ZIP code
24529
in Buffalo Junction, VirginiaPopulation 1,345
45.30/ 100
Ranked #22,098 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 31%)
Ranked #649 of 873 Virginia ZIPs (bottom 26%)
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.
Home broadband subscription
68.8%
in the bottom 5.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST10thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$27,243
in the bottom 1.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
11.6%
in the bottom 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Diabetes
17.9%
in the top 8.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
44.3%
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
46.4%
in the top 9.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST87thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
21.3%
in the top 14.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS86thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
102.1 days/year
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS78thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, Buffalo Junction, Virginia (ZIP 24529) lands in the bottom 31% nationally (22,098th) and the bottom 26% of Virginia (649th).
Neither strongly one way nor the other, the measures sit mixed: modeled binge drinking resides in the bottom 4.9% nationally. Unemployment lands at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Households without a vehicle registers at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled arsenic sits in the bottom 10.5% nationally. Against that, home broadband subscription rests in the bottom 5.6% nationally, household income is in the bottom 1.4% nationally, and modeled diabetes stands in the top 8.4% nationally. Modeled high cholesterol settles in the top 6.0% nationally. Fiber broadband lies at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled high blood pressure resides in the top 9.0% nationally.
To translate a couple of terms, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 23927, 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 77%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 77%
13%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 59%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 59%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 9%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 17%
16%
Disability
healthier than 26%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 32%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 35%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 64%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 62%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 66%
8%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 49%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 41%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 16%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 14%
16%
Disability
healthier than 31%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 17%
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 76.6; chronic-disease standing 9.4 (bottom 10%) — 67 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,243 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
23927
Virginiashares a border
Score 46.40
Closest healthier
24580
Virginiashares a border
Score 46.92
Similar health profile
62820
Illinois97% similar profile
Score 43.79
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 | 36.9% | 33.4–40.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 46.4% | 42.3–50.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.8% | 9.7–12.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.3% | 10.0–12.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.9% | 8.3–11.6 |
| Depression among adults | 22.9% | 19.6–26.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.9% | 15.7–20.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 44.3% | 40.0–48.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.1% | 33.3–47.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.1% | 4.6–5.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 21.3% | 17.8–25.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.9% | 7.1–11.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 83.0% | 80.5–85.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 83.0% | 79.9–85.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.6% | 87.9–91.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.8% | 64.0–73.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 61.2% | 57.5–64.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.4% | 65.4–80.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 11.6% | 9.4–14.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.2% | 12.6–18.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.3% | 24.7–34.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.8% | 32.6–45.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.4% | 20.1–27.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.9% | 13.9–18.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.6% | 14.5–18.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.1% | 13.0–17.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.6% | 32.1–41.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.3% | 8.2–10.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.9% | 8.5–11.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.3% | 17.5–23.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.4–5.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.3% | 5.5–7.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.6% | 18.4–25.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.0% | 12.4–18.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 14.1% | 11.4–16.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 9.8–13.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 7.1–9.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.3% | 27.6–37.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.2% | 7.0–9.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.2% (2.0–22.9%) n=863 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 15.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.3% (0.0–19.2%) n=861 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 20.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.2% (1.9–20.7%) n=872 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 18.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.0% (9.2–59.8%) n=872 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 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 | 68.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.9% (69.5–97.9%) n=862 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.1% (10.8–38.1%) n=862 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.1% (52.2–95.9%) n=862 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.3% | 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 | 42.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (38.2–78.2%) n=855 |
| Population 65+ | 31.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (10.8–37.3%) n=874 |
| Median age | 52.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (34.0–59.2) n=864 |
| Median household income | $27,243 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,854 ($46,504–$141,698) n=804 |
| Median home value | $175,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $274,800 ($123,240–$642,380) n=789 |
| Median gross rent | $830 | $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 | 75.3 yr ± 1.28 | 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 1.28 years of 75.3, 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