ZIP code
35968
in Fort Payne, AlabamaPopulation 4,763
44.94/ 100
Ranked #22,472 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 30%)
Ranked #247 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (top 40%)
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.
Physician access
5.7 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of physicians’ offices 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 ›Pharmacy access
0.59 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Outpatient-care access
0.59 per 1,000 residents
in the top 5.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient clinics 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 ›Elder-services access
0.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 7.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Poverty rate
27.2%
in the top 8.7% 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 ›Median household income
$43,539
in the bottom 7.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST19thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
103.1 days/year
in the top 21% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS79thDefinition & 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 ›Dry extreme heat
0.9 days/year
in the bottom 33% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS33rdDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, ZIP 35968, one of several in Fort Payne, Alabama lands in the bottom 30% nationally (22,472nd) and the top 40% of Alabama (247th).
Where this area bears down hardest, the measures speak first: poverty rests in the top 8.7% nationally, and household income is in the bottom 7.9% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility stands at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Recreation settles at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs. Fatal road crashes lies in the top 19% nationally. On the encouraging side, physicians resides in the top 1.0% nationally, and pharmacy lands in the top 3.6% nationally. Distance to an emergency room registers at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Outpatient sits in the top 5.7% nationally, and elder services rests in the top 7.3% nationally.
Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, physicians runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of terms, distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 35986, 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.
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 75%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 50%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 43%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 44%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 32%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 29%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 27%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 27%
8%
Disability
healthier than 24%
7%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 68%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 74%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 89%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 81%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 48%
11%
Disability
healthier than 59%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 31%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 19%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 33%
8%
“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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
35961
Alabamashares a border
Score 31.33
Closest healthier
35986
Alabamashares a border
Score 48.84
Similar health profile
65536
Missouri99% similar profile
Score 39.79
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 | 31.6% | 28.2–35.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.2% | 38.8–47.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.2% | 8.3–10.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.9% | 8.7–11.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.2% | 7.4–9.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.6 |
| Depression among adults | 25.6% | 21.9–29.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.1% | 12.3–16.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.0% | 37.6–46.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.5% | 29.2–44.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.9–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.7% | 14.6–21.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.7% | 10.1–13.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.9% | 74.0–79.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.5% | 74.8–82.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.6% | 82.6–86.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.8% | 58.5–68.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.4% | 50.6–58.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.8% | 67.0–81.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.9% | 12.1–18.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.5% | 15.3–20.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.7% | 25.3–34.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.1% | 32.5–46.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.4% | 21.6–27.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.9–20.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.9% | 14.1–18.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.6% | 15.7–19.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.6% | 34.1–43.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.7–10.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.4% | 9.3–11.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.0% | 15.8–20.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.4–5.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.6–6.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.3% | 20.7–28.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.0% | 15.6–20.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 12.9% | 11.1–15.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.3% | 10.6–14.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 8.2–10.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.4% | 29.3–39.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 7.2–9.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 27.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 17.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 16.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 12.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 19.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–4.2%) n=622 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628 |
| Single-parent households | 59.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 22.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 42.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $43,539 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $122,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568 |
| Median gross rent | $698 | $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 | 74.4 yr ± 0.61 | 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 0.61 years of 74.4, 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