ZIP code
36528
in Dauphin Island, AlabamaPopulation 1,852
59.66/ 100
Ranked #5,112 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 16%)
Ranked #28 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (top 4.6%)
Ranked #1 of 35 Mobile, AL ZIPs (top 2.9%)
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.
Colon-cancer screening
77.9%
in the top 0.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
47.2%
in the top 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
5.9%
in the bottom 2.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Recreation access
1.7 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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 ›Utility shut-off threat
3.8%
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
14.3%
in the top 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
4.6%
in the bottom 4.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
45%
in the top 5.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
15.3 mi
in the top 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
97.5%
in the top 6.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Cross-source signals
Combined exposures in this ZIP
More than one environmental exposure stands out in this ZIP. Each is established independently and shown on its own above; they are grouped here for context — not because one causes the other.
This area ranks among the highest 10% of US ZIP codes for both humid-heat days and flood exposure.
See the full flooding, evacuation & humid-heat analysis →
The read
By the composite health measure, Dauphin Island, Alabama (ZIP 36528) ranks in the top 16% healthiest ZIPs nationally (5,112th) and the top 4.6% of Alabama (28th).
The picture here is genuinely mixed, with readings on both sides: modeled colon screening sits in the top 0.7% nationally, and housing insecurity is in the bottom 2.4% nationally. Recreation settles in the top 2.6% nationally, and modeled utility shutoff resides in the bottom 2.8% nationally. Modeled transportation registers in the bottom 4.4% nationally, and homeownership rests in the top 6.1% nationally. On the other side, modeled high cholesterol stands in the top 1.3% nationally, unemployment lies in the top 4.3% nationally, and floodplain exposure lands in the top 5.0% nationally. Distance to a nursing home sits in the top 5.2% nationally.
Read against the ZIPs closest to it, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To spell things out, floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". Close by, ZIP 36526, about 21 miles away, ranks 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Mobile, AL metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 78%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 98%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 98%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 91%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 90%
8%
Disability
healthier than 73%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 43%
21%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 6%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 11%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 77%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 93%
16%
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.00%
14%
Preventive Care
in the top 0.4%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 99%
11%
Mental Health
in the top 0.5%
8%
Disability
healthier than 92%
7%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 5%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 2%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 68%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
in the top 0.00%
16%
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.00%
14%
Preventive Care
in the top 0.00%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the top 0.00%
11%
Mental Health
in the top 0.00%
8%
Disability
healthier than 94%
7%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 21%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the bottom 0.00%
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 98.1 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 42.7 — 55 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #2,084 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
36523
Alabamashares a border
Score 35.39
Closest healthier
36526
Alabamaabout 21 mi away
Score 60.61
Similar health profile
28594
North Carolina98% similar profile
Score 62.63
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 | 34.3% | 30.8–38.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.3% | 39.4–47.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 12.8% | 11.5–14.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 8.5% | 7.4–9.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.0% | 6.8–9.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.0% | 5.5–8.6 |
| Depression among adults | 21.0% | 18.1–24.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.1% | 12.0–16.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 47.2% | 43.7–51.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 31.7% | 27.2–36.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.2–4.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 4.8% | 3.9–6.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 5.3% | 3.8–7.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 84.0% | 81.4–86.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.8% | 80.1–85.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 92.0% | 90.7–93.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 77.9% | 74.3–81.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 68.7% | 65.5–71.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 81.4% | 76.1–86.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.7% | 11.6–16.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.2% | 7.5–13.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.9% | 17.6–26.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.3% | 28.4–36.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.9% | 12.7–19.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 12.5% | 10.7–14.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.4% | 10.3–14.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 10.4% | 8.5–12.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 29.7% | 25.2–34.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.2% | 7.9–10.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.4% | 5.2–7.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.7% | 11.8–17.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.2% | 2.5–3.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.1–4.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.1% | 16.8–23.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 5.7–10.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 4.4% | 3.0–5.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 5.9% | 4.5–7.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 4.6% | 3.7–5.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 27.8% | 23.8–31.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 3.8% | 3.0–4.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 16.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 2.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 42.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 14.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 15.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 97.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.3% (0.0–4.2%) n=622 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628 |
| Single-parent households | 84.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 36.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 62.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $67,206 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $432,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568 |
| Median gross rent | $1,844 | $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 ± 1.72 | 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 1.72 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