ZIP code
26254
in Bowden, West VirginiaPopulation 137
40.97/ 100
Ranked #26,049 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 19%)
Ranked #139 of 697 West Virginia ZIPs (top 20%)
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.
Tree cover
95.4%
in the top 0.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Park land
75.6%
in the top 0.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
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 ›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 ›High cholesterol
46.6%
in the top 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST78thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
61.5%
in the bottom 3.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST10thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
50.1%
in the top 3.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST79thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Obesity
45.3%
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST81stUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
17.9%
in the top 8.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST55thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›The read
In overall standing, Bowden, West Virginia (ZIP 26254) comes out in the bottom 19% nationally (26,049th) and the top 20% of West Virginia (139th).
The data points to real strain across a number of measures here: modeled high cholesterol resides in the top 1.9% nationally, home broadband subscription rests in the bottom 3.2% nationally, and modeled high blood pressure lies in the top 3.4% nationally. Modeled obesity sits in the top 4.0% nationally. On the brighter side, modeled tree cover settles in the top 0.2% nationally, and park land registers in the top 0.9% nationally. Housing-cost burden stands at the national minimum, and poverty lands at the national minimum. Homeownership is at the national maximum. Unemployment resides at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs.
Relative to the ZIPs around it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 26270, 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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 70%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 83%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 84%
5%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 49%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 4%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 29%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 19%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 11%
8%
Disability
healthier than 24%
7%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 94%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 95%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 82%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 96%
8%
Disability
healthier than 74%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 88%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 45%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 43%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 21%
14%
“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
26241
West Virginiashares a border
Score 39.37
Closest healthier
26270
West Virginiashares a border
Score 41.06
Similar health profile
17343
Pennsylvania100% similar profile
Score 46.21
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 | 44.4% | 40.2–48.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 50.1% | 45.4–54.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.7% | 10.6–13.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.9% | 10.4–13.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.5% | 9.5–13.5 |
| Depression among adults | 29.0% | 25.0–33.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.9% | 15.3–20.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 46.6% | 42.0–51.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 45.3% | 37.6–52.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.8% | 4.2–5.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.5% | 13.7–19.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.4% | 5.5–9.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 83.3% | 80.6–85.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.5% | 79.3–85.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.8% | 88.0–91.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.3% | 65.6–74.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 56.9% | 53.1–60.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.3% | 69.1–82.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.0% | 10.6–15.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.6% | 14.9–22.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.6% | 26.9–38.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 42.0% | 35.7–48.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.4% | 21.4–29.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.6% | 16.2–21.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.1% | 15.5–20.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.6% | 14.1–19.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 40.2% | 34.9–45.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.4% | 9.1–11.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.1% | 8.6–12.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.4% | 17.0–23.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.0–5.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.6% | 4.8–6.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.6% | 18.8–26.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.3% | 10.4–16.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.6% | 10.6–17.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.0% | 8.1–12.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.3% | 6.1–8.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.3% | 28.4–38.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.4–10.6 |
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 | 18.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.1% (0.0–21.5%) n=682 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.8% (0.9–29.6%) n=695 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 16.8% | 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 | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.3% (0.0–17.1%) n=694 |
| Broadband subscription | 61.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 85.7% (62.6–100.0%) n=694 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 0.0% | 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+ | 55.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.0% (10.4–45.0%) n=696 |
| Median age | 65.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.9 yr (32.6–62.1) n=681 |
| Median household income | $74,444 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,088 ($33,083–$85,218) n=539 |
| Median home value | $202,600 | $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 | 80.8 yr ± 2.07 | 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 2.07 years of 80.8, 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