Skip to main content
ZipVitals

ZIP code

31904

in Columbus, GeorgiaPopulation 35,405

47.01/ 100

Ranked #20,149 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 37%)

Ranked #362 of 711 Georgia ZIPs (bottom 49%)

Ranked #12 of 36 Columbus, GA-AL ZIPs (top 33%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Physician access

3.5 per 1,000 residents

in the top 2.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The number of physicians’ offices 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 ›

Subsidized affordable housing

586 units

in the top 3.7% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.

Full methodology ›

Air-toxics cancer risk

40 per million

in the top 4.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US96th
Definition & 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 ›

Outpatient-care access

0.62 per 1,000 residents

in the top 5.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US95th
Definition & 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 ›

Mental-health provider access

0.16 per 1,000 residents

in the top 5.9% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US94th
Definition & 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 ›

Dental provider access

1.1 per 1,000 residents

in the top 6.0% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST96th
US94th
Definition & source ›

The number of dental offices 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 ›

PFOA in drinking water

92%

in the top 7.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US92nd
Definition & 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 ›

PFOS in drinking water

92%

in the top 8.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOS, one of the most common “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 ›

Distance to a Superfund site

62.2 mi

in the top 8.2% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST98th
US92nd
Definition & 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 ›

Households without a vehicle

13.6%

in the top 8.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST92nd
US91st
Definition & source ›

The share of households with no vehicle available.

Full methodology ›

The read

ZIP 31904, one of several in Columbus, Georgia, by its overall standing, sits in the bottom 37% nationally (20,149th) and the bottom 49% of Georgia (362nd).

continue reading

The measures fall on both sides of the ledger for this area: physicians rests in the top 2.6% nationally, subsidized affordable housing lies in the top 3.7% nationally, and outpatient sits in the top 5.1% nationally. Mental-health providers settles in the top 5.9% nationally, dental providers registers in the top 6.0% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site stands in the top 8.2% nationally. Set against that, modeled air-toxics cancer risk lands in the top 4.5% nationally, and PFOA in drinking water is in the top 7.9% nationally. PFOS in drinking water resides in the top 8.1% nationally, and households without a vehicle rests in the top 8.7% nationally.

Held up against its neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. PFOA in drinking water is one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. PFOS in drinking water is a common one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 31808, 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 Columbus, GA-AL metro area.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Healthcare Access

healthier than 84%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 46%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 43%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 48%

8%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 29%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 36%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 30%

11%

Disability

healthier than 29%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 24%

5%

Lifting this score

Healthcare Access

healthier than 85%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 56%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 49%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 54%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 43%

11%

Disability

healthier than 45%

7%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 33%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 37%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 26%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 69%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 71%

16%

Disability

healthier than 66%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 94%

5%

About typical

Risk Behavior

healthier than 54%

11%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 29%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 34%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 31%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 14%

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

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 75.9 ± 1.1 years. A median household income of $66,291 predicts 78.5 years — 2.6 years below.

    Ranked #3,545 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.

  • Highest-risk tenth

    Air toxics and the years between the two ends of the risk scale

    Modeled air-toxics cancer risk is 40.0 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 75.9 ± 1.1 years.

    Ranked #504 of the 4,173 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by modeled air-toxics risk, highest first.

Nearby & similar ZIPs

Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults27.8%25.4–31.3
High blood pressure among adults39.8%36.8–44.1
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults7.9%7.3–8.8
Current asthma among adults10.6%9.6–12.2
Coronary heart disease among adults7.0%6.4–7.9
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.2%7.5–9.2
Depression among adults20.9%18.4–24.7
Diagnosed diabetes among adults14.5%13.1–16.7
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened37.8%34.7–42.2
Obesity among adults37.9%33.2–44.5
Stroke among adults4.2%3.9–4.6
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years15.8%13.4–18.5
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years14.9%13.3–17.1
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure79.5%77.3–82.3
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults78.6%75.9–82.1
Cholesterol screening among adults85.8%84.3–87.6
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years64.9%60.7–69.1
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults57.8%54.7–60.8
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years76.1%69.5–81.8
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults14.3%12.2–17.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults16.3%14.6–18.8
No leisure-time physical activity among adults29.2%26.0–33.7
Short sleep duration among adults40.7%36.0–45.6
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults24.0%21.8–26.9
Frequent mental distress among adults18.6%16.9–21.1
Frequent physical distress among adults15.0%13.6–17.1
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults16.1%14.7–18.2
Any disability among adults33.0%29.9–37.3
Hearing disability among adults7.3%6.6–8.4
Independent living disability among adults10.7%9.8–12.0
Mobility disability among adults16.2%14.6–18.4
Self-care disability among adults5.4%5.1–6.0
Vision disability among adults7.2%6.7–7.9
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults24.7%21.6–28.0
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults21.3%19.2–23.5
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults19.8%18.0–21.7
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults16.8%15.0–18.8
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults11.8%10.6–13.1
Loneliness among adults36.7%32.4–41.1
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults12.2%10.9–13.6
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)GA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate20.1%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36413.8% (5.6–27.5%) n=709
Uninsured 18–6420.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28618.3% (8.4–29.7%) n=713
No HS diploma (25+)11.8%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50512.1% (3.9–22.9%) n=720
Bachelor's or higher (25+)32.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50521.3% (9.1–49.2%) n=720
Unemployment rate (16+)6.2%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.1% (0.6–9.6%) n=714
Households without a vehicle13.6%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.4% (0.3–12.3%) n=707
Broadband subscription88.9%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.3% (72.5–96.4%) n=707
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)31.9%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32225.1% (13.6–38.3%) n=707
Homeownership rate51.8%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32273.7% (48.8–89.0%) n=707
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.6%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.7% (0.0–5.0%) n=707
Foreign-born population6.0%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5533.8% (0.0–15.8%) n=720
Single-parent households44.9%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08748.8% (36.1–66.7%) n=705
Population 65+17.7%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55317.0% (10.0–28.3%) n=720
Median age37.6 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29239.8 yr (33.1–51.4) n=715
Median household income$66,291$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$65,254 ($44,032–$106,158) n=677
Median home value$226,000$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$215,200 ($91,000–$413,150) n=666
Median gross rent$1,094$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$993 ($694–$1,769) n=627
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)GA median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth75.9 yr ± 0.5478.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30876.1 yr (73.3–79.7) n=668

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 0.54 years of 75.9, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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