ZIP code
36321
in Cowarts, AlabamaPopulation 2,141
43.99/ 100
Ranked #23,423 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 27%)
Ranked #273 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (top 44%)
Ranked #8 of 22 Dothan, AL ZIPs (top 36%)
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.
Grocery access
0.56 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of full supermarkets 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. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”
Full methodology ›Fatal road crashes
0 per 100,000 residents per year
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 6.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.2%
in the bottom 6.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST42ndUS7thDefinition & 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 ›Humid extreme heat
137.7 days/year
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST67thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Loneliness
38.2%
in the top 8.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, Cowarts, Alabama (ZIP 36321) lands in the bottom 27% nationally (23,423rd) and the top 44% of Alabama (273rd).
The burdens that read clearest in the data come first: modeled industrial-pollution burden stands in the top 6.2% nationally, and humid heat settles in the top 7.9% nationally. Modeled loneliness lies in the top 8.1% nationally. Recreation resides at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs. Physicians lands at the national minimum, shared with about 38% of ZIPs. Childcare registers at the national minimum, shared with about 42% of ZIPs. Better still, grocery sits in the top 1.2% nationally, fatal road crashes rests at the national minimum, and modeled arsenic is in the bottom 6.8% nationally. Modeled radon stands in the bottom 24% nationally.
Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, grocery runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of 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. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 36345, about 3.7 miles away.
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 Dothan, AL metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 70%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 44%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 32%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 27%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 37%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 11%
8%
Disability
healthier than 24%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 31%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 28%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 68%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 64%
11%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 49%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 57%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 46%
13%
Disability
healthier than 59%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 58%
5%
Holding it back
Mental Health
healthier than 5%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 22%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 86%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 62%
11%
Disability
healthier than 76%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 95%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 48%
16%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 33%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 38%
13%
Mental Health
in the bottom 0.00%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 19%
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
36301
Alabamashares a border
Score 40.30
Closest healthier
36345
Alabamaabout 3.7 mi away
Score 49.98
Similar health profile
38044
Tennessee98% similar profile
Score 37.86
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 | 31.9% | 28.4–35.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.1% | 38.0–46.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.0% | 8.1–10.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.6% | 9.2–12.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.9% | 6.9–8.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.4% | 8.0–10.9 |
| Depression among adults | 27.5% | 23.5–31.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.4% | 12.3–16.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.1% | 35.9–44.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.5% | 33.0–46.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.7–4.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.3% | 12.3–18.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.1% | 7.9–12.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.2% | 75.3–80.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.9% | 76.3–83.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.5% | 81.9–86.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.4% | 62.5–72.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 53.9% | 49.9–57.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.5% | 68.9–83.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.6% | 11.9–17.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.4% | 14.4–20.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.1% | 23.4–33.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.0% | 32.0–44.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.4% | 20.8–28.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.4% | 17.0–21.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.5% | 13.3–17.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.9% | 15.4–20.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.5% | 34.4–44.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.4% | 8.2–10.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.8% | 9.3–12.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.6% | 15.0–20.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.2–5.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.3–6.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 25.6% | 21.8–29.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.6% | 15.3–21.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 14.1% | 11.5–16.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.5% | 11.3–15.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.7% | 8.3–11.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 38.2% | 33.1–43.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 7.8–10.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 18.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 15.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 16.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 11.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.3% | 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 | 88.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.2% | 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 | 55.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 20.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 37.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $64,267 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $177,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568 |
| Median gross rent | $923 | $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 | 76.5 yr ± 0.80 | 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 0.80 years of 76.5, 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