ZIP code
35542
in Bankston, AlabamaPopulation 1,197
40.32/ 100
Ranked #26,531 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 17%)
Ranked #388 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (bottom 37%)
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.
Poverty rate
27.1%
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
74.8%
in the bottom 9.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST18thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
46%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST55thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
66.4%
in the top 11.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS89thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
43.5%
in the top 8.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST64thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Mammography
69.3%
in the bottom 11.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS11thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$44,674
in the bottom 8.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST23rdUS9thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
62%
in the bottom 23% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS23rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Bankston, Alabama (ZIP 35542) lands in the bottom 17% nationally (26,531st) and the bottom 37% of Alabama (388th).
A number of measures pull each way for this area: modeled tree cover registers in the top 11.1% nationally. Set against that, poverty rests in the top 8.9% nationally, and home broadband subscription stands in the bottom 9.7% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure lies in the top 9.8% nationally, fatal road crashes lands in the top 10.6% nationally, and modeled high cholesterol sits in the top 8.6% nationally. Modeled mammography is in the bottom 11.3% nationally, humid heat settles in the top 12.1% nationally, and hearing disability resides in the top 12.7% nationally. Household income registers in the bottom 8.9% nationally.
A note on the terms: humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 35546, just across the boundary, ranks better 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 93%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 16%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 26%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 24%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 18%
8%
Disability
healthier than 18%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 37%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 23%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 91%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 75%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 42%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 44%
11%
Disability
healthier than 47%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 26%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 15%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 14%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 17%
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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 92.5 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 16.4 — 76 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #704 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
35546
Alabamashares a border
Score 44.50
Closest healthier
35594
Alabamaabout 2.3 mi away
Score 42.79
Similar health profile
72459
Arkansas99% similar profile
Score 38.13
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 | 35.6% | 31.6–39.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 46.0% | 41.3–50.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.9% | 8.9–10.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.4% | 9.2–11.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.1% | 8.1–10.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.6% | 9.3–12.2 |
| Depression among adults | 26.7% | 22.8–30.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.5% | 13.4–17.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.5% | 38.8–48.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.4% | 31.0–48.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.6% | 4.1–5.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.4% | 14.9–22.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.2% | 8.2–12.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.4% | 76.5–82.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.2% | 76.5–83.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.5% | 83.4–87.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.0% | 56.6–67.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 51.1% | 46.9–55.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 69.3% | 60.5–77.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.4% | 11.7–17.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.9% | 16.0–22.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.1% | 25.8–36.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.4% | 31.4–46.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.1% | 21.7–28.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.5% | 16.2–20.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.8% | 14.7–19.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.1% | 15.8–20.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 40.2% | 35.2–45.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.6% | 9.4–11.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.1% | 9.7–12.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.4% | 16.8–22.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.6–5.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.3% | 5.6–7.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.2% | 19.7–27.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.7% | 14.8–20.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.2% | 11.0–15.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.1% | 10.3–14.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 8.0–10.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.7% | 29.4–40.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.4% | 7.3–9.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 27.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 16.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 5.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 74.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 28.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 90.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–4.2%) n=622 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628 |
| Single-parent households | 49.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 21.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 40.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $44,674 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | — | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 74.0 yr ± 0.94 | 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 0.94 years of 74.0, 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