Skip to main content
ZipVitals

Menu

ZIP code

24580

in Nelson, VirginiaPopulation 360

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

46.92/ 100

Ranked #20,256 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 37%)

Ranked #587 of 873 Virginia ZIPs (bottom 33%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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

55.3%

in the bottom 2.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST4th
US2nd
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

Arsenic in groundwater

1.3%

in the bottom 9.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST11th
US9th
Definition & 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 ›

Binge drinking

12.4%

in the bottom 9.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST20th
US9th
Definition & 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 ›

High cholesterol

43.4%

in the top 9.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST75th
US91st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.

Full methodology ›

Floodplain exposure

1.3%

in the bottom 14.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST7th
US14th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.

Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.

Full methodology ›

Humid extreme heat

102 days/year

in the top 22% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US78th
Definition & 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 ›

Energy-cost burden

4.3%

in the top 20% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
US80th
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.

A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.

Full methodology ›

The read

On the composite measure, Nelson, Virginia (ZIP 24580) stands in the bottom 37% nationally (20,256th) and the bottom 33% of Virginia (587th).

continue reading

Several signals sit on each side of the ledger here: unemployment registers at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled arsenic lies in the bottom 9.3% nationally, and binge drinking is in the bottom 9.2% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise registers at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Floodplain exposure lies in the bottom 14.2% nationally. Working the other way, home broadband subscription is in the bottom 2.2% nationally. Fiber broadband registers at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled diabetes lies in the top 11.0% nationally, and high cholesterol is in the top 9.0% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure registers in the top 12.1% nationally.

For clarity, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". ZIP 27507, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.

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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 88%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 77%

13%

About typical

Risk Behavior

healthier than 57%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 50%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 54%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 15%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 18%

16%

Disability

healthier than 26%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 25%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 82%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 63%

13%

About typical

Risk Behavior

healthier than 45%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 57%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 59%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 27%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 15%

16%

Disability

healthier than 31%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 27%

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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults35.6%32.1–39.5
High blood pressure among adults45.1%41.0–49.5
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults10.5%9.4–11.6
Current asthma among adults11.3%10.0–12.7
Coronary heart disease among adults9.4%8.2–10.8
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults9.8%8.1–11.6
Depression among adults23.3%20.2–27.0
Diagnosed diabetes among adults17.2%14.9–19.8
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened43.4%39.3–47.7
Obesity among adults39.8%33.0–47.0
Stroke among adults5.0%4.3–5.6
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years10.6%8.5–13.0
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years8.5%6.5–10.9
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure81.9%79.3–84.3
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults82.1%78.9–85.0
Cholesterol screening among adults88.5%86.5–90.3
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years65.7%60.9–70.4
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults63.7%60.1–67.2
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years77.5%70.3–83.7
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults12.4%10.1–15.0
Current cigarette smoking among adults15.5%12.4–18.8
No leisure-time physical activity among adults28.9%23.9–34.2
Short sleep duration among adults38.1%32.0–44.5
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults23.1%19.5–27.1
Frequent mental distress among adults16.6%14.5–18.8
Frequent physical distress among adults16.4%14.2–18.9
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults15.7%13.4–18.2
Any disability among adults36.5%31.6–41.8
Hearing disability among adults9.4%8.1–10.7
Independent living disability among adults9.9%8.5–11.5
Mobility disability among adults19.5%16.5–22.8
Self-care disability among adults5.0%4.3–5.9
Vision disability among adults6.2%5.3–7.1
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults21.8%18.3–25.6
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults15.0%11.9–18.2
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults13.9%10.9–17.2
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults11.6%9.6–13.9
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults8.4%7.1–10.0
Loneliness among adults32.9%28.0–38.0
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults8.1%6.8–9.6
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)VA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate5.6%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,3649.2% (2.0–22.9%) n=863
Uninsured 18–6412.6%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,2868.3% (0.0–19.2%) n=861
No HS diploma (25+)12.1%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,5059.2% (1.9–20.7%) n=872
Bachelor's or higher (25+)26.4%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50526.0% (9.2–59.8%) n=872
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2743.2% (0.0–8.2%) n=860
Households without a vehicle3.8%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.6% (0.0–11.3%) n=862
Broadband subscription55.3%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.9% (69.5–97.9%) n=862
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)24.5%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32223.1% (10.8–38.1%) n=862
Homeownership rate64.4%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32278.1% (52.2–95.9%) n=862
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3220.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=862
Foreign-born population5.6%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5532.9% (0.0–17.0%) n=874
Single-parent households91.1%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08754.3% (38.2–78.2%) n=855
Population 65+24.7%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55320.5% (10.8–37.3%) n=874
Median age59.4 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29243.6 yr (34.0–59.2) n=864
Median household income$54,853$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$73,854 ($46,504–$141,698) n=804
Median home value$127,600$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$274,800 ($123,240–$642,380) n=789
Median gross rent$676$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$1,144 ($742–$2,191) n=615
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)VA median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth75.1 yr ± 1.4278.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30877.6 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 1.42 years of 75.1, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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