ZIP code
36421
in Babbie, AlabamaPopulation 9,799
46.07/ 100
Ranked #21,273 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 34%)
Ranked #213 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (top 34%)
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.
Humid extreme heat
146 days/year
in the top 5.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.2%
in the bottom 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST39thUS6thDefinition & 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 ›High cholesterol
44.3%
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST75thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 14.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS85thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Babbie, Alabama (ZIP 36421) lands in the bottom 34% nationally (21,273rd) and the top 34% of Alabama (213th).
The signals balance out across the profile, strengths against concerns: modeled arsenic sits in the bottom 6.0% nationally. Distance to a community health center is at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Distance to an emergency room settles in the bottom 13.1% nationally, and fiber broadband resides in the top 13.8% nationally. Set against that, modeled humid heat registers in the top 5.8% nationally, high cholesterol rests in the top 6.0% nationally, and high blood pressure stands in the top 11.9% nationally. Modeled disaster risk lies in the top 14.7% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lands at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Modeled expected annual loss sits in the top 17% nationally.
A note on the terms: arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. 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 comparison, ZIP 36038, just across the boundary, ranks better 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 84%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 85%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 49%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 46%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 51%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 22%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 33%
8%
Disability
healthier than 24%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 24%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 73%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 76%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 81%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 88%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 54%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 46%
8%
Disability
healthier than 58%
7%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 34%
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
2 of our published findings list 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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 74.8 ± 1.4 years. A median household income of $65,801 predicts 78.4 years — 3.6 years below.
Ranked #4,794 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 83.4; chronic-disease standing 22.2 — 61 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,644 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
36028
Alabamashares a border
Score 45.66
Closest healthier
36038
Alabamashares a border
Score 47.77
Similar health profile
72543
Arkansas97% similar profile
Score 43.46
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 | 33.4% | 30.2–36.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 45.2% | 41.2–49.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.7% | 8.8–10.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.2% | 9.1–11.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.6% | 7.7–9.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.8% | 8.7–11.0 |
| Depression among adults | 24.5% | 21.1–28.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.6% | 13.8–17.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 44.3% | 40.2–48.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.3% | 30.5–44.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.5% | 4.2–4.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.1% | 13.3–19.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.5% | 8.0–11.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.8% | 77.2–82.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.7% | 77.4–83.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.2% | 84.3–87.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.7% | 60.6–70.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.2% | 50.1–58.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.0% | 66.1–81.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.4% | 11.0–16.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.3% | 15.0–19.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.0% | 25.9–34.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.2% | 29.1–41.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.9% | 22.0–27.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.9–19.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.9% | 14.1–17.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.8% | 14.9–18.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.5% | 34.3–42.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.8–10.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.5% | 9.4–11.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.7% | 16.6–21.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.6–5.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.6–6.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.0% | 20.5–27.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.6% | 15.1–20.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.2% | 11.3–15.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.1% | 10.5–13.9 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.0% | 7.9–10.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.5% | 28.5–38.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.5% | 7.4–9.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 12.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 20.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622 |
| Households without a vehicle | 8.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 16.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–4.2%) n=622 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628 |
| Single-parent households | 52.9% | 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 | 42.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $65,801 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $170,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568 |
| Median gross rent | $794 | $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 | 74.8 yr ± 0.72 | 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 0.72 years of 74.8, 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