ZIP code
25853
in Helen, West VirginiaPopulation 106
32.72/ 100
Ranked #30,111 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 6.1%)
Ranked #417 of 697 West Virginia ZIPs (bottom 40%)
Ranked #30 of 75 Beckley, WV ZIPs (top 40%)
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
31.3%
in the top 2.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
47.9%
in the bottom 1.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST4thUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
52.1%
in the top 2.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
22%
in the top 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST79thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
84.6%
in the top 3.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST55thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
44.1%
in the top 4.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST73rdUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
29.7%
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST59thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
57.1%
in the bottom 7.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST4thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›The read
Helen, West Virginia (ZIP 25853), by its composite score, sits in the bottom 6.1% nationally (30,111th) and the bottom 40% of West Virginia (417th).
The measures that matter most for this area lead the way: modeled tooth loss lands in the top 2.5% nationally, and home broadband subscription stands in the bottom 1.3% nationally. Housing-cost burden registers in the top 2.5% nationally, and modeled cognitive disability settles in the top 3.9% nationally. Modeled short sleep sits in the top 4.4% nationally, and fair or poor health lies in the top 8.9% nationally. On the better side, poverty rests at the national minimum, homeownership resides at the national maximum, and modeled tree cover is in the top 3.2% nationally. Unemployment lands at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs.
For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 25811, just across the boundary. Housing-cost burden lands in the top 2.5% 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 Beckley, WV metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 65%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 89%
5%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 41%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 8%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 12%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 29%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 2%
11%
Mental Health
in the bottom 0.8%
8%
Disability
healthier than 15%
7%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 67%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 95%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 53%
14%
Disability
healthier than 55%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 31%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 19%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 23%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 16%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 31%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 77%
21%
Disability
healthier than 74%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 90%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 52%
16%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 40%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 22%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 37%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 26%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 29%
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.
Nearby
25811
West Virginiashares a border
Score 34.06
Closest healthier
25857
West Virginiashares a border
Score 33.06
Similar health profile
25818
West Virginia100% similar profile
Score 32.68
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% | 33.3–40.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.6% | 40.5–48.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.4% | 7.5–9.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.7% | 11.2–14.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.6% | 7.6–9.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.8% | 10.0–13.8 |
| Depression among adults | 32.4% | 28.3–36.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.2% | 14.0–18.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.6% | 38.6–46.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 43.6% | 37.3–50.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.7–4.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 31.3% | 26.1–35.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.8% | 7.6–12.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.7% | 74.6–80.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.9% | 76.5–83.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.9% | 82.2–87.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 57.1% | 52.4–61.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 52.0% | 47.8–55.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.0% | 69.4–82.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.7% | 12.1–17.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 23.6% | 19.3–27.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 36.5% | 31.1–41.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 44.1% | 38.3–48.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 29.7% | 25.4–34.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 24.1% | 21.4–26.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 19.7% | 17.1–22.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 22.0% | 18.9–25.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 42.5% | 37.3–47.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.9% | 7.8–10.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 12.2% | 10.4–14.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.6% | 16.6–22.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.4–6.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.3% | 5.4–7.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.0% | 22.1–30.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.9% | 15.7–24.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 22.3% | 17.7–26.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.9% | 12.1–17.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.4% | 8.7–12.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 37.9% | 32.9–42.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 13.3% | 11.2–15.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WV median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 0.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 16.3% (0.0–41.0%) n=694 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 0.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.1% (0.0–21.5%) n=682 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 0.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.8% (0.9–29.6%) n=695 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 54.7% | 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 | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.3% (0.0–17.1%) n=694 |
| Broadband subscription | 47.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 85.7% (62.6–100.0%) n=694 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 52.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 16.7% (0.0–34.6%) n=694 |
| Homeownership rate | 100.0% | 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 | 100.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.0% (31.3–90.6%) n=686 |
| Population 65+ | 0.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.0% (10.4–45.0%) n=696 |
| Median age | 53.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.9 yr (32.6–62.1) n=681 |
| Median household income | — | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,088 ($33,083–$85,218) n=539 |
| Median home value | — | $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 | 75.1 yr ± 1.93 | 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 1.93 years of 75.1, 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