ZIP code
25514
in Fort Gay, West VirginiaPopulation 3,520
24.77/ 100
Ranked #31,499 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 1.8%)
Ranked #611 of 697 West Virginia ZIPs (bottom 12.4%)
Ranked #56 of 65 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH ZIPs (bottom 13.9%)
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.
Cognitive disability
24.1%
in the top 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
15.1%
in the top 2.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Short sleep
46.4%
in the top 1.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
33.8%
in the top 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
87.6%
in the top 2.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST67thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
27.4%
in the top 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST69thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
23.6%
in the top 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST72ndUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Obesity
45.7%
in the top 3.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Elder-services access
0.25 per 1,000 residents
in the top 5.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Fatal road crashes
42.6 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite health measure, Fort Gay, West Virginia (ZIP 25514) ranks in the bottom 1.8% nationally (31,499th) and the bottom 12.4% of West Virginia (611th).
Where the load on this area runs deepest, the data leads: modeled cognitive disability resides in the top 1.6% nationally, and independent living disability registers in the top 2.5% nationally. Modeled short sleep rests in the top 1.7% nationally, and fair or poor health stands in the top 3.6% nationally. Modeled tooth loss lies in the top 4.9% nationally, mobility disability lands in the top 5.6% nationally, and obesity sits in the top 3.4% nationally. Fatal road crashes is in the top 6.0% nationally. More encouragingly, modeled tree cover settles in the top 2.1% nationally, and elder services resides in the top 5.5% nationally.
Close by, ZIP 25555, just across the boundary, ranks healthier overall. Modeled fair or poor health resides in the top 3.6% nationally.
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 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 79%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 54%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 60%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 3%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 6%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 19%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the bottom 0.4%
11%
Mental Health
in the bottom 0.4%
8%
Disability
healthier than 4%
7%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 88%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 44%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 37%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 14%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 8%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 6%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 5%
8%
Disability
healthier than 18%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 20%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 77%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 79%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 79%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 16%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 16%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 9%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 9%
8%
Disability
healthier than 12%
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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 54.2; chronic-disease standing 3.1 (bottom 10%) — 51 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #2,404 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
25511
West Virginiashares a border
Score 17.13
Closest healthier
25555
West Virginiashares a border
Score 33.46
Similar health profile
25911
West Virginia100% similar profile
Score 26.54
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 | 40.1% | 36.5–43.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 46.8% | 42.6–51.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.8% | 7.9–9.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 13.5% | 12.0–15.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.1% | 9.1–11.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 14.6% | 12.9–16.5 |
| Depression among adults | 34.0% | 29.9–38.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 18.1% | 15.9–20.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.9% | 38.8–47.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 45.7% | 38.4–53.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.6–5.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 27.4% | 23.3–31.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.7% | 9.5–14.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.0% | 76.1–81.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.7% | 75.9–83.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.2% | 80.8–85.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.8% | 58.8–68.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 44.0% | 40.2–47.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 70.4% | 62.1–77.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.9% | 11.3–17.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 28.1% | 24.6–32.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 41.0% | 35.8–46.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 46.4% | 40.0–52.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 33.8% | 29.9–38.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 25.3% | 22.7–28.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 21.6% | 19.2–24.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 24.1% | 21.4–27.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 47.4% | 42.5–52.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.2% | 9.1–11.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 15.1% | 13.3–17.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 23.6% | 20.8–26.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.6% | 5.9–7.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.2–9.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 25.9% | 22.0–30.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 24.4% | 20.8–28.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 29.3% | 25.3–33.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.0% | 14.5–19.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 12.7% | 11.0–14.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.5% | 30.3–40.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 15.6% | 13.6–17.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WV median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 21.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 16.3% (0.0–41.0%) n=694 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.1% (0.0–21.5%) n=682 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 19.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.8% (0.9–29.6%) n=695 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 4.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 14.1% (0.0–32.5%) n=695 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.4% (0.0–17.9%) n=668 |
| Households without a vehicle | 13.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.3% (0.0–17.1%) n=694 |
| Broadband subscription | 82.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 85.7% (62.6–100.0%) n=694 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 17.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 16.7% (0.0–34.6%) n=694 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 84.0% (61.6–100.0%) n=694 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 4.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.0% (0.0–4.1%) n=694 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.0% (0.0–2.1%) n=696 |
| Single-parent households | 61.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.0% (31.3–90.6%) n=686 |
| Population 65+ | 20.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.0% (10.4–45.0%) n=696 |
| Median age | 37.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.9 yr (32.6–62.1) n=681 |
| Median household income | $53,929 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,088 ($33,083–$85,218) n=539 |
| Median home value | $57,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $125,600 ($66,920–$223,500) n=553 |
| Median gross rent | $943 | $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 | 76.3 yr ± 1.30 | 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 1.30 years of 76.3, 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