ZIP code
35473
in Northport, AlabamaPopulation 18,198
53.85/ 100
Ranked #10,887 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 34%)
Ranked #65 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (top 10.6%)
Ranked #3 of 31 Tuscaloosa, AL ZIPs (top 9.7%)
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 ›Lithium in drinking water
10 µg/L
in the bottom 7.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS8thDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
130.3 days/year
in the top 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST55thUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Loud transportation noise
1.4%
in the top 12.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, ZIP 35473, one of several in Northport, Alabama sits in the top 34% healthiest ZIPs nationally (10,887th) and the top 10.6% of Alabama (65th).
A healthy showing across the board, and a few measures carry it: lithium in drinking water resides in the bottom 7.8% nationally, lead in tap water sits in the bottom 10.7% nationally, and outpatient stands in the top 12.1% nationally. Modeled mammography resides in the top 10.6% nationally. Distance to a nursing home sits at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Subsidized affordable housing stands in the top 14.2% nationally. On the other hand, modeled air-toxics cancer risk resides in the top 4.5% nationally, and humid heat sits in the top 9.9% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise stands in the top 12.3% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden resides in the top 13.2% nationally.
Put plainly, 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. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 35406, 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 Tuscaloosa, AL 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 63%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 78%
13%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 59%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 59%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 46%
8%
Disability
healthier than 60%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 58%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 38%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 33%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 87%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 85%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 88%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 86%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 70%
8%
Disability
healthier than 89%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 62%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 62%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 27%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 73%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 93%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 90%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 93%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 77%
8%
Disability
healthier than 90%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 90%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 60%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 17%
14%
“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.
Above its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 78.0 ± 1.6 years. The 48 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 74.1 years — 3.9 years above them.
Ranked #401 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, 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 78.0 ± 1.6 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
35406
Alabamashares a border
Score 63.88
Closest healthier
35475
Alabamashares a border
Score 54.85
Similar health profile
02767
Massachusetts99% similar profile
Score 57.15
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 | 28.3% | 25.4–31.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.8% | 36.2–43.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.4% | 7.7–9.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–11.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.3% | 5.6–7.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.6% | 5.9–7.5 |
| Depression among adults | 24.4% | 21.2–27.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.7% | 10.2–13.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.9% | 37.0–44.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.2% | 33.5–45.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.4% | 3.1–3.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.3% | 9.1–13.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.5% | 7.2–10.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.3% | 75.6–80.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.6% | 78.5–84.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.7% | 84.8–88.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.2% | 65.7–74.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 61.9% | 58.1–65.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.1% | 73.9–85.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.7% | 13.0–18.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.6% | 10.9–14.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.8% | 20.4–27.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.4% | 33.2–43.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.7% | 16.5–21.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.3% | 14.4–18.3 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.6% | 11.1–14.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.6% | 13.0–16.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.5% | 28.9–36.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.4% | 6.6–8.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.2% | 7.3–9.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.0% | 12.3–15.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.6% | 3.2–3.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.4% | 19.3–25.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.8% | 12.8–17.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.7% | 8.3–11.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.4% | 9.8–13.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 6.9–8.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.2% | 28.1–36.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 6.5–8.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 36.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 59.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–4.2%) n=622 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628 |
| Single-parent households | 55.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 18.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 38.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $69,657 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $272,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568 |
| Median gross rent | $967 | $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 | 78.0 yr ± 0.83 | 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 0.83 years of 78.0, 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