ZIP code
26501
in Westover, West VirginiaPopulation 19,529
48.69/ 100
Ranked #18,093 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 44%)
Ranked #21 of 697 West Virginia ZIPs (top 3.1%)
Ranked #4 of 22 Morgantown, WV ZIPs (top 18%)
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.
Mammography
83.2%
in the top 2.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Outpatient-care access
0.47 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient 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 ›Energy-cost burden
2.0%
in the bottom 12.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS13thDefinition & 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 ›Homeownership rate
60.9%
in the bottom 17% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST9thUS17thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
4.3 mi
in the bottom 19% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS19thDefinition & 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 ›Fine-particle (PM2.5) exceedance
0.27%
in the top 23% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS77thDefinition & source ›
The share of days in the year when modeled fine-particle (PM2.5) pollution was above the EPA’s daily limit of 35 micrograms per cubic meter.
Full methodology ›Stroke
3.2%
in the bottom 24% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS24thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
6.8%
in the bottom 28% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS28thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
6.4%
in the bottom 30% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS30thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›The read
On the composite measure, Westover, West Virginia (ZIP 26501) stands in the bottom 44% nationally (18,093rd) and the top 3.1% of West Virginia (21st).
Several signals sit on each side of the ledger here: modeled mammography rests in the top 2.1% nationally, and outpatient lands in the top 8.9% nationally. Modeled extreme heat settles at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled energy burden rests in the bottom 12.7% nationally, recreation lands in the top 14.5% nationally, and childcare settles in the top 15% nationally. Working the other way, modeled short sleep rests in the top 14.4% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lands at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Homeownership settles in the bottom 17% nationally, and households without a vehicle rests in the top 17% nationally.
Set beside the wider area around it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. ZIP 26508, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 70%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 64%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 73%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 69%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 54%
21%
Disability
healthier than 54%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 24%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 6%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 99%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 95%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 70%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 89%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 84%
8%
Disability
healthier than 96%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 77%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 60%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 17%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 80%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 75%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 70%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 65%
8%
Disability
healthier than 95%
7%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 40%
13%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 5%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
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 ›
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 76.7 ± 1.3 years. A median household income of $63,529 predicts 78.3 years — 1.6 years below.
Ranked #1,944 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
15349
Pennsylvaniashares a border
Score 44.40
Closest healthier
26508
West Virginiashares a border
Score 54.56
Similar health profile
25428
West Virginia98% similar profile
Score 46.27
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 | 29.9% | 26.8–32.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.2% | 32.5–39.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.8% | 7.1–8.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.9% | 10.5–13.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.9% | 7.0–8.9 |
| Depression among adults | 29.2% | 25.5–32.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.7% | 11.1–14.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.5% | 33.7–41.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 34.8% | 29.3–40.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.2% | 2.9–3.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.8% | 13.0–19.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.6% | 6.3–9.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.5% | 73.5–79.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.5% | 75.0–81.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.9% | 84.0–87.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.5% | 60.9–70.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 59.3% | 55.6–62.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 83.2% | 77.5–88.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.1% | 14.3–20.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.1% | 14.0–18.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.0% | 21.4–28.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 40.6% | 35.3–46.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.4% | 18.0–23.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.5% | 18.3–22.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.3% | 12.7–16.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.8% | 14.9–18.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.0% | 27.4–34.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.0–7.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.3% | 8.2–10.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.8% | 12.1–15.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–4.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.3–5.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.1% | 18.0–24.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.1% | 12.1–16.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 15.6% | 13.3–17.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.9% | 10.2–13.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.6% | 7.6–9.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.8% | 29.4–38.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.8% | 9.4–12.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | WV median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 16.3% (0.0–41.0%) n=694 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 7.1% (0.0–21.5%) n=682 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.8% (0.9–29.6%) n=695 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 44.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 14.1% (0.0–32.5%) n=695 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.4% (0.0–17.9%) n=668 |
| Households without a vehicle | 9.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.3% (0.0–17.1%) n=694 |
| Broadband subscription | 92.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 85.7% (62.6–100.0%) n=694 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 16.7% (0.0–34.6%) n=694 |
| Homeownership rate | 60.9% | 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 | 2.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.0% (0.0–2.1%) n=696 |
| Single-parent households | 50.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 57.0% (31.3–90.6%) n=686 |
| Population 65+ | 15.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 22.0% (10.4–45.0%) n=696 |
| Median age | 39.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 45.9 yr (32.6–62.1) n=681 |
| Median household income | $63,529 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,088 ($33,083–$85,218) n=539 |
| Median home value | $219,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $125,600 ($66,920–$223,500) n=553 |
| Median gross rent | $978 | $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 | 76.7 yr ± 0.65 | 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 0.65 years of 76.7, 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