ZIP code
36862
in Lafayette, AlabamaPopulation 5,915
39.27/ 100
Ranked #27,224 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 15%)
Ranked #423 of 619 Alabama ZIPs (bottom 32%)
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.
High blood pressure
52.5%
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 ›Diabetes
20.5%
in the top 3.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Stroke
6.0%
in the top 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
10.8%
in the bottom 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST14thUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Self-care disability
7.0%
in the top 5.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
23.8%
in the top 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST82ndUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.2%
in the bottom 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST36thUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Households without a vehicle
16.3%
in the top 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
30.2%
in the top 8.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST79thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
12.7%
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST76thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite measure, Lafayette, Alabama (ZIP 36862) sits in the bottom 15% nationally (27,224th) and the bottom 32% of Alabama (423rd).
The main burdens in the data show plainly and lead the picture: modeled high blood pressure registers in the top 1.7% nationally, diabetes lands in the top 3.1% nationally, and stroke resides in the top 4.1% nationally. Modeled self-care disability lies in the top 5.9% nationally, modeled mobility disability settles in the top 5.3% nationally, and households without a vehicle stands in the top 6.3% nationally. Modeled fair or poor health is in the top 8.0% nationally, and independent living disability rests in the top 7.9% nationally. More positively, modeled binge drinking sits in the bottom 2.6% nationally, and arsenic registers in the bottom 5.5% nationally.
In plain language, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. ZIP 36274, just across the boundary, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 78%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 59%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 48%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 44%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 6%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 8%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 20%
11%
Disability
healthier than 8%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 36%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 66%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 67%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 74%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 71%
5%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 44%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 21%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 36%
11%
Disability
healthier than 22%
7%
“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 77.8; chronic-disease standing 6.3 (bottom 10%) — 72 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #981 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
36274
Alabamashares a border
Score 43.25
Closest healthier
36276
Alabamashares a border
Score 41.84
Similar health profile
29180
South Carolina99% similar profile
Score 38.42
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 | 36.0% | 32.3–39.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 52.5% | 48.1–57.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.2% | 7.4–9.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 9.8–12.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.4% | 8.5–10.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.7% | 9.6–12.2 |
| Depression among adults | 21.5% | 18.3–25.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 20.5% | 18.2–23.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.9% | 38.3–47.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 43.8% | 35.7–51.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 6.0% | 5.5–6.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 23.4% | 19.7–27.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 12.0% | 10.0–14.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.4% | 78.9–83.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.7% | 79.6–85.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.5% | 84.7–88.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.0% | 63.8–73.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 49.3% | 45.3–53.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.9% | 70.5–84.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 10.8% | 8.7–13.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.7% | 16.3–21.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 36.5% | 31.6–42.0 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 42.5% | 35.5–49.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 30.2% | 27.1–34.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.1% | 16.1–20.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.0% | 15.2–19.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.1% | 16.1–20.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 42.7% | 38.3–47.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.2–10.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 12.7% | 11.4–14.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 23.8% | 21.3–26.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 7.0% | 6.4–7.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 8.8% | 8.0–9.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 28.8% | 24.9–32.9 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 28.4% | 24.9–32.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 23.3% | 20.4–26.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.7% | 17.2–22.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 13.6% | 12.0–15.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 36.2% | 31.0–41.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 14.4% | 12.6–16.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | AL median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 15.4% (5.1–31.1%) n=623 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 15.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 13.7% (5.2–25.2%) n=625 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 19.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.2% (3.6–23.0%) n=626 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 16.9% (6.9–38.8%) n=626 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 10.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–11.0%) n=622 |
| Households without a vehicle | 16.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.0% (0.0–12.1%) n=622 |
| Broadband subscription | 74.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 84.9% (68.8–94.9%) n=622 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 34.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.3% (10.1–35.0%) n=622 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.3% (54.7–92.5%) n=622 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 5.6% | 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 | 49.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 50.9% (35.0–68.6%) n=617 |
| Population 65+ | 25.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.9–29.2%) n=628 |
| Median age | 50.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.3 yr (33.4–52.9) n=621 |
| Median household income | $37,719 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $55,896 ($37,738–$88,230) n=587 |
| Median home value | $134,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $160,950 ($87,300–$292,680) n=568 |
| Median gross rent | $678 | $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 | 76.7 yr ± 0.98 | 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 0.98 years of 76.7, 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