ZIP code
35979
in Higdon, AlabamaPopulation 1,103
35.78/ 100
Ranked #29,088 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 9.3%)
Ranked #516 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (bottom 17%)
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.
Pharmacy access
0.73 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Fiber broadband
99.8%
in the top 2.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
13.9%
in the top 4.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Child-care access
0.73 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of child day-care services 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 ›Distance to an emergency room
21 mi
in the top 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
21%
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
13.1%
in the top 6.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST81stUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Hearing disability
11.4%
in the top 7.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
29.8%
in the top 8.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST77thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
22.4%
in the top 8.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST73rdUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Higdon, Alabama (ZIP 35979) lands in the bottom 9.3% nationally (29,088th) and the bottom 17% of Alabama (516th).
Several measures weigh most on this area's profile, and they come first: unemployment lands in the top 4.6% nationally, and distance to an emergency room sits in the top 4.8% nationally. Modeled cognitive disability is in the top 6.0% nationally, and independent living disability settles in the top 6.4% nationally. Modeled hearing disability resides in the top 7.0% nationally, fair or poor health registers in the top 8.7% nationally, and mobility disability rests in the top 8.4% nationally. On the better side, pharmacy stands in the top 2.2% nationally, fiber broadband lies in the top 2.4% nationally, and childcare lands in the top 4.8% nationally.
For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 35966, just across the boundary, ranks better overall. Childcare lands in the top 4.8% nationally.
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 67%
14%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 48%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 10%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 24%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 21%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 9%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 8%
8%
Disability
healthier than 6%
7%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 93%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 63%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 44%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 54%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 29%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 10%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 13%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 2%
8%
Disability
healthier than 18%
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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 66.9; chronic-disease standing 10.0 (bottom 10%) — 57 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,959 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
35958
Alabamashares a border
Score 31.52
Closest healthier
35966
Alabamashares a border
Score 36.32
Similar health profile
38588
Tennessee99% similar profile
Score 29.03
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% | 32.7–38.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 46.7% | 43.1–50.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.4% | 8.6–10.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 9.9–12.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.9% | 8.9–10.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 12.7% | 11.0–14.2 |
| Depression among adults | 28.1% | 25.0–31.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.6% | 14.7–18.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.9% | 40.4–47.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.6% | 33.5–45.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.1% | 4.6–5.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 21.1% | 18.2–24.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 12.3% | 10.2–14.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.0% | 75.6–80.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.5% | 75.6–81.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 82.9% | 80.7–85.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.5% | 60.5–68.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 51.6% | 48.4–55.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.5% | 65.2–77.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.1% | 12.0–16.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 22.5% | 19.7–25.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 34.4% | 29.8–38.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 40.2% | 35.2–45.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 29.8% | 26.4–33.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.1% | 18.2–22.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.9% | 16.8–20.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 21.0% | 18.7–23.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 45.2% | 40.7–49.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.4% | 10.2–12.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 13.1% | 11.7–14.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 22.4% | 19.8–24.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.3% | 5.6–7.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.8% | 6.9–8.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 25.9% | 22.7–29.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 22.6% | 19.3–26.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 17.7% | 15.0–20.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.3% | 12.4–16.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 11.3% | 9.9–12.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.4% | 31.3–39.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.2% | 8.9–11.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 27.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 13.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 25.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 1.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 13.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 21.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 94.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.5% | 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 | 43.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 16.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 33.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $51,833 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $137,000 | $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 | 75.8 yr ± 0.90 | 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 0.90 years of 75.8, 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