ZIP code
25501
in Alkol, West VirginiaPopulation 1,268
21.95/ 100
Ranked #31,745 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 1.1%)
Ranked #637 of 697 West Virginia ZIPs (bottom 8.7%)
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.
Tooth loss
33.5%
in the top 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
16.1%
in the top 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
93.8%
in the top 0.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
24.5%
in the top 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
36.5%
in the top 1.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
20.7%
in the top 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Self-care disability
7.6%
in the top 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
11.8%
in the top 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Obesity
48.6%
in the top 1.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
25.4%
in the top 3.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Cross-source signals
Health need and barriers to care documented here
On our reading, this ZIP code carries the overlap at its acute level: acute means at least three of the six health-need readings and at least three of the six access barriers apply to the same place.
These are two separate readings of public data that both apply to this place — never a claim that one causes the other, never a severity score, and never a statement about any person who lives here.
Health need documented here
- People living in poverty
- Food insecurity
- Adults reporting fair or poor health
- Chronic conditions
Barriers to reaching care
- Thin local supply of doctors
- Thin local supply of pharmacies
- Limited home internet for telehealth
A reading appears below only where this ZIP code is among the most-affected 10% of US ZIP codes on it — one national bar, the same for every ZIP in the country.
See the full care-deserts analysis →The read
Alkol, West Virginia (ZIP 25501), by its composite score, sits in the bottom 1.1% nationally (31,745th) and the bottom 8.7% of West Virginia (637th).
What the data marks out about this place comes first: modeled tooth loss rests in the top 1.6% nationally, and independent living disability resides in the top 1.6% nationally. Modeled cognitive disability is in the top 1.3% nationally, and fair or poor health lands in the top 1.8% nationally. Modeled diabetes stands in the top 2.8% nationally, self-care disability registers in the top 3.9% nationally, and coronary heart disease settles in the top 2.1% nationally. Modeled obesity sits in the top 1.2% nationally, and mobility disability lies in the top 3.0% nationally. On the better side, modeled tree cover rests in the top 0.4% nationally.
For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 25506, just across the boundary. The area further shows documented health need overlapping with barriers to reaching care, sitting in the most-affected 10% of US ZIP codes on several need measures and several access barriers.
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
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 61%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 58%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
in the bottom 0.8%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 4%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 21%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the bottom 0.9%
11%
Mental Health
in the bottom 0.6%
8%
Disability
healthier than 2%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 37%
5%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 48%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 13%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 12%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 11%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 10%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 10%
8%
Disability
healthier than 8%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 25%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 25%
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 58.1; chronic-disease standing 0.7 (bottom 1%) — 57 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,921 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
25506
West Virginiashares a border
Score 28.80
Closest healthier
25529
West Virginiashares a border
Score 36.46
Similar health profile
25671
West Virginia100% similar profile
Score 18.32
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 | 42.7% | 38.7–46.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 49.4% | 44.9–53.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.2% | 8.3–10.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 13.3% | 11.7–15.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 11.8% | 10.5–13.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 16.5% | 14.3–18.6 |
| Depression among adults | 33.5% | 29.0–38.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 20.7% | 18.1–23.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.8% | 39.2–48.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 48.6% | 40.5–56.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.8% | 5.2–6.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 33.5% | 28.8–38.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 12.4% | 9.8–15.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.4% | 77.7–82.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.5% | 76.9–83.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.1% | 80.6–85.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.3% | 57.2–67.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 44.0% | 40.3–47.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.5% | 64.3–79.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.6% | 10.2–15.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 29.6% | 25.7–33.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 40.4% | 34.9–46.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 45.0% | 38.6–51.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 36.5% | 32.0–40.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 24.3% | 21.6–27.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 23.1% | 20.3–25.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 24.5% | 21.6–27.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 48.1% | 42.8–53.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.7% | 10.3–13.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 16.1% | 14.1–18.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 25.4% | 22.2–28.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.6–8.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 9.4% | 8.2–10.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.9% | 21.1–29.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 27.0% | 22.8–31.5 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 33.8% | 29.3–38.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.4% | 15.6–21.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 13.9% | 12.0–15.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.2% | 30.1–40.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 17.6% | 15.2–20.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WV median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 27.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 16.3% (0.0–41.0%) n=694 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.1% (0.0–21.5%) n=682 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 24.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.8% (0.9–29.6%) n=695 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 10.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 14.1% (0.0–32.5%) n=695 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.4% (0.0–17.9%) n=668 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.3% (0.0–17.1%) n=694 |
| Broadband subscription | 81.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 85.7% (62.6–100.0%) n=694 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 16.7% (0.0–34.6%) n=694 |
| Homeownership rate | 94.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 84.0% (61.6–100.0%) n=694 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.0% (0.0–4.1%) n=694 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.0% (0.0–2.1%) n=696 |
| Single-parent households | 81.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.0% (31.3–90.6%) n=686 |
| Population 65+ | 25.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.0% (10.4–45.0%) n=696 |
| Median age | 54.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.9 yr (32.6–62.1) n=681 |
| Median household income | $42,188 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,088 ($33,083–$85,218) n=539 |
| Median home value | $109,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $125,600 ($66,920–$223,500) n=553 |
| Median gross rent | — | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $802 ($586–$1,085) n=293 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WV median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 72.9 yr ± 0.92 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 76.2 yr (73.1–81.1) n=686 |
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 0.92 years of 72.9, 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