ZIP code
62897
in Whittington, IllinoisPopulation 542
42.83/ 100
Ranked #24,523 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 24%)
Ranked #1,239 of 1,368 Illinois ZIPs (bottom 9.5%)
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.
Grocery access
2.3 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.02% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Recreation access
2.3 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Loud transportation noise
3.9%
in the top 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS98thDefinition & 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
16.9%
in the top 3.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Lead in tap water
0 ppb
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
US1stDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Mammography
67.4%
in the bottom 6.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST4thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
31.5%
in the top 9.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Poverty rate
25.8%
in the top 10.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
18.7%
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS78thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
86.4 days/year
in the top 30% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS70thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.
Full methodology ›The read
On the composite measure, Whittington, Illinois (ZIP 62897) stands in the bottom 24% nationally (24,523rd) and the bottom 9.5% of Illinois (1,239th).
A number of readings press hard on the profile and set its tone: modeled loud transportation noise settles in the top 2.3% nationally, and transportation noise rests in the top 3.4% nationally. Modeled mammography lands in the bottom 6.3% nationally, and floodplain exposure settles in the top 9.3% nationally. Poverty rests in the top 10.0% nationally, modeled pfas lands in the top 11.0% nationally, and unemployment settles in the top 12.4% nationally. On the brighter side, grocery rests in the top 0.02% nationally, recreation lands in the top 1.1% nationally, and lead in tap water settles at the national minimum.
Set beside the wider area around it, grocery runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. 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. ZIP 62816, 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.
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 40%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 31%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 5%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 30%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 31%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 33%
8%
Disability
healthier than 37%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 17%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 47%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 17%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 10%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 22%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 19%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 9%
8%
Disability
healthier than 17%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 7%
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
62812
Illinoisshares a border
Score 41.29
Closest healthier
62816
Illinoisshares a border
Score 43.70
Similar health profile
15088
Pennsylvania97% similar profile
Score 39.30
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% | 27.3–34.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.8% | 33.5–42.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.8% | 8.8–10.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.2–9.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.0% | 8.2–11.9 |
| Depression among adults | 23.7% | 19.7–27.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.6% | 11.5–15.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.5% | 33.8–43.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.2% | 31.4–48.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.7–4.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.7% | 15.0–22.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.0% | 5.8–10.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.6% | 75.6–81.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.5% | 74.6–82.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.2% | 82.5–87.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.6% | 57.1–68.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 61.7% | 57.7–65.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 67.4% | 58.0–76.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.6% | 14.4–21.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.6% | 13.3–20.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.2% | 21.0–31.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.7% | 29.7–44.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.9% | 18.1–26.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.3% | 15.8–20.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.5% | 13.2–17.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.3% | 12.8–18.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.3% | 28.9–39.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.5–9.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.7% | 8.2–11.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.8% | 14.0–19.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.5% | 3.8–5.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.5% | 4.6–6.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.2% | 20.0–28.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.0% | 11.6–18.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 15.4% | 11.9–19.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.0% | 8.8–13.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.1% | 6.6–9.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.3% | 27.6–39.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 6.2–8.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 25.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.4% (3.4–21.4%) n=1,378 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 40.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.6% (1.7–15.2%) n=1,375 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 29.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 6.5% (2.1–16.1%) n=1,377 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 12.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.6% (9.3–49.2%) n=1,377 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 8.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.7–10.0%) n=1,375 |
| Households without a vehicle | 7.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–11.8%) n=1,377 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 89.4% (77.4–96.0%) n=1,377 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 21.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.2% (10.7–34.7%) n=1,377 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 80.9% (61.0–94.1%) n=1,377 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.9% (0.0–4.1%) n=1,377 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.4% (0.0–17.6%) n=1,378 |
| Single-parent households | 30.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 53.8% (39.6–70.3%) n=1,372 |
| Population 65+ | 8.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.4% (12.1–28.7%) n=1,378 |
| Median age | 26.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.1 yr (34.3–52.1) n=1,373 |
| Median household income | $78,125 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $75,429 ($50,714–$114,949) n=1,334 |
| Median home value | $89,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $154,250 ($86,310–$346,100) n=1,332 |
| Median gross rent | $967 | $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 | 76.7 yr ± 1.40 | 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 1.40 years of 76.7, 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