ZIP code
24521
in Amherst, VirginiaPopulation 10,599
49.13/ 100
Ranked #17,474 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 46%)
Ranked #504 of 873 Virginia ZIPs (bottom 42%)
Ranked #17 of 28 Lynchburg, VA ZIPs (bottom 39%)
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.
Distance to a Superfund site
0.2 mi
in the bottom 4.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST3rdUS4thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
70.8%
in the top 8.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST85thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Amherst, Virginia (ZIP 24521) sits in the bottom 46% nationally (17,474th) and the bottom 42% of Virginia (504th).
An even profile, with readings pulling both ways: modeled tree cover lies in the top 8.8% nationally, park land registers in the top 10.6% nationally, and mental-health providers is in the top 10.7% nationally. Distance to a community health center lies at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Distance to a nursing home registers at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Modeled binge drinking is in the bottom 14.7% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing lies in the top 17% nationally. Grocery registers in the top 20% nationally. Against that, distance to a Superfund site is in the bottom 4.5% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lies at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.
Placed beside its immediate neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put plainly, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. 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. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 22964, 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 Lynchburg, 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 69%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 72%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 77%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 55%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 55%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 49%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 55%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 20%
21%
Disability
healthier than 29%
7%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 62%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 62%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 86%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 54%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 43%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 55%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 34%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 33%
14%
Disability
healthier than 35%
7%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 70%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 67%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 74%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 74%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 74%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 41%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 44%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 15%
21%
Disability
healthier than 22%
7%
“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 76.6 ± 1.1 years. A median household income of $73,571 predicts 78.9 years — 2.2 years below.
Ranked #3,030 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
22922
Virginiashares a border
Score 46.80
Closest healthier
22964
Virginiashares a border
Score 51.92
Similar health profile
24147
Virginia96% similar profile
Score 49.43
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 | 33.9% | 30.2–37.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.0% | 38.6–47.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.9% | 9.0–10.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.3% | 10.0–12.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.7% | 7.8–9.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.4% | 8.3–10.6 |
| Depression among adults | 23.0% | 19.6–26.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.0% | 13.9–18.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.3% | 36.9–46.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.6% | 31.9–47.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.7% | 4.3–5.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.7% | 12.9–18.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.1% | 7.6–10.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.1% | 78.4–83.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.7% | 77.5–83.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.9% | 86.3–89.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.6% | 62.7–72.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 62.5% | 58.9–66.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.0% | 69.6–83.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.1% | 10.7–15.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.9% | 13.6–18.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.7% | 25.1–34.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.3% | 29.8–43.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.7% | 19.9–25.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.0% | 15.0–19.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.1% | 14.2–18.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.9% | 14.0–17.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.6% | 32.1–41.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.8% | 7.8–9.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.9% | 8.8–11.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.8% | 16.6–21.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.5–6.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.4% | 18.2–24.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.8% | 12.6–17.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.4% | 11.3–15.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.3% | 9.7–13.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.2% | 7.1–9.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.4% | 26.7–36.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.7% | 6.7–8.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.2% (2.0–22.9%) n=863 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.3% (0.0–19.2%) n=861 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.2% (1.9–20.7%) n=872 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 29.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.0% (9.2–59.8%) n=872 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.0–8.2%) n=860 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.0–11.3%) n=862 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.9% (69.5–97.9%) n=862 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 19.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.1% (10.8–38.1%) n=862 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.1% (52.2–95.9%) n=862 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=862 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.9% (0.0–17.0%) n=874 |
| Single-parent households | 59.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (38.2–78.2%) n=855 |
| Population 65+ | 22.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (10.8–37.3%) n=874 |
| Median age | 43.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (34.0–59.2) n=864 |
| Median household income | $73,571 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,854 ($46,504–$141,698) n=804 |
| Median home value | $240,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $274,800 ($123,240–$642,380) n=789 |
| Median gross rent | $846 | $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 | 76.6 yr ± 0.54 | 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 0.54 years of 76.6, 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