ZIP code
24437
in Fort Defiance, VirginiaPopulation 1,468
47.97/ 100
Ranked #18,966 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 41%)
Ranked #548 of 873 Virginia ZIPs (bottom 37%)
Ranked #14 of 21 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA ZIPs (bottom 33%)
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.
Elder-services access
0.95 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›Poverty rate
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Child-care access
0.95 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of child day-care services 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 ›Unemployment rate
12.0%
in the top 6.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 14.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS14thDefinition & 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 ›Radon
2.5 pCi/L
in the top 20% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS80thDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20 per million
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS25thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›The read
Fort Defiance, Virginia (ZIP 24437), on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 41% nationally (18,966th) and the bottom 37% of Virginia (548th).
The main burdens in the data show plainly and lead the picture: unemployment stands in the top 6.5% nationally, distance to a community health center is in the top 15% nationally, and modeled high cholesterol rests in the top 12.1% nationally. More positively, elder services sits in the top 0.9% nationally, poverty registers at the national minimum, and childcare lands in the top 2.6% nationally. Households without a vehicle resides at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled binge drinking lies in the bottom 10.6% nationally, and disaster risk settles in the bottom 14.3% nationally. Crowded housing stands at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, elder services runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 22980, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Staunton-Stuarts Draft, 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 64%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 75%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 67%
11%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 40%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 51%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 20%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 33%
8%
Disability
healthier than 33%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 14%
5%
Lifting this score
Risk Behavior
healthier than 61%
11%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 56%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 60%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 54%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 33%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 19%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 28%
8%
Disability
healthier than 40%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 14%
5%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 85%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 60%
11%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 50%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 45%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 20%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 30%
14%
Disability
healthier than 25%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 5%
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
22980
Virginiashares a border
Score 49.74
Closest healthier
24401
Virginiashares a border
Score 52.41
Similar health profile
27016
North Carolina95% similar profile
Score 47.55
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 | 34.9% | 31.2–38.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.0% | 36.7–45.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.0% | 10.0–12.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.9% | 9.6–12.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.8% | 7.8–9.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.5% | 8.2–10.8 |
| Depression among adults | 25.4% | 21.7–29.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.7% | 12.8–16.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.7% | 38.2–47.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.5% | 34.1–49.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.4% | 4.0–4.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.9% | 13.1–19.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.7% | 7.1–10.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.0% | 78.2–83.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.4% | 78.3–84.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.5% | 87.0–90.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.4% | 65.7–74.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.3% | 61.9–68.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.6% | 65.8–80.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.6% | 10.2–15.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.8% | 13.4–18.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.1% | 23.7–33.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.0% | 29.4–40.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.6% | 18.7–24.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.1% | 15.2–19.3 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.4% | 14.4–18.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.8% | 13.8–18.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.6% | 33.1–42.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.4% | 8.2–10.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.6% | 16.1–21.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.8–4.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.8–6.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.8% | 17.5–24.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.4% | 10.2–14.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.7% | 8.8–12.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.6% | 8.0–11.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.8% | 5.8–7.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.6% | 27.6–37.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.2% | 5.2–7.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 0.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.2% (2.0–22.9%) n=863 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.3% (0.0–19.2%) n=861 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.2% (1.9–20.7%) n=872 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 38.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.0% (9.2–59.8%) n=872 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 12.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.0–8.2%) n=860 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.0–11.3%) n=862 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.9% (69.5–97.9%) n=862 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 18.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.1% (10.8–38.1%) n=862 |
| Homeownership rate | 88.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.1% (52.2–95.9%) n=862 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=862 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.9% (0.0–17.0%) n=874 |
| Single-parent households | 77.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (38.2–78.2%) n=855 |
| Population 65+ | 22.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (10.8–37.3%) n=874 |
| Median age | 56.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (34.0–59.2) n=864 |
| Median household income | $87,200 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,854 ($46,504–$141,698) n=804 |
| Median home value | $310,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $274,800 ($123,240–$642,380) n=789 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 78.9 yr ± 1.10 | 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 1.10 years of 78.9, 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