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ZipVitals

ZIP code

36482

in Whatley, AlabamaPopulation 566

39.22/ 100

Ranked #27,253 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 15%)

Ranked #428 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (bottom 31%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

High blood pressure

53.7%

in the top 1.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST87th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.

Full methodology ›

Diabetes

21.2%

in the top 2.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST86th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.

Full methodology ›

Short sleep

46.4%

in the top 1.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST91st
US98th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.

Full methodology ›

Binge drinking

10.2%

in the bottom 1.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST9th
US2nd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.

Full methodology ›

Households without a vehicle

32.7%

in the top 2.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with no vehicle available.

Full methodology ›

Obesity

47.4%

in the top 1.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST88th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.

Full methodology ›

Tooth loss

25.9%

in the top 6.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST87th
US94th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.

Full methodology ›

Stroke

5.8%

in the top 5.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST81st
US95th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.

Full methodology ›

Self-care disability

6.8%

in the top 6.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST80th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.

Full methodology ›

Loneliness

39.2%

in the top 5.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US94th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.

Full methodology ›

Cross-source signals

Health need and barriers to care documented here

On our reading, this ZIP code carries the overlap at its acute level: acute means at least three of the six health-need readings and at least three of the six access barriers apply to the same place.

These are two separate readings of public data that both apply to this place — never a claim that one causes the other, never a severity score, and never a statement about any person who lives here.

Health need documented here

  • Food insecurity
  • Housing insecurity
  • Adults reporting fair or poor health
  • Chronic conditions

Barriers to reaching care

  • Thin local supply of doctors
  • Thin local supply of pharmacies
  • Households with no vehicle

A reading appears below only where this ZIP code is among the most-affected 10% of US ZIP codes on it — one national bar, the same for every ZIP in the country.

See the full care-deserts analysis →

The read

Judged by its overall standing, Whatley, Alabama (ZIP 36482) sits in the bottom 15% nationally (27,253rd) and the bottom 31% of Alabama (428th).

continue reading

A rural profile defined by a handful of clear readings: modeled high blood pressure lands in the top 1.2% nationally, diabetes rests in the top 2.3% nationally, and short sleep settles in the top 1.7% nationally. Households without a vehicle lands in the top 2.1% nationally, modeled obesity rests in the top 1.8% nationally, and modeled tooth loss settles in the top 6.2% nationally. Modeled stroke lands in the top 5.3% nationally, and self-care disability rests in the top 6.8% nationally. Modeled loneliness settles in the top 5.7% nationally. On the stronger side, modeled binge drinking lands in the bottom 1.6% nationally.

A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 36436, just across the boundary. Across other measures, the ZIP also shows documented health need overlapping with barriers to reaching care, sitting in the most-affected 10% of US ZIP codes on several need measures and several access barriers.

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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 85%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 67%

13%

About typical

Mental Health

healthier than 60%

8%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 41%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 6%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 5%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 16%

11%

Disability

healthier than 12%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 18%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 77%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 77%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 85%

8%

About typical

Healthcare Access

healthier than 40%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 19%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 15%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 28%

11%

Disability

healthier than 34%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults35.4%31.1–39.3
High blood pressure among adults53.7%48.7–58.2
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults7.2%6.4–7.9
Current asthma among adults11.4%9.9–12.8
Coronary heart disease among adults8.6%7.6–9.8
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults9.3%8.0–10.9
Depression among adults20.5%16.9–23.8
Diagnosed diabetes among adults21.2%18.3–24.1
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened42.5%37.4–46.9
Obesity among adults47.4%38.7–55.6
Stroke among adults5.8%5.1–6.5
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years25.9%21.6–30.6
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years10.9%8.6–13.6
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure82.6%79.8–84.8
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults84.4%81.0–87.0
Cholesterol screening among adults88.2%86.2–89.9
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years65.6%60.4–70.3
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults49.1%45.0–53.1
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years78.5%71.4–84.5
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults10.2%8.0–12.4
Current cigarette smoking among adults17.9%14.9–21.3
No leisure-time physical activity among adults35.8%29.8–41.7
Short sleep duration among adults46.4%39.0–53.7
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults30.3%26.1–34.8
Frequent mental distress among adults17.6%15.2–19.8
Frequent physical distress among adults16.4%14.1–18.8
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults17.3%14.9–19.9
Any disability among adults42.7%37.0–48.4
Hearing disability among adults8.0%6.9–9.0
Independent living disability among adults12.0%10.4–13.8
Mobility disability among adults23.0%19.8–26.6
Self-care disability among adults6.8%5.8–7.9
Vision disability among adults8.3%7.2–9.5
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults32.1%27.6–36.8
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults29.5%24.7–34.5
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults23.0%18.8–27.4
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults21.4%18.2–24.9
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults13.6%11.7–15.7
Loneliness among adults39.2%33.6–44.8
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults14.9%12.8–17.3
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)AL median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate6.5%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36415.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623
Uninsured 18–6425.6%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28613.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625
No HS diploma (25+)26.2%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50513.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626
Bachelor's or higher (25+)10.9%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50516.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622
Households without a vehicle32.7%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622
Broadband subscription73.5%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32284.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)29.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32221.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622
Homeownership rate76.5%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32278.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.3% (0.0–4.2%) n=622
Foreign-born population5.1%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628
Single-parent households74.2%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08750.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617
Population 65+15.4%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628
Median age55.1 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29241.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621
Median household income$69,671$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587
Median home value$103,800$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568
Median gross rent$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$856 ($625–$1,266) n=503
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)AL median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth73.6 yr ± 1.0878.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30874.7 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 1.08 years of 73.6, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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