ZIP code
35739
in Ardmore, AlabamaPopulation 5,134
47.98/ 100
Ranked #18,953 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 41%)
Ranked #158 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (top 26%)
Ranked #24 of 31 Huntsville, AL ZIPs (bottom 23%)
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.
PFOS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOS, one of the most common “forever chemicals,” was detected in EPA testing.
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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.1%
in the bottom 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST28thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFAS — man-made “forever chemicals” that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down — were detected in EPA testing.
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 ›Elder-services access
0.18 per 1,000 residents
in the top 7.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›PFOA in drinking water
91.2%
in the top 8.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOA, one of the man-made “forever chemicals,” was detected in EPA testing.
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 ›Grocery access
0.18 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of full supermarkets inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 8.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST87thUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Pharmacy access
0.37 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST85thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
99.6 days/year
in the top 23% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS77thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Overall, Ardmore, Alabama (ZIP 35739) places in the bottom 41% nationally (18,953rd) and the top 26% of Alabama (158th).
The measures land in both directions, and neither dominates: modeled arsenic registers in the bottom 3.8% nationally, and elder services settles in the top 7.9% nationally. Grocery sits in the top 8.4% nationally, and pharmacy lies in the top 9.6% nationally. Pulling the other way, PFOS in drinking water rests at the national maximum, PFAS in drinking water resides at the national maximum, and PFOA in drinking water is in the top 8.2% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden lands in the top 8.8% nationally, households without a vehicle stands in the top 11.9% nationally, and fatal road crashes registers in the top 14.1% nationally.
For readers new to these terms, PFOS in drinking water is a common one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. PFAS in drinking water is the family of man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 35620, 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 Huntsville, 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 62%
16%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 42%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 49%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 51%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 60%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 34%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 33%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 28%
8%
Disability
healthier than 38%
7%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 76%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 84%
16%
Disability
healthier than 76%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 96%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 64%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 58%
11%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 37%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 25%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 36%
8%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 73%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 97%
5%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 27%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 30%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 10%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 10%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 13%
8%
Disability
healthier than 20%
7%
“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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 76.1 ± 2.2 years. A median household income of $70,354 predicts 78.7 years — 2.6 years below.
Ranked #3,534 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
35620
Alabamashares a border
Score 49.11
Closest healthier
35773
Alabamashares a border
Score 50.71
Similar health profile
65706
Missouri98% similar profile
Score 47.11
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 | 30.9% | 28.4–33.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.9% | 37.6–43.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.5% | 7.9–9.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.0% | 6.4–7.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.2% | 7.4–9.1 |
| Depression among adults | 25.3% | 22.4–28.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.1% | 11.7–14.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.1% | 37.7–44.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.6% | 35.0–45.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.5–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.8% | 13.4–18.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.7% | 8.3–11.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.8% | 73.3–78.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.7% | 75.8–81.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.1% | 83.4–86.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.9% | 60.9–68.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 56.1% | 52.7–59.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.0% | 67.7–79.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.2% | 13.0–17.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.6% | 14.6–18.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.3% | 23.9–30.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.4% | 34.5–44.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.1% | 19.7–24.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.8% | 16.1–19.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.6% | 13.1–16.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.7% | 15.0–18.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.1% | 32.4–39.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.6–9.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.6% | 8.6–10.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.2% | 14.5–17.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.9–5.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.6% | 20.8–26.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.0% | 13.9–17.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.1% | 9.4–12.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 10.2–13.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.5% | 7.6–9.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.6% | 31.6–39.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 6.9–8.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 9.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 20.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622 |
| Households without a vehicle | 11.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 86.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–4.2%) n=622 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628 |
| Single-parent households | 59.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 17.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 45.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $70,354 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $224,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568 |
| Median gross rent | $830 | $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 | 76.1 yr ± 1.10 | 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 1.10 years of 76.1, 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