ZIP code
61079
in Shirland, IllinoisPopulation 210
54.50/ 100
Ranked #10,071 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 31%)
Ranked #389 of 1,368 Illinois ZIPs (top 28%)
Ranked #12 of 25 Rockford, IL ZIPs (top 48%)
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.
Unemployment rate
13.3%
in the top 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 5.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS6thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
20.1%
in the top 5.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Floodplain exposure
38%
in the top 6.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Crowded housing
5.0%
in the top 14.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS86thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
9.2%
in the bottom 14.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS14thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 14.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS14thDefinition & 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 ›Median household income
$46,367
in the bottom 10.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST6thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
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 the composite measure, Shirland, Illinois (ZIP 61079) stands in the top 31% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,071st) and the top 28% of Illinois (389th).
The bright spots in the data define much of the story here: modeled disaster risk lands in the bottom 5.8% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise settles at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Modeled transportation rests in the bottom 13.7% nationally, food insecurity lands in the bottom 14.1% nationally, and expected annual loss settles in the bottom 14.5% nationally. On the other side, unemployment rests in the top 5.0% nationally, modeled binge drinking lands in the top 5.8% nationally, and floodplain exposure settles in the top 6.9% nationally. Fiber broadband rests at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Crowded housing lands in the top 14.1% nationally.
Set beside the wider area around it, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". ZIP 61024, 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. 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 63%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 91%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 76%
8%
Disability
healthier than 77%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 43%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 55%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 50%
11%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 19%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 27%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 62%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 99%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 66%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 75%
8%
Disability
healthier than 74%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 51%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 53%
11%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 8%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 36%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 67%
21%
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.00%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 83%
8%
Disability
healthier than 71%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 50%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 50%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 50%
11%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the bottom 0.00%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 4%
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
61024
Illinoisshares a border
Score 54.58
Closest healthier
61072
Illinoisshares a border
Score 55.21
Similar health profile
08740
New Jersey97% similar profile
Score 57.79
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 | 28.5% | 25.1–32.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.9% | 32.7–41.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.0–11.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.2% | 8.1–10.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.2% | 6.1–8.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.9% | 5.5–8.5 |
| Depression among adults | 20.9% | 17.9–24.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.2% | 9.4–13.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.0% | 34.8–43.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.6% | 30.7–45.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.4% | 2.9–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 8.5% | 6.7–10.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.6% | 4.7–9.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.3% | 73.7–80.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.8% | 74.0–81.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.9% | 85.5–90.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.8% | 59.1–70.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.1% | 59.1–67.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.1% | 66.3–82.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 20.1% | 16.8–23.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.7% | 10.5–17.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 20.2% | 15.9–25.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.7% | 28.4–41.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.5% | 13.3–20.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.4% | 13.2–17.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.9% | 10.8–15.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 11.7% | 9.7–13.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 28.8% | 23.9–33.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.1% | 6.9–9.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.8% | 5.7–8.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.6% | 10.3–15.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.1% | 2.6–3.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.2–4.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.7% | 20.5–29.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 7.0–11.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 5.7–10.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.1% | 6.3–10.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.5% | 4.5–6.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.5% | 26.6–37.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.1% | 4.1–6.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 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+) | 6.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.5% (2.1–16.1%) n=1,377 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 27.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.6% (9.3–49.2%) n=1,377 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 13.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.7–10.0%) n=1,375 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–11.8%) n=1,377 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.4% (77.4–96.0%) n=1,377 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 15.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.2% (10.7–34.7%) n=1,377 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 80.9% (61.0–94.1%) n=1,377 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 5.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.9% (0.0–4.1%) n=1,377 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.4% (0.0–17.6%) n=1,378 |
| Single-parent households | 37.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.8% (39.6–70.3%) n=1,372 |
| Population 65+ | 33.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.4% (12.1–28.7%) n=1,378 |
| Median age | 51.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.1 yr (34.3–52.1) n=1,373 |
| Median household income | $46,367 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $75,429 ($50,714–$114,949) n=1,334 |
| Median home value | $123,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $154,250 ($86,310–$346,100) n=1,332 |
| Median gross rent | $1,063 | $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 | 79.3 yr ± 1.23 | 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 1.23 years of 79.3, 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