ZIP code
36256
in New Site, AlabamaPopulation 1,515
45.69/ 100
Ranked #21,667 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 32%)
Ranked #219 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (top 35%)
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
0.67 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.2%
in the bottom 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST34thUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Housing-cost burden
10.3%
in the bottom 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
43.9%
in the top 7.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST70thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
65.2%
in the top 11.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS88thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS22ndDefinition & 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 ›The read
New Site, Alabama (ZIP 36256), overall, ranks in the bottom 32% nationally (21,667th) and the top 35% of Alabama (219th).
Taken together, the data gives a genuinely mixed reading: pharmacy stands in the top 2.6% nationally, modeled arsenic rests in the bottom 5.0% nationally, and housing-cost burden registers in the bottom 9.8% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise resides at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Modeled tree cover settles in the top 11.8% nationally. On the other side, modeled high cholesterol is in the top 7.2% nationally, and humid heat sits in the top 10.3% nationally. Walkability lands in the bottom 11.0% nationally, and modeled short sleep lies in the top 12.7% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure stands in the top 12.4% nationally.
Defined simply, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. ZIP 36255, just across the boundary, comes out healthier overall.
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 85%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 56%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 24%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 40%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 27%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 29%
8%
Disability
healthier than 30%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 32%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 30%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 62%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 79%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 63%
13%
Disability
healthier than 68%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 61%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 58%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 48%
11%
Holding it back
Mental Health
healthier than 39%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 25%
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 ›
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 85.2; chronic-disease standing 24.2 — 61 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,659 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
35010
Alabamashares a border
Score 41.61
Closest healthier
36255
Alabamashares a border
Score 47.10
Similar health profile
71660
Arkansas97% similar profile
Score 44.16
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 | 34.4% | 30.9–38.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 45.0% | 40.5–49.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.3% | 8.5–10.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.2% | 9.0–11.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.1% | 7.2–9.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.0% | 8.0–10.1 |
| Depression among adults | 25.1% | 21.5–29.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.7% | 12.8–16.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.9% | 39.4–48.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.2% | 30.7–46.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.3% | 3.9–4.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.5% | 15.3–21.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.3% | 7.4–11.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.2% | 76.5–81.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.6% | 77.1–83.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.3% | 84.4–88.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.0% | 61.7–71.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 55.6% | 51.5–59.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.9% | 69.6–83.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.5% | 11.8–17.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.2% | 14.8–19.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.4% | 23.9–33.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 41.0% | 34.6–47.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.8% | 20.8–26.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.7–19.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.5% | 13.6–17.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.6% | 14.6–18.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.1% | 33.5–42.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.4% | 8.3–10.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.0% | 8.8–11.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.8% | 15.6–20.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–5.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.7% | 5.1–6.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.7% | 21.3–28.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.6% | 14.2–19.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.5% | 9.6–13.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.8% | 10.1–13.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.5% | 7.5–9.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.3% | 30.5–40.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.9% | 6.8–9.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 13.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 17.1% | 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 | 2.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 80.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 10.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 86.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–4.2%) n=622 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628 |
| Single-parent households | 63.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 19.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 43.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $64,167 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $151,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568 |
| Median gross rent | $621 | $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 | 72.6 yr ± 3.70 | 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 3.70 years of 72.6, 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