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ZIP code

35446

in Buhl, AlabamaPopulation 1,896

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

39.36/ 100

Ranked #27,163 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 15%)

Ranked #419 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (bottom 32%)

Ranked #21 of 31 Tuscaloosa, AL ZIPs (bottom 32%)

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.

Air-toxics cancer risk

39.3 per million

in the top 7.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST84th
US93rd
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 ›

Lithium in drinking water

10 µg/L

in the bottom 7.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST4th
US8th
Definition & source ›

The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.

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 ›

Obesity

43.9%

in the top 6.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST77th
US94th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.

Full methodology ›

Humid extreme heat

132.3 days/year

in the top 9.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST59th
US91st
Definition & source ›

The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.

Full methodology ›

Floodplain exposure

30.9%

in the top 9.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US90th
Definition & source ›

The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.

Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.

Full methodology ›

Median household income

$39,313

in the bottom 5.3% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST12th
US5th
Definition & source ›

The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.

Full methodology ›

High cholesterol

43.2%

in the top 9.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST58th
US90th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.

Full methodology ›

Mammography

71.7%

in the bottom 23% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST9th
US23rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.

Full methodology ›

Cross-source signals

Combined exposures in this ZIP

More than one environmental exposure stands out in this ZIP. Each is established independently and shown on its own above; they are grouped here for context — not because one causes the other.

The read

Buhl, Alabama (ZIP 35446), overall, ranks in the bottom 15% nationally (27,163rd) and the bottom 32% of Alabama (419th).

continue reading

This area's measures are easy to read as a mixed set: lithium in drinking water lands in the bottom 7.8% nationally. Set against that, modeled air-toxics cancer risk lies in the top 7.2% nationally, obesity stands in the top 6.5% nationally, and humid heat rests in the top 9.3% nationally. Fiber broadband registers at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Floodplain exposure resides in the top 9.7% nationally, and slow internet speeds settles in the top 11.4% nationally. Household income is in the bottom 5.3% nationally, and poverty sits in the top 12.0% nationally. Modeled high cholesterol lands in the top 9.8% nationally.

Defined simply, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. ZIP 35452, just across the boundary, comes out healthier overall.

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 Tuscaloosa, 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

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 62%

14%

About typical

Healthcare Access

healthier than 41%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 25%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 13%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 26%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 14%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 16%

8%

Disability

healthier than 21%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 12%

5%

Nothing measured is lifting this score.

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 58%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 49%

14%

Disability

healthier than 53%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 40%

5%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 26%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 15%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 25%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 11%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 9%

5%

Nothing measured is lifting this score.

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 40%

21%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 40%

14%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 37%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 10%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 30%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 10%

8%

Disability

healthier than 37%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 30%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 33%

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.

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 adults31.2%27.9–34.5
High blood pressure among adults43.9%40.0–48.0
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults8.2%7.4–9.1
Current asthma among adults10.2%8.9–11.5
Coronary heart disease among adults8.0%7.0–9.0
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults9.6%8.2–11.2
Depression among adults26.6%23.0–30.3
Diagnosed diabetes among adults14.4%12.5–16.5
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened43.2%39.2–47.1
Obesity among adults43.9%37.9–50.1
Stroke among adults4.2%3.8–4.7
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years20.1%16.4–24.2
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years11.6%9.4–14.1
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure78.4%75.5–81.0
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults80.4%77.1–83.4
Cholesterol screening among adults84.0%81.7–86.2
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years63.0%58.4–67.6
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults50.9%47.0–54.7
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years71.7%64.2–78.5
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults15.2%12.5–18.1
Current cigarette smoking among adults19.3%16.2–22.6
No leisure-time physical activity among adults30.8%26.1–35.9
Short sleep duration among adults40.7%35.4–46.1
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults25.2%21.8–28.8
Frequent mental distress among adults18.9%16.6–21.4
Frequent physical distress among adults16.0%14.0–18.3
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults18.7%16.2–21.2
Any disability among adults39.3%34.6–44.1
Hearing disability among adults9.2%8.1–10.3
Independent living disability among adults10.9%9.5–12.5
Mobility disability among adults18.2%15.7–20.8
Self-care disability among adults5.1%4.4–5.8
Vision disability among adults6.5%5.7–7.3
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults24.1%20.7–27.8
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults21.6%18.2–25.1
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults16.1%13.3–19.1
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults14.9%12.5–17.2
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults10.5%9.0–12.0
Loneliness among adults33.2%28.9–37.8
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults10.3%8.8–11.8
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)AL median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate24.1%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36415.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623
Uninsured 18–6410.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28613.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625
No HS diploma (25+)13.8%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50513.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626
Bachelor's or higher (25+)7.9%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50516.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626
Unemployment rate (16+)7.4%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622
Households without a vehicle2.6%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622
Broadband subscription82.3%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32284.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)26.3%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32221.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622
Homeownership rate79.2%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32278.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622
Crowded housing (>1 per room)2.9%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.3% (0.0–4.2%) n=622
Foreign-born population4.7%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628
Single-parent households20.9%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08750.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617
Population 65+10.9%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628
Median age34.0 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29241.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621
Median household income$39,313$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587
Median home value$158,200$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568
Median gross rent$818$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$856 ($625–$1,266) n=503
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)AL median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth73.2 yr ± 1.2778.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30874.7 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 1.27 years of 73.2, 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