ZIP code
36553
in Mc Intosh, AlabamaPopulation 3,422
38.50/ 100
Ranked #27,717 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 13.6%)
Ranked #451 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (bottom 27%)
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
0.83%
in the bottom 0.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Short sleep
47%
in the top 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Mental-health provider access
0.36 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics located 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 ›Humid extreme heat
151.7 days/year
in the top 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Diabetes
19%
in the top 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST77thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
32.3%
in the top 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
0.6 mi
in the bottom 5.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST2ndUS6thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
47.9%
in the top 6.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST66thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Unemployment rate
11.3%
in the top 7.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
27.9%
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST79thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›The read
In its overall standing, Mc Intosh, Alabama (ZIP 36553) lands in the bottom 13.6% nationally (27,717th) and the bottom 27% of Alabama (451st).
Reading across the data, the real pressures come first: modeled short sleep lands in the top 1.4% nationally, humid heat lies in the top 4.3% nationally, and diabetes stands in the top 5.6% nationally. Poverty rests in the top 5.6% nationally, distance to a Superfund site registers in the bottom 5.8% nationally, and modeled high blood pressure resides in the top 6.1% nationally. Unemployment settles in the top 7.3% nationally, and modeled food insecurity is in the top 7.9% nationally. More encouragingly, modeled arsenic sits in the bottom 0.4% nationally, and mental-health providers lands in the top 1.5% nationally.
Put simply, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. On the overall standing, ZIP 36513, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.
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 77%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 41%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 13%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 15%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 8%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 24%
8%
Disability
healthier than 12%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 19%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 65%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 41%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 36%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 30%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 11%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 26%
8%
Disability
healthier than 33%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 21%
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 77.1; chronic-disease standing 12.8 — 64 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,436 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
36513
Alabamashares a border
Score 38.91
Closest healthier
36522
Alabamashares a border
Score 41.36
Similar health profile
63827
Missouri99% similar profile
Score 35.59
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 | 34.0% | 30.4–37.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 47.9% | 43.4–52.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.2% | 6.5–8.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.9% | 10.5–13.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.2% | 7.3–9.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.2% | 8.2–10.3 |
| Depression among adults | 23.9% | 20.3–27.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 19.0% | 16.8–21.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.2% | 36.7–45.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 44.3% | 35.9–52.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.2% | 4.8–5.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 21.0% | 17.2–25.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.2% | 8.5–12.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.4% | 76.8–81.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.1% | 77.6–84.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.5% | 83.4–87.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.4% | 60.0–70.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 50.1% | 45.9–54.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.1% | 67.0–82.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.5% | 10.1–15.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.6% | 16.9–22.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 33.5% | 28.3–38.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 47.0% | 39.4–55.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 28.9% | 25.7–32.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.5% | 17.3–21.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.1% | 15.1–19.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.7% | 16.6–21.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 43.4% | 38.4–48.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.2–10.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 12.1% | 10.9–13.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 21.9% | 19.3–24.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.9% | 5.3–6.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.4–8.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 29.5% | 25.4–33.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 27.9% | 24.3–31.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 19.8% | 16.9–22.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.6% | 17.0–22.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 14.0% | 12.4–15.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 38.1% | 32.7–43.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 13.6% | 11.9–15.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 32.3% | 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+) | 14.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 10.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 11.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622 |
| Households without a vehicle | 11.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 73.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 16.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 83.7% | 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 | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628 |
| Single-parent households | 51.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 16.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 46.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $51,897 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $185,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568 |
| Median gross rent | $488 | $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 | 76.3 yr ± 2.17 | 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 2.17 years of 76.3, 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