ZIP code
35603
in Decatur, AlabamaPopulation 32,179
50.50/ 100
Ranked #15,559 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 49%)
Ranked #108 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (top 17%)
Ranked #1 of 15 Decatur, AL ZIPs (top 6.7%)
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.
Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 2.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
445 units
in the top 5.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS95thDefinition & 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
37.6 per million
in the top 8.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST81stUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Park land
8.1%
in the top 13.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS86thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›The read
In its overall standing, ZIP 35603, one of several in Decatur, Alabama lands in the top 49% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,559th) and the top 17% of Alabama (108th).
Reading the numbers as a whole, the picture lands somewhere in between: subsidized affordable housing stands in the top 5.2% nationally. Distance to a community health center rests at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Park land registers in the top 13.7% nationally, and grocery resides in the top 15% nationally. On the other side, modeled industrial-pollution burden settles in the top 2.3% nationally, and expected annual loss is in the top 2.4% nationally. Modeled disaster risk sits in the top 2.7% nationally, and air-toxics cancer risk lands in the top 8.1% nationally. Slow internet speeds lies in the top 14.3% nationally, and floodplain exposure stands in the top 15% nationally.
Against the wider neighborhood, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put simply, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. On the overall standing, ZIP 35756, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.
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 Decatur, 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 71%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 70%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 85%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 46%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 60%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 58%
8%
Disability
healthier than 49%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 4%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 22%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 80%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 89%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 81%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 87%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 84%
8%
Disability
healthier than 85%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 88%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 1%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 29%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
in the top 0.00%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 93%
16%
Preventive Care
in the top 0.00%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the top 0.00%
11%
Mental Health
in the top 0.00%
8%
Disability
in the top 0.00%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 93%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 7%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 21%
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.
Highest-risk tenth
Air toxics and the years between the two ends of the risk scale
Modeled air-toxics cancer risk is 37.6 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 78.2 ± 1.8 years.
Ranked #1,780 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
35601
Alabamashares a border
Score 35.03
Closest healthier
35756
Alabamashares a border
Score 63.59
Similar health profile
63044
Missouri95% similar profile
Score 50.63
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 | 31.2% | 28.0–34.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.5% | 39.5–47.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.3% | 8.5–10.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.8% | 8.7–11.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.0% | 6.3–7.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.4% | 6.6–8.3 |
| Depression among adults | 23.3% | 20.0–27.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.5% | 11.8–15.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.7% | 37.5–46.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.8% | 30.1–44.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.8% | 9.6–14.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.2% | 7.9–10.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.3% | 76.7–81.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.4% | 77.1–83.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.4% | 85.8–89.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.4% | 65.7–75.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 61.7% | 57.9–65.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.7% | 69.4–83.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.3% | 11.8–17.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.7% | 11.8–15.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.7% | 22.9–31.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.5% | 31.4–44.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.6% | 18.1–23.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.8% | 14.1–17.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.5% | 12.0–15.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.6% | 13.0–16.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.8% | 30.9–39.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.5–9.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.7–9.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.6% | 13.7–17.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.5–4.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.6–5.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.6% | 20.3–27.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.0% | 13.0–17.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.0% | 8.6–11.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.5% | 9.9–13.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.9% | 7.0–8.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.3% | 29.5–39.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 6.5–8.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 9.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 28.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 18.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.9% | 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 | 4.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628 |
| Single-parent households | 56.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 20.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 42.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $81,490 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $247,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568 |
| Median gross rent | $910 | $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 | 78.2 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 78.2, 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