ZIP code
26374
in Independence, West VirginiaPopulation 1,676
40.09/ 100
Ranked #26,693 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 17%)
Ranked #158 of 697 West Virginia ZIPs (top 23%)
Ranked #17 of 22 Morgantown, WV ZIPs (bottom 23%)
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
75.2%
in the top 6.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST32ndUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
2.6%
in the bottom 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS8thDefinition & 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
9.5%
in the bottom 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST29thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20 per million
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS25thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
38.7%
in the top 26% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS74thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›The read
Independence, West Virginia (ZIP 26374) ranks in the bottom 17% nationally (26,693rd) and the top 23% of West Virginia (158th).
Several signals sit on each side of the ledger here: modeled tree cover rests in the top 6.9% nationally. Unemployment lands at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Poverty settles in the bottom 8.3% nationally, and housing-cost burden rests in the bottom 8.9% nationally. Modeled extreme heat lands at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Crowded housing settles at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Working the other way, modeled cognitive disability rests in the top 15% nationally, high cholesterol lands in the top 12.1% nationally, and tooth loss settles in the top 14.4% nationally. Modeled utility shutoff rests in the top 16% nationally.
For context, extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 26508, 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 Morgantown, WV metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 82%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 58%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 41%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 15%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 36%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 35%
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 86%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 67%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 61%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 72%
11%
Disability
healthier than 79%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 84%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 57%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 26%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 30%
5%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 60%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 45%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 40%
16%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 35%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 25%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 5%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 30%
8%
Disability
healthier than 35%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 25%
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
26354
West Virginiashares a border
Score 35.88
Closest healthier
26508
West Virginiashares a border
Score 54.56
Similar health profile
26278
West Virginia99% similar profile
Score 40.24
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 | 37.6% | 34.5–40.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.0% | 39.4–46.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.2% | 8.4–10.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.2% | 10.9–13.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.4% | 7.6–9.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.7% | 9.2–12.4 |
| Depression among adults | 30.8% | 27.3–34.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.6% | 13.7–17.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.7% | 39.1–46.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.6% | 33.0–44.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 21.2% | 18.1–24.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.7% | 7.0–10.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.7% | 76.1–81.1 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.6% | 76.5–82.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.8% | 84.8–88.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.7% | 65.0–72.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 55.7% | 52.5–58.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.9% | 70.6–82.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.6% | 13.2–18.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 21.4% | 18.3–24.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.6% | 27.1–36.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.7% | 34.0–43.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.6% | 22.2–29.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 21.3% | 19.1–23.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.5% | 15.5–19.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.8% | 16.5–21.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.8% | 34.5–43.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.7% | 7.8–9.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.6% | 9.3–12.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.3% | 15.8–20.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.6% | 4.0–5.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.7% | 5.0–6.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.8% | 20.6–27.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.4% | 13.6–19.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 18.3% | 15.2–21.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.6% | 10.7–14.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 7.6–10.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.8% | 29.7–38.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 11.4% | 9.8–13.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WV median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 2.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 16.3% (0.0–41.0%) n=694 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 6.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.1% (0.0–21.5%) n=682 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.8% (0.9–29.6%) n=695 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 33.4% | 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 | 3.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.3% (0.0–17.1%) n=694 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 85.7% (62.6–100.0%) n=694 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 9.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 16.7% (0.0–34.6%) n=694 |
| Homeownership rate | 87.8% | 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 | 0.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.0% (0.0–2.1%) n=696 |
| Single-parent households | 51.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.0% (31.3–90.6%) n=686 |
| Population 65+ | 27.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.0% (10.4–45.0%) n=696 |
| Median age | 41.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.9 yr (32.6–62.1) n=681 |
| Median household income | $57,321 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,088 ($33,083–$85,218) n=539 |
| Median home value | $162,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $125,600 ($66,920–$223,500) n=553 |
| Median gross rent | $634 | $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 ± 0.75 | 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 0.75 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