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 12.1% | 9.9–14.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.4% | 8.8–12.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.1% | 6.1–8.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.1% | 27.4–38.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.3% | 5.4–7.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.4% (3.4–21.4%) n=1,378 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 0.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.6% (1.7–15.2%) n=1,375 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.5% (2.1–16.1%) n=1,377 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 22.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.6% (9.3–49.2%) n=1,377 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 10.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.7–10.0%) n=1,375 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–11.8%) n=1,377 |
| Broadband subscription | 94.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.4% (77.4–96.0%) n=1,377 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 24.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.2% (10.7–34.7%) n=1,377 |
| Homeownership rate | 95.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 80.9% (61.0–94.1%) n=1,377 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 7.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.9% (0.0–4.1%) n=1,377 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.4% (0.0–17.6%) n=1,378 |
| Single-parent households | 55.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.8% (39.6–70.3%) n=1,372 |
| Population 65+ | 18.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.4% (12.1–28.7%) n=1,378 |
| Median age | 44.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.1 yr (34.3–52.1) n=1,373 |
| Median household income | $104,875 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $75,429 ($50,714–$114,949) n=1,334 |
| Median home value | $281,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $154,250 ($86,310–$346,100) n=1,332 |
| Median gross rent | — | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $934 ($675–$1,653) n=1,170 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.0 yr ± 0.75 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 78.9 yr (75.5–82.2) n=1,348 |
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 0.75 years of 79.0, 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