ZIP code
36581
in Sunflower, AlabamaPopulation 161
40.18/ 100
Ranked #26,634 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 17%)
Ranked #395 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (bottom 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.
Arsenic in groundwater
0.84%
in the bottom 0.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS1stDefinition & 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
46.7%
in the top 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
45.5%
in the bottom 1.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
52.4%
in the top 1.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
52.8%
in the top 3.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Binge drinking
11.0%
in the bottom 3.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST15thUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Diabetes
19.1%
in the top 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST78thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Obesity
45.6%
in the top 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
146.2 days/year
in the top 5.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›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
In its overall standing, Sunflower, Alabama (ZIP 36581) lands in the bottom 17% nationally (26,634th) and the bottom 36% of Alabama (395th).
Reading across the data, the real pressures come first: modeled short sleep rests in the top 1.5% nationally, home broadband subscription registers in the bottom 1.2% nationally, and modeled high blood pressure resides in the top 1.7% nationally. Floodplain exposure settles in the top 3.5% nationally, modeled diabetes is in the top 5.4% nationally, and modeled obesity sits in the top 3.6% nationally. Modeled humid heat lands in the top 5.7% nationally. More encouragingly, modeled arsenic lies in the bottom 0.5% nationally, and poverty stands at the national minimum. Modeled binge drinking rests in the bottom 3.1% nationally.
Put simply, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". 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 36585, 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 64%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 66%
8%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 56%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 12%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 14%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 19%
11%
Disability
healthier than 17%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 2%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 22%
5%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 63%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 89%
8%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 51%
14%
Disability
healthier than 45%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 33%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 29%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 33%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 2%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 14%
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
36585
Alabamashares a border
Score 41.41
Closest healthier
36545
Alabamaabout 1.2 mi away
Score 40.92
Similar health profile
71839
Arkansas99% similar profile
Score 37.24
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 | 34.6% | 31.0–38.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 52.4% | 47.7–57.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.5% | 6.7–8.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.7% | 9.3–12.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.1% | 7.1–9.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.5% | 7.2–9.8 |
| Depression among adults | 20.4% | 17.2–23.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 19.1% | 16.6–21.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.0% | 36.4–45.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 45.6% | 36.9–54.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.4% | 4.8–6.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 24.9% | 20.6–29.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.5% | 7.5–12.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.1% | 78.4–83.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 83.6% | 80.5–86.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.5% | 85.6–89.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 61.4% | 56.1–66.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 50.3% | 46.2–54.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.8% | 70.2–84.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 11.0% | 8.9–13.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.2% | 13.2–19.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 34.2% | 28.5–39.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 46.7% | 39.1–54.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 27.5% | 23.6–31.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.9% | 14.7–19.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.0% | 13.0–17.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.2% | 13.9–18.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 40.9% | 35.6–45.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.1–9.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.4% | 9.8–13.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 21.7% | 18.6–24.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.2–6.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.8% | 6.8–8.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 28.4% | 24.1–33.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 26.2% | 21.7–31.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 21.2% | 17.0–25.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.1% | 15.8–22.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 12.6% | 10.6–14.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 36.5% | 31.2–42.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 14.4% | 12.1–16.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 0.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 0.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 0.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 5.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 45.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 35.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.6% | 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 | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628 |
| Single-parent households | 100.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 75.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 72.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | — | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $408,600 | $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
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 75.2 yr ± 1.40 | 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 1.40 years of 75.2, 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