ZIP code
23958
in Pamplin City, VirginiaPopulation 3,425
42.43/ 100
Ranked #24,886 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 22%)
Ranked #727 of 873 Virginia ZIPs (bottom 17%)
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.
Arsenic in groundwater
1.0%
in the bottom 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
22.5 mi
in the top 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
70.3%
in the bottom 6.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST11thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
18.3%
in the top 7.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
12.2%
in the bottom 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST17thUS8thDefinition & 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 ›Poverty rate
26.4%
in the top 9.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
35 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS90thDefinition & 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 ›High blood pressure
46.1%
in the top 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
43.4%
in the top 9.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST75thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Pamplin City, Virginia (ZIP 23958) ranks in the bottom 22% nationally (24,886th) and the bottom 17% of Virginia (727th).
The measures split the difference for this area: modeled arsenic lies in the bottom 2.3% nationally, and binge drinking resides in the bottom 7.9% nationally. Against that, distance to an emergency room lands in the top 4.1% nationally, and home broadband subscription registers in the bottom 6.3% nationally. Modeled diabetes sits in the top 7.2% nationally, poverty rests in the top 9.4% nationally, and fatal road crashes is in the top 9.6% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure stands in the top 9.6% nationally, stroke settles in the top 10.1% nationally, and mobility disability lies in the top 12.2% nationally.
In plainer terms, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 23901, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 65%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 68%
13%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 49%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 10%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 14%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 39%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 35%
8%
Disability
healthier than 16%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 35%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 44%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 47%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 48%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 17%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 10%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 23%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 31%
8%
Disability
healthier than 17%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 40%
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 ›
Findings that name this ZIP
One of our published findings lists this ZIP code. Each finding compares one published measure against a stated benchmark, and names only the ZIP codes whose estimates are reliable enough to rank. See all surprising findings.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 64.6; chronic-disease standing 10.2 — 54 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #2,150 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
23901
Virginiashares a border
Score 46.40
Closest healthier
23934
Virginiashares a border
Score 47.03
Similar health profile
24165
Virginia99% similar profile
Score 43.83
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 | 35.5% | 32.8–38.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 46.1% | 42.9–49.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.2% | 8.5–9.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.9% | 10.8–13.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.2% | 8.5–10.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.5% | 9.4–11.7 |
| Depression among adults | 23.7% | 21.1–26.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 18.3% | 16.6–20.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.4% | 40.1–46.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.8% | 36.3–47.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.3% | 4.9–5.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.0% | 15.6–20.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.2% | 7.8–10.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.9% | 80.0–83.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.6% | 79.2–83.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.3% | 85.8–88.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.1% | 64.7–71.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.9% | 58.1–63.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.8% | 69.4–79.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.2% | 10.5–14.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.6% | 15.6–19.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.9% | 28.3–35.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.8% | 34.2–43.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.8% | 23.4–28.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.1% | 16.6–19.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.3% | 15.8–19.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.4% | 15.7–19.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.4% | 36.0–42.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.8% | 8.0–9.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.3% | 10.2–12.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 21.3% | 19.3–23.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.9% | 5.4–6.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.7–8.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.1% | 20.4–25.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.4% | 17.1–21.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 19.3% | 16.9–21.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.6% | 12.9–16.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.4% | 9.3–11.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.9% | 30.2–37.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 26.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.2% (2.0–22.9%) n=863 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.3% (0.0–19.2%) n=861 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 12.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.2% (1.9–20.7%) n=872 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.0% (9.2–59.8%) n=872 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.0–8.2%) n=860 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.0–11.3%) n=862 |
| Broadband subscription | 70.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.9% (69.5–97.9%) n=862 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.1% (10.8–38.1%) n=862 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.1% (52.2–95.9%) n=862 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=862 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.9% (0.0–17.0%) n=874 |
| Single-parent households | 48.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (38.2–78.2%) n=855 |
| Population 65+ | 22.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (10.8–37.3%) n=874 |
| Median age | 38.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (34.0–59.2) n=864 |
| Median household income | $53,650 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,854 ($46,504–$141,698) n=804 |
| Median home value | $201,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $274,800 ($123,240–$642,380) n=789 |
| Median gross rent | $1,157 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,144 ($742–$2,191) n=615 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 76.4 yr ± 0.64 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 77.6 yr (74.5–81.4) n=826 |
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 0.64 years of 76.4, 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