Childhood Environmental Risk Score by ZIP — Lead, Water & Housing
Check the childhood environmental risk score for any U.S. ZIP code — a calm, parent-facing look at school water lead, housing-age lead paint, water system violations, and EPA radon zone. Modeled from public federal data.
- A composite childhood environmental risk score with national and state percentile
- A four-factor breakdown — water lead, air toxics, housing-age lead paint, and water violations
- The area's EPA radon zone and a practical, non-alarmist checklist for families
What you'll see in the report
- A composite childhood environmental risk score for your ZIP, with its national and state percentile.
- A four-factor breakdown showing which factors weigh most — and what each means for a child.
- The area's EPA radon zone and a rule-based checklist of practical steps for families.
- Plain-language context on what the score does and does not mean — it is informational, not a diagnosis.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the childhood environmental risk score calculated?
The score combines four factors — school district water lead data, housing-age lead paint probability, EPA water system violation history, and modeled air toxics near schools — into a composite from 0 to 100. It draws on public data from the EPA and the U.S. Census Bureau. Every figure is a modeled estimate, not a medical diagnosis.
Does a high score mean my child is in danger?
No. The score reflects area-level environmental and housing data, not the condition of any individual home or the health of any individual child. It is informational — a starting point for practical steps like testing your tap water — and is not a diagnosis or a prediction.
Why does the report focus on children?
Children are more vulnerable to some environmental exposures than adults — for example, young children absorb lead more readily, and there is no known safe level of lead in a child's blood. The report highlights the factors that public health agencies say matter most for families.
Is this medical advice?
No. ZipCheckup is an information service. The score is modeled from public federal data and is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a substitute for guidance from your pediatrician or local health department.
How often is the data updated?
The underlying environmental and housing datasets refresh on a regular schedule. Each report shows the date its figures were last modeled.
Data Sources & Methodology
Data Sources
- EPA Safe Drinking Water Act / school district lead data — School district water lead data and EPA water system violation history.
- U.S. Census Bureau — housing age — U.S. Census Bureau housing-age estimates used as a lead paint probability proxy.
- EPA Map of Radon Zones — EPA Map of Radon Zones, which classifies counties into radon-potential zones 1-3.
Methodology
The childhood environmental risk score is a weighted composite of school district water lead (30%), modeled air toxics near schools (25%), housing-age lead paint probability (25%), and EPA water system violation history (20%). Weights are renormalized when a factor has no data for a ZIP. The score is compared against all U.S. ZIP codes and against ZIP codes in the same state to produce percentiles. All figures are modeled estimates from public federal data.