ZIP code
36276
in Wadley, AlabamaPopulation 2,407
41.84/ 100
Ranked #25,356 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 21%)
Ranked #337 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (bottom 46%)
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.
Arsenic in groundwater
1.1%
in the bottom 4.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST32ndUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Tree cover
65.6%
in the top 11.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS88thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
10.3 mi
in the top 13.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS87thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 29% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS29thDefinition & 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
Wadley, Alabama (ZIP 36276), by its overall standing, sits in the bottom 21% nationally (25,356th) and the bottom 46% of Alabama (337th).
The measures fall on both sides of the ledger for this area: modeled arsenic stands in the bottom 4.7% nationally. Distance to a community health center lands at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Modeled tree cover is in the top 11.6% nationally, and distance to a hazardous-chemical facility resides in the top 13.5% nationally. Set against that, fatal road crashes rests in the top 10.8% nationally, and slow internet speeds lies in the top 10.9% nationally. Modeled humid heat sits in the top 11.0% nationally, and independent living disability settles in the top 12.5% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure registers in the top 13.6% nationally, and cognitive disability stands in the top 15% nationally.
Defined in plain terms, 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. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 36255, 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 78%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 61%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 21%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 16%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 32%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 36%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 19%
8%
Disability
healthier than 16%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 33%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 65%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 61%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 62%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 66%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 52%
21%
Disability
healthier than 41%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 31%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 22%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 16%
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 ›
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 77.5; chronic-disease standing 20.8 — 57 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,983 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
36255
Alabamashares a border
Score 47.10
Closest healthier
36256
Alabamashares a border
Score 45.69
Similar health profile
28133
North Carolina98% similar profile
Score 42.06
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 | 32.7% | 29.9–35.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.6% | 41.1–48.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.7% | 8.0–9.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.7% | 9.6–11.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.6% | 7.8–9.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.0% | 8.8–11.3 |
| Depression among adults | 25.6% | 22.4–29.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.0% | 14.2–17.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.5% | 39.1–46.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.6% | 32.2–45.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.7% | 4.3–5.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.8% | 16.0–21.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.3% | 8.5–12.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.5% | 76.6–80.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.6% | 77.9–83.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.5% | 81.4–85.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.8% | 61.8–69.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 50.5% | 47.1–54.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.9% | 66.2–79.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.3% | 11.3–15.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.1% | 14.7–19.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.7% | 26.4–35.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.1% | 33.4–44.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 26.2% | 23.2–29.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.1% | 17.1–21.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.1% | 14.4–17.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.8% | 16.6–21.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 41.2% | 36.9–45.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.6% | 8.7–10.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.8% | 10.5–13.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.5% | 17.4–21.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.5% | 4.9–6.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.1% | 6.4–7.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.5% | 21.5–27.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 21.6% | 18.8–25.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 16.6% | 14.2–19.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.3% | 12.5–16.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 11.3% | 10.0–12.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.9% | 31.6–40.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 18.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 23.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.6% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 79.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 25.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–4.2%) n=622 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628 |
| Single-parent households | 53.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 18.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 31.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $52,471 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $195,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568 |
| Median gross rent | $845 | $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 | 74.5 yr ± 0.92 | 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 0.92 years of 74.5, 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