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ZIP code

36738

in Dayton, AlabamaPopulation 747

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

33.09/ 100

Ranked #30,020 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 6.4%)

Ranked #551 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (bottom 11.0%)

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.

Diabetes

22.8%

in the top 1.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US99th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

High blood pressure

55.2%

in the top 0.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US99th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Self-care disability

8.0%

in the top 2.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.

Full methodology ›

Tooth loss

29.4%

in the top 3.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST93rd
US97th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Stroke

6.4%

in the top 2.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST88th
US98th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Mobility disability

25.9%

in the top 2.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.

Full methodology ›

Short sleep

45.8%

in the top 2.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST89th
US98th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Binge drinking

10.3%

in the bottom 1.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST10th
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 ›

Fair or poor health

32.9%

in the top 4.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST89th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.

Full methodology ›

Obesity

47.8%

in the top 1.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST89th
US98th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Cross-source signals

Health need and barriers to care documented here

On our reading, this ZIP code carries the overlap at its severe level: severe means at least four of the six health-need readings and at least four 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

  • Distance to the nearest emergency room
  • Thin local supply of doctors
  • Thin local supply of pharmacies
  • Households with no vehicle
  • Limited home internet for telehealth

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

Overall, Dayton, Alabama (ZIP 36738) places in the bottom 6.4% nationally (30,020th) and the bottom 11.0% of Alabama (551st).

continue reading

What the data marks out about this place comes first: modeled diabetes is in the top 1.2% nationally, and high blood pressure lands in the top 0.8% nationally. Modeled self-care disability stands in the top 2.8% nationally, and tooth loss registers in the top 3.5% nationally. Modeled stroke settles in the top 2.5% nationally, mobility disability sits in the top 2.5% nationally, and short sleep lies in the top 2.2% nationally. Modeled fair or poor health rests in the top 4.4% nationally, and obesity resides in the top 1.6% nationally. On the better side, modeled binge drinking is in the bottom 1.7% nationally.

Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 36742, just across the boundary. Further still, the area 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 92%

14%

About typical

Preventive Care

healthier than 55%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 45%

8%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 3%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 1%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 10%

11%

Disability

healthier than 4%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 18%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 26%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 89%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 62%

13%

Mental Health

healthier than 69%

8%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 9%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 5%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 16%

11%

Disability

healthier than 13%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 18%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 20%

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 adults36.9%33.9–39.9
High blood pressure among adults55.2%51.7–58.6
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults7.1%6.5–7.7
Current asthma among adults11.8%10.6–13.1
Coronary heart disease among adults9.4%8.6–10.3
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults11.1%9.8–12.4
Depression among adults21.5%18.8–24.4
Diagnosed diabetes among adults22.8%20.7–25.1
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened44.5%40.8–48.3
Obesity among adults47.8%41.4–54.4
Stroke among adults6.4%5.9–7.0
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years29.4%25.3–33.5
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years12.0%10.1–14.2
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure82.2%80.3–84.0
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults83.9%81.5–86.1
Cholesterol screening among adults86.6%85.0–88.1
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years64.8%60.5–68.6
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults47.5%43.9–50.9
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years78.3%72.5–83.2
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults10.3%8.7–12.1
Current cigarette smoking among adults20.0%17.4–22.7
No leisure-time physical activity among adults37.9%33.7–42.5
Short sleep duration among adults45.8%40.1–51.5
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults32.9%29.5–36.3
Frequent mental distress among adults18.5%16.7–20.4
Frequent physical distress among adults17.8%16.1–19.8
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults19.0%16.9–21.1
Any disability among adults44.4%40.4–48.6
Hearing disability among adults8.5%7.7–9.4
Independent living disability among adults13.9%12.4–15.4
Mobility disability among adults25.9%23.3–28.6
Self-care disability among adults8.0%7.2–9.0
Vision disability among adults9.9%8.9–10.9
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults30.3%26.8–33.9
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults33.1%29.3–37.0
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults29.0%25.5–32.7
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults22.9%20.2–25.9
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults15.7%13.9–17.6
Loneliness among adults37.8%33.5–42.1
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults17.4%15.4–19.6
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)AL median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate20.9%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36415.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623
Uninsured 18–646.7%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28613.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625
No HS diploma (25+)12.8%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50513.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626
Bachelor's or higher (25+)13.7%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50516.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626
Unemployment rate (16+)14.2%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622
Households without a vehicle14.5%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622
Broadband subscription66.8%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32284.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)27.1%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32221.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622
Homeownership rate69.8%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32278.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622
Crowded housing (>1 per room)1.5%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.3% (0.0–4.2%) n=622
Foreign-born population0.1%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.3% (0.0–6.2%) n=628
Single-parent households42.9%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08750.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617
Population 65+21.4%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628
Median age45.9 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29241.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621
Median household income$34,583$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587
Median home value—$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568
Median gross rent$775$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 birth75.7 yr ± 1.6178.9 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 1.61 years of 75.7, 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