ZIP code
35126
in Pinson, AlabamaPopulation 22,599
49.32/ 100
Ranked #17,203 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 46%)
Ranked #132 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (top 21%)
Ranked #40 of 116 Birmingham, AL ZIPs (top 34%)
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.
Air-toxics cancer risk
40 per million
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Mammography
81.3%
in the top 5.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Loneliness
38%
in the top 8.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
65.8%
in the top 11.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS89thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Pinson, Alabama (ZIP 35126) sits in the bottom 46% nationally (17,203rd) and the top 21% of Alabama (132nd).
A few readings each way define this mixed profile: modeled mammography lies in the top 5.8% nationally, modeled tree cover registers in the top 11.5% nationally, and grocery is in the top 12.9% nationally. Modeled colon screening lies in the top 20% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled air-toxics cancer risk registers in the top 4.5% nationally, and loneliness is in the top 8.7% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss lies in the top 13.4% nationally, and humid heat registers in the top 13.9% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Modeled food insecurity lies in the top 22% nationally.
Placed beside its immediate neighbors, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put plainly, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. 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. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 35116, 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 Birmingham, AL metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 71%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 68%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 44%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 43%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 43%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 39%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 31%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 35%
8%
Disability
healthier than 36%
7%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 78%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 61%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 82%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 72%
11%
Disability
healthier than 75%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 87%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 73%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 53%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 22%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 64%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 68%
13%
Disability
healthier than 61%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 79%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 55%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 41%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 53%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 53%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 59%
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 76.5 ± 1.4 years. A median household income of $83,732 predicts 79.4 years — 2.9 years below.
Ranked #3,954 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 76.5 ± 1.4 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.
Nearby
35116
Alabamashares a border
Score 55.34
Closest healthier
35146
Alabamashares a border
Score 51.89
Similar health profile
02914
Rhode Island96% similar profile
Score 48.40
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 | 29.6% | 27.0–32.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.3% | 39.1–45.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.2% | 7.5–9.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.9% | 8.8–11.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.1% | 6.4–7.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.0% | 7.1–8.8 |
| Depression among adults | 24.3% | 21.4–27.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.6% | 13.0–16.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.1% | 37.9–44.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.2% | 32.9–41.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.0% | 3.7–4.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.2% | 11.7–17.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.7% | 8.4–11.2 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.7% | 75.1–80.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.3% | 77.5–83.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.5% | 84.8–88.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.1% | 66.2–73.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.7% | 55.0–62.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 81.3% | 76.0–85.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.2% | 12.9–17.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.8% | 13.9–17.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.8% | 25.5–32.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.8% | 32.8–41.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.6% | 19.4–23.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.6% | 15.8–19.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.8% | 12.3–15.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.4% | 14.7–18.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.7% | 33.3–40.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.0% | 7.2–8.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.6% | 8.7–10.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.9% | 15.1–18.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–4.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.7% | 5.2–6.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.3% | 21.6–27.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.4% | 17.3–21.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.8% | 12.0–15.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.4% | 12.8–16.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.7% | 8.7–10.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 38.0% | 34.4–41.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.0% | 8.9–11.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 14.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 17.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 25.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 85.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–4.2%) n=622 |
| Foreign-born population | 4.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628 |
| Single-parent households | 45.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 13.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 35.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $83,732 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $199,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568 |
| Median gross rent | $1,435 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $856 ($625–$1,266) n=503 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 76.5 yr ± 0.71 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 74.7 yr (72.1–78.3) n=599 |
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 0.71 years of 76.5, 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