ZIP code
35988
in Sylvania, AlabamaPopulation 2,368
47.56/ 100
Ranked #19,493 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 39%)
Ranked #169 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (top 27%)
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.
Child-care access
1.1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Fiber broadband
99.9%
in the top 2.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
94.6 days/year
in the top 26% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS74thDefinition & 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
0.8 days/year
in the bottom 32% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS32ndDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
5.4%
in the top 35% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS65thDefinition & 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 ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Sylvania, Alabama (ZIP 35988) ranks in the bottom 39% nationally (19,493rd) and the top 27% of Alabama (169th).
Where this area bears down hardest, the measures speak first: unemployment is in the top 17% nationally. Recreation stands at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs. Physicians settles at the national minimum, shared with about 38% of ZIPs. Homeownership lies in the bottom 21% nationally, modeled industrial-pollution burden resides in the top 22% nationally, and household income lands in the bottom 19% nationally. On the encouraging side, childcare registers in the top 1.9% nationally, fiber broadband sits in the top 2.1% nationally, and modeled disaster risk rests in the bottom 15% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure is at the national minimum, shared with about 36% of ZIPs.
In plainer terms, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to 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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 60%
14%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 49%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 40%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 53%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 36%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 36%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 22%
8%
Disability
healthier than 35%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 29%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 82%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 63%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 62%
11%
Disability
healthier than 73%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 98%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 47%
14%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 29%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 23%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 23%
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
35968
Alabamashares a border
Score 44.94
Closest healthier
35986
Alabamashares a border
Score 48.84
Similar health profile
63758
Missouri98% similar profile
Score 47.20
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 | 30.0% | 26.7–33.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.6% | 36.4–45.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.7% | 7.9–9.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.0% | 8.8–11.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.6% | 7.5–9.7 |
| Depression among adults | 26.3% | 22.4–30.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.8% | 11.1–14.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.8% | 36.5–45.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.4% | 27.9–43.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.1% | 10.6–16.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.8% | 9.1–12.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.9% | 73.0–78.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.1% | 74.3–81.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.5% | 82.4–86.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.0% | 59.9–70.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.4% | 54.5–62.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.2% | 68.5–82.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.4% | 12.6–18.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.4% | 14.1–18.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.8% | 23.4–32.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.2% | 31.6–45.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.5% | 19.6–25.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.1% | 16.0–20.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.1% | 13.3–17.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.3% | 15.3–19.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.7% | 32.0–41.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.7% | 7.8–9.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.7% | 8.6–10.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.3% | 14.2–18.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.8–4.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.5% | 5.0–6.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.0% | 20.4–27.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.4% | 13.9–19.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.1% | 9.2–13.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.5% | 9.9–13.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.6% | 7.5–9.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.8% | 29.7–40.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 6.5–8.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 26.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 22.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–4.2%) n=622 |
| Foreign-born population | 8.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628 |
| Single-parent households | 33.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 11.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 34.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $53,684 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $158,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568 |
| Median gross rent | $691 | $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 | 73.9 yr ± 0.62 | 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 0.62 years of 73.9, 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