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ZipVitals

ZIP code

35967

in Fort Payne, AlabamaPopulation 16,957

37.49/ 100

Ranked #28,286 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 11.8%)

Ranked #478 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (bottom 23%)

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.

Independent-living disability

12.7%

in the top 7.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST76th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.

Full methodology ›

Cognitive disability

20.4%

in the top 7.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST89th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.

Full methodology ›

Poverty rate

28.7%

in the top 7.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST87th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Full methodology ›

Fair or poor health

29.3%

in the top 9.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST75th
US90th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.

Full methodology ›

Slow internet speeds

1.1%

in the top 10.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
US90th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.

Full methodology ›

Uninsured (under 65)

15.9%

in the top 9.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US91st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.

Full methodology ›

Crowded housing

4.2%

in the top 17% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US83rd
Definition & source ›

The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.

Full methodology ›

Floodplain exposure

2.7%

in the bottom 23% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST6th
US23rd
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 ›

Colon-cancer screening

61.7%

in the bottom 21% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST7th
US21st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.

Full methodology ›

The read

By its overall health score, ZIP 35967, one of several in Fort Payne, Alabama lands in the bottom 11.8% nationally (28,286th) and the bottom 23% of Alabama (478th).

continue reading

Strengths and concerns sit side by side across the measures here: distance to a community health center resides at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. On the other hand, modeled independent living disability lands in the top 7.9% nationally, and cognitive disability registers in the top 7.8% nationally. Poverty sits in the top 7.7% nationally, modeled fair or poor health rests in the top 9.8% nationally, and slow internet speeds is in the top 10.4% nationally. Modeled food insecurity stands in the top 10.9% nationally, self-care disability settles in the top 10.5% nationally, and transportation lies in the top 12.0% nationally. Modeled uninsured resides in the top 9.4% nationally.

To translate a couple of terms, distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 35959, 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.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Healthcare Access

healthier than 93%

5%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 53%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 19%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 19%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 26%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 14%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 13%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 14%

8%

Disability

healthier than 8%

7%

Lifting this score

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 98%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 93%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 49%

21%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 37%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 17%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 5%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 23%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 8%

8%

Disability

healthier than 24%

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 73.6 ± 1.3 years. A median household income of $47,051 predicts 77.1 years — 3.5 years below.

    Ranked #4,660 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.

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 adults32.2%28.9–35.6
High blood pressure among adults44.3%40.1–48.6
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults8.5%7.7–9.3
Current asthma among adults10.4%9.2–11.8
Coronary heart disease among adults8.8%8.0–9.8
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults11.1%10.0–12.3
Depression among adults26.7%23.0–30.8
Diagnosed diabetes among adults16.0%14.0–18.1
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened42.1%37.8–46.6
Obesity among adults39.5%31.9–47.5
Stroke among adults4.7%4.4–5.1
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years21.0%17.5–25.0
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years15.9%13.7–18.2
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure76.5%73.7–79.1
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults78.1%74.4–81.5
Cholesterol screening among adults82.4%80.2–84.4
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years61.7%56.5–66.6
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults50.8%47.0–54.9
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years72.1%64.0–79.4
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults13.9%11.3–16.8
Current cigarette smoking among adults20.1%17.7–22.8
No leisure-time physical activity among adults34.7%30.0–39.7
Short sleep duration among adults40.1%33.6–47.0
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults29.3%26.3–32.8
Frequent mental distress among adults19.4%17.3–21.7
Frequent physical distress among adults17.9%16.0–20.1
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults20.4%18.3–22.8
Any disability among adults42.7%38.2–47.4
Hearing disability among adults10.3%9.2–11.4
Independent living disability among adults12.7%11.4–14.1
Mobility disability among adults20.9%18.7–23.3
Self-care disability among adults6.2%5.7–6.7
Vision disability among adults8.2%7.5–9.0
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults25.1%21.6–28.9
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults25.2%22.3–28.4
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults19.9%17.4–22.5
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults16.6%14.5–18.9
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults12.4%11.1–13.9
Loneliness among adults35.5%30.4–40.8
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults11.5%10.1–13.1
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)AL median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate28.7%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36415.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623
Uninsured 18–6427.4%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28613.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625
No HS diploma (25+)21.3%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50513.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626
Bachelor's or higher (25+)17.1%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50516.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626
Unemployment rate (16+)4.7%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622
Households without a vehicle5.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622
Broadband subscription85.8%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32284.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)23.5%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32221.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622
Homeownership rate72.4%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32278.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622
Crowded housing (>1 per room)4.2%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.3% (0.0–4.2%) n=622
Foreign-born population8.7%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628
Single-parent households46.4%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08750.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617
Population 65+16.2%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628
Median age38.8 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29241.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621
Median household income$47,051$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587
Median home value$157,300$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568
Median gross rent$684$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 birth73.6 yr ± 0.6778.9 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 0.67 years of 73.6, 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