ZIP code
24153
in Salem, VirginiaPopulation 38,914
54.52/ 100
Ranked #10,047 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 31%)
Ranked #286 of 873 Virginia ZIPs (top 33%)
Ranked #12 of 33 Roanoke, VA ZIPs (top 36%)
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.
Park land
19.8%
in the top 7.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST89thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
306 units
in the top 8.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST88thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
70.2%
in the top 9.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST84thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS83rdDefinition & 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 19% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS81stDefinition & 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 ›The read
By the composite measure, Salem, Virginia (ZIP 24153) sits in the top 31% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,047th) and the top 33% of Virginia (286th).
Reading across the measures, this area's clearest strengths come through: distance to an emergency room resides at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Park land lies in the top 7.0% nationally, subsidized affordable housing settles in the top 8.0% nationally, and modeled tree cover stands in the top 9.0% nationally. Physicians is in the top 11.6% nationally. Distance to a nursing home rests at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Grocery sits in the top 14.5% nationally, and transit registers in the top 16% nationally. By contrast, distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lands at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Modeled disaster risk resides in the top 17% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs that surround it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain language, distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. ZIP 24018, just across the boundary, ranks healthier overall.
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 Roanoke, VA metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 85%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 79%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 74%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 76%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 52%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 40%
8%
Disability
healthier than 59%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 56%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 17%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 68%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 80%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 66%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 69%
11%
Disability
healthier than 67%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 65%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 85%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 4%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 40%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 81%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 72%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 69%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 69%
11%
Disability
healthier than 69%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 88%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 50%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 44%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 13%
14%
“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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 77.0 ± 0.9 years. A median household income of $74,260 predicts 78.9 years — 1.9 years below.
Ranked #2,489 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
24017
Virginiashares a border
Score 36.31
Closest healthier
24018
Virginiashares a border
Score 62.68
Similar health profile
46635
Indiana96% similar profile
Score 55.97
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 | 30.4% | 28.1–33.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.6% | 33.7–39.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.7% | 9.1–10.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.7% | 9.8–11.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.1% | 6.5–7.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.3% | 6.7–8.1 |
| Depression among adults | 24.8% | 22.1–27.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.3% | 11.1–13.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.6% | 36.5–42.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 34.9% | 29.8–40.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.4–3.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.0% | 11.1–15.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.4% | 6.4–8.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.1% | 77.0–81.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.8% | 77.2–82.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.6% | 86.2–89.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.9% | 66.3–73.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 69.6% | 67.1–72.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.1% | 71.4–81.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.7% | 12.8–16.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.0% | 11.5–14.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.9% | 21.0–27.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.7% | 29.9–39.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.8% | 16.0–19.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.7% | 15.2–18.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.9% | 12.7–15.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.6% | 13.2–16.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.7% | 28.7–34.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.7% | 7.1–8.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.4–8.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.7% | 13.3–16.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.5% | 3.2–3.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.2–4.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 19.8% | 17.5–22.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.8–10.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.8–10.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.5% | 5.8–7.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.8% | 29.3–36.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.9% | 5.2–6.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.2% (2.0–22.9%) n=863 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.3% (0.0–19.2%) n=861 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.2% (1.9–20.7%) n=872 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 31.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.0% (9.2–59.8%) n=872 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.0–8.2%) n=860 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.0–11.3%) n=862 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.3% | 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 | 71.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.1% (52.2–95.9%) n=862 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=862 |
| Foreign-born population | 4.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.9% (0.0–17.0%) n=874 |
| Single-parent households | 52.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (38.2–78.2%) n=855 |
| Population 65+ | 20.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (10.8–37.3%) n=874 |
| Median age | 42.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (34.0–59.2) n=864 |
| Median household income | $74,260 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,854 ($46,504–$141,698) n=804 |
| Median home value | $266,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $274,800 ($123,240–$642,380) n=789 |
| Median gross rent | $1,124 | $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 | 77.0 yr ± 0.46 | 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 0.46 years of 77.0, 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