ZIP code
26104
in Parkersburg, West VirginiaPopulation 16,805
40.28/ 100
Ranked #26,560 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 17%)
Ranked #152 of 697 West Virginia ZIPs (top 22%)
Ranked #8 of 13 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV ZIPs (bottom 38%)
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.
Distance to a Superfund site
1.4 mi
in the bottom 8.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST3rdUS8thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Mental-health provider access
0.12 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS91stDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics located 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 ›Short sleep
41.9%
in the top 9.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST42ndUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
236 units
in the top 10.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Obesity
43.2%
in the top 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST61stUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›PFOA in drinking water
57.2%
in the top 15% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS85thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOA, one of the man-made “forever chemicals,” was detected in EPA testing.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Energy-cost burden
2.3%
in the bottom 20% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS20thDefinition & 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 ›Walkability
39 intersections/sq mi
in the top 23% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS77thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
60.8%
in the top 38% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS62ndDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFAS — man-made “forever chemicals” that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down — were detected in EPA testing.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 26104, one of several in Parkersburg, West Virginia, by its overall standing, sits in the bottom 17% nationally (26,560th) and the top 22% of West Virginia (152nd).
The profile opens balanced, with readings on either hand: mental-health providers stands in the top 8.9% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing lands in the top 10.5% nationally. Distance to a community health center is at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Distance to a nursing home resides at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Crowded housing rests at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. By contrast, distance to a Superfund site lies in the bottom 8.4% nationally, and modeled short sleep sits in the top 9.5% nationally. Modeled obesity settles in the top 8.3% nationally, and high blood pressure registers in the top 11.9% nationally. Modeled high cholesterol stands in the top 11.6% nationally.
Defined in plain terms, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 26105, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Parkersburg-Vienna, WV metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 71%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 68%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 90%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 53%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 22%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 12%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 3%
8%
Disability
healthier than 26%
7%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 78%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 95%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 76%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 73%
11%
Disability
healthier than 78%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 94%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 57%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 16%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 13%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 75%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 92%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 42%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 50%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 42%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 50%
8%
Disability
healthier than 42%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 58%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 25%
13%
“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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 75.3 ± 1.3 years. A median household income of $54,331 predicts 77.7 years — 2.4 years below.
Ranked #3,312 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
26101
West Virginiashares a border
Score 29.94
Closest healthier
26105
West Virginiashares a border
Score 46.06
Similar health profile
25003
West Virginia99% similar profile
Score 38.90
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 | 38.9% | 35.6–42.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 45.2% | 41.3–48.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.3–11.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.0% | 10.6–13.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.9% | 8.1–9.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.7% | 9.6–11.9 |
| Depression among adults | 31.7% | 27.9–35.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.5% | 14.5–18.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.8% | 38.8–46.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 43.2% | 37.5–48.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.9–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.4% | 15.3–21.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.8% | 6.5–9.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.9% | 77.2–82.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.2% | 79.1–85.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.7% | 86.1–89.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.3% | 64.0–72.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.6% | 50.9–58.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.6% | 69.8–82.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.6% | 12.1–17.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.7% | 16.3–21.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.9% | 28.7–37.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 41.9% | 36.7–47.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.3% | 22.6–28.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.6% | 18.5–22.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.4% | 15.5–19.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.2% | 16.2–20.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.6% | 34.6–42.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.9% | 7.9–9.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.8% | 9.6–11.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.9% | 16.7–21.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–5.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.6% | 5.1–6.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.5% | 18.5–24.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.4% | 13.3–17.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 17.2% | 14.9–19.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 10.1–13.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.6% | 7.5–9.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.5% | 28.4–36.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.4% | 9.0–11.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WV median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 16.3% (0.0–41.0%) n=694 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.1% (0.0–21.5%) n=682 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.8% (0.9–29.6%) n=695 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 28.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 14.1% (0.0–32.5%) n=695 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.4% (0.0–17.9%) n=668 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.3% (0.0–17.1%) n=694 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 85.7% (62.6–100.0%) n=694 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 16.7% (0.0–34.6%) n=694 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.6% | 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 | 1.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.0% (0.0–2.1%) n=696 |
| Single-parent households | 56.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.0% (31.3–90.6%) n=686 |
| Population 65+ | 22.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.0% (10.4–45.0%) n=696 |
| Median age | 46.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.9 yr (32.6–62.1) n=681 |
| Median household income | $54,331 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,088 ($33,083–$85,218) n=539 |
| Median home value | $170,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $125,600 ($66,920–$223,500) n=553 |
| Median gross rent | $828 | $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 | 75.3 yr ± 0.67 | 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 0.67 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