ZIP code
35987
in Steele, AlabamaPopulation 2,861
47.19/ 100
Ranked #19,929 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 38%)
Ranked #182 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (top 29%)
Ranked #51 of 116 Birmingham, AL ZIPs (top 44%)
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 3.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Fatal road crashes
45.4 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.2%
in the bottom 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST35thUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Transportation noise
7.7%
in the top 13.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS87thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Mammography
71.3%
in the bottom 21% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST7thUS21stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Steele, Alabama (ZIP 35987) ranks in the bottom 38% nationally (19,929th) and the top 29% of Alabama (182nd).
The measures split the difference for this area: modeled arsenic resides in the bottom 5.5% nationally. Distance to a nursing home lands at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Homeownership registers in the top 17% nationally. Against that, modeled industrial-pollution burden sits in the top 3.5% nationally, fatal road crashes rests in the top 5.2% nationally, and modeled transportation noise is in the top 13.0% nationally. Modeled high cholesterol stands in the top 10.6% nationally, humid heat settles in the top 14.1% nationally, and loneliness lies in the top 16% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility resides at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. 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. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 35146, 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 Birmingham, AL metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 40%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 52%
11%
Disability
healthier than 46%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 40%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 39%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 36%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 27%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 30%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 36%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 75%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 63%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 82%
11%
Disability
healthier than 82%
7%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 54%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 29%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 30%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 34%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 34%
5%
Lifting this score
Risk Behavior
healthier than 65%
11%
Disability
healthier than 67%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 59%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 57%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 52%
14%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 27%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 33%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 17%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 27%
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
35121
Alabamashares a border
Score 45.47
Closest healthier
35146
Alabamashares a border
Score 51.89
Similar health profile
45617
Ohio92% similar profile
Score 33.66
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% | 28.1–35.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.6% | 36.5–45.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.4% | 8.5–10.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.9% | 8.7–11.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.9% | 6.9–9.1 |
| Depression among adults | 25.8% | 22.0–29.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.5% | 10.8–14.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.0% | 38.5–47.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.3% | 31.1–46.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.3% | 14.9–22.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.0% | 7.4–10.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.9% | 74.9–80.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.4% | 75.6–82.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.2% | 84.1–88.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.5% | 60.3–70.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.3% | 50.2–58.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.3% | 62.9–78.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.0% | 13.0–19.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.8% | 12.5–17.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.6% | 22.3–31.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.6% | 29.4–42.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.4% | 17.6–23.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.6% | 15.5–19.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.3% | 12.5–16.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.9% | 14.0–17.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.9% | 31.3–40.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.0% | 7.9–10.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.8% | 7.7–9.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.3% | 13.2–17.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.3–4.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.9% | 20.5–27.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.4% | 11.2–15.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.5% | 6.9–10.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.1% | 8.6–11.9 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.3% | 6.4–8.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 36.3% | 31.4–41.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.5% | 5.6–7.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 26.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 9.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 10.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 15.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 90.4% | 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 | 2.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628 |
| Single-parent households | 51.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 22.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 41.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $78,906 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $181,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568 |
| Median gross rent | $721 | $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 | 74.1 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 74.1, 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