ZipCheckup Data Desk for Journalists

Source-bound data notes, methodology, corrected releases, and press contacts for reporting with ZipCheckup.

Current editorial status

ZipCheckup completed a data-trust rebuild in August 2026. Earlier copy-ready rankings and headline statistics were removed when their full source trail or current-model comparability could not be reproduced. This desk now separates current source-bound material from historical or withdrawn analysis.

What journalists can use

• Current ZIP and water-system pages with their displayed source, scope, and data status.
• The Home Safety Score methodology below, without importing retired national totals or state rankings.
• Local downloadable packages whose README states the exact fields, record count, version, and withheld fields.
• A correction notice when an earlier ZipCheckup analysis has been withdrawn or superseded.

Current scoring method

The current Home Safety Score is model 4.0.0. It requires four inputs: drinking-water compliance from SDWIS and ECHO, with PFAS kept inside the drinking-water domain; radon; and annual AQI. The four inputs form three equally weighted domains. A ZIP is unscored when any required input is unavailable. Grades use A at 85, B at 70, C at 55, D at 40, and F below 40. The site's 17-vertical registry describes broader context and future candidates; it is not a set of 17 weighted score components.

Attribution and verification

Cite the exact page or package version you used and retain its data date. Do not describe an unavailable value as zero. “ND” means not detected at the source's reporting limit, not the numeric value zero. For a custom cut or a source question, email [email protected].

Updated: August 6, 2026.