ZIP code
26201
in Buckhannon, West VirginiaPopulation 18,689
39.02/ 100
Ranked #27,376 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 14.7%)
Ranked #182 of 697 West Virginia ZIPs (top 26%)
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.
Pharmacy access
0.42 per 1,000 residents
in the top 7.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST87thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies 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 ›Cognitive disability
19.9%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST50thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Elder-services access
0.16 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Tree cover
69.2%
in the top 9.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST23rdUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Mental-health provider access
0.11 per 1,000 residents
in the top 10.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS90thDefinition & 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 ›High cholesterol
43.5%
in the top 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST26thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
82 units
in the top 20% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS80thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 28% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS72ndDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, Buckhannon, West Virginia (ZIP 26201) lands in the bottom 14.7% nationally (27,376th) and the top 26% of West Virginia (182nd).
The measures split the difference for this area: distance to an emergency room stands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Pharmacy settles in the top 7.4% nationally, and elder services lies in the top 9.5% nationally. Modeled tree cover resides in the top 9.6% nationally, and mental-health providers lands in the top 10.3% nationally. Distance to a community health center registers at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Distance to a nursing home sits at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Against that, modeled cognitive disability rests in the top 9.8% nationally, high cholesterol is in the top 8.6% nationally, and tooth loss stands in the top 12.1% nationally.
To translate a couple of terms, distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 26378, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 67%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 67%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 40%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 13%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 2%
8%
Disability
healthier than 18%
7%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 78%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 72%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 75%
11%
Disability
healthier than 64%
7%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 55%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 51%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 44%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 44%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
“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
2 of our published findings list 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 76.0 ± 1.5 years. A median household income of $53,832 predicts 77.6 years — 1.7 years below.
Ranked #2,100 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 66.6; chronic-disease standing 11.1 — 56 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #2,075 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
26218
West Virginiashares a border
Score 38.20
Closest healthier
26378
West Virginiashares a border
Score 41.92
Similar health profile
26651
West Virginia99% similar profile
Score 40.62
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 | 38.0% | 34.6–41.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.2% | 40.2–48.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.5% | 8.6–10.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.5% | 11.1–14.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.1% | 8.3–10.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.5% | 10.3–12.8 |
| Depression among adults | 30.9% | 27.0–35.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.4% | 14.4–18.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.5% | 39.3–47.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.7% | 29.9–43.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.4% | 4.0–4.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 22.1% | 18.5–26.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.8% | 7.5–10.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.5% | 77.1–81.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.8% | 77.5–83.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.5% | 83.6–87.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.8% | 61.9–71.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.0% | 50.2–57.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.4% | 69.1–82.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.1% | 11.6–16.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 20.8% | 18.2–23.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 34.7% | 30.1–39.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.0% | 32.7–45.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 26.5% | 23.6–29.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 22.1% | 19.8–24.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.9% | 16.0–20.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 19.9% | 17.8–22.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 41.1% | 36.7–45.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.4% | 8.5–10.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.7% | 10.5–13.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.5% | 17.3–21.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.4–5.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.6–6.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.2% | 19.8–26.9 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.3% | 15.0–19.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 19.9% | 17.4–22.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.7% | 10.9–14.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.6% | 8.5–10.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.3% | 29.2–39.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 11.5% | 10.0–13.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WV median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 18.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 16.3% (0.0–41.0%) n=694 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.1% (0.0–21.5%) n=682 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.8% (0.9–29.6%) n=695 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 14.1% (0.0–32.5%) n=695 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.4% (0.0–17.9%) n=668 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.3% (0.0–17.1%) n=694 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 85.7% (62.6–100.0%) n=694 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 16.7% (0.0–34.6%) n=694 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 84.0% (61.6–100.0%) n=694 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.0% (0.0–4.1%) n=694 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.0% (0.0–2.1%) n=696 |
| Single-parent households | 55.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.0% (31.3–90.6%) n=686 |
| Population 65+ | 22.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.0% (10.4–45.0%) n=696 |
| Median age | 42.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.9 yr (32.6–62.1) n=681 |
| Median household income | $53,832 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,088 ($33,083–$85,218) n=539 |
| Median home value | $174,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $125,600 ($66,920–$223,500) n=553 |
| Median gross rent | $878 | $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 | 75.9 yr ± 0.74 | 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 0.74 years of 75.9, 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