ZIP code
37308
in Birchwood, TennesseePopulation 3,188
42.32/ 100
Ranked #24,959 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 22%)
Ranked #255 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (top 41%)
Ranked #33 of 45 Chattanooga, TN-GA 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.
PFOA in drinking water
78.6%
in the top 12.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOA, one of the man-made “forever chemicals,” was detected in EPA testing.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›PFOS in drinking water
78.6%
in the top 12.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOS, one of the most common “forever chemicals,” was detected in EPA testing.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›The read
Birchwood, Tennessee (ZIP 37308), overall, ranks in the bottom 22% nationally (24,959th) and the top 41% of Tennessee (255th).
Reading the numbers as a whole, the picture lands somewhere in between: households without a vehicle lies at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled arsenic stands in the bottom 15% nationally, modeled transportation noise rests in the bottom 16% nationally, and housing-cost burden registers in the bottom 19% nationally. Poverty resides in the bottom 20% nationally. On the other side, PFOA in drinking water settles in the top 12.1% nationally, and PFOS in drinking water is in the top 12.5% nationally. Modeled cognitive disability sits in the top 14.6% nationally, and humid heat lands in the top 16% nationally. Recreation lies at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs.
Defined simply, PFOA in drinking water is one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. PFOS in drinking water is a common one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. ZIP 37336, just across the boundary, comes out 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 Chattanooga, TN-GA 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 65%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 62%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 23%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 33%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 29%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 6%
8%
Disability
healthier than 25%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 30%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 28%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 72%
16%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 55%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 57%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 57%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 58%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 51%
8%
Disability
healthier than 56%
7%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 22%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 24%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 91%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 45%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 27%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 39%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 34%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 27%
8%
Disability
healthier than 32%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 27%
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
37321
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 38.98
Closest healthier
37336
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 44.14
Similar health profile
38567
Tennessee98% similar profile
Score 44.38
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 | 34.5% | 32.1–37.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.4% | 39.5–45.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.5% | 8.8–10.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.5% | 10.4–12.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.4% | 7.6–9.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.0% | 9.5–12.4 |
| Depression among adults | 29.7% | 27.1–32.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.7% | 13.1–16.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.9% | 38.1–43.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.7% | 33.4–42.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.2% | 12.0–16.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.5% | 9.6–13.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.7% | 75.3–79.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.7% | 75.1–80.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.0% | 85.3–88.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.7% | 59.9–67.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 56.7% | 53.7–59.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.5% | 67.5–78.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.5% | 12.7–16.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 21.3% | 18.4–24.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.9% | 23.5–30.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.2% | 33.0–41.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.7% | 21.7–27.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.9% | 18.1–21.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.1% | 15.3–18.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.9% | 16.8–21.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.9% | 34.3–41.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.0% | 8.1–9.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.3% | 9.2–11.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.3% | 16.1–20.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.1–5.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.9% | 5.2–6.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 17.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 16.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 15.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 88.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 43.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 13.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 38.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $80,394 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $253,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $807 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $908 ($659–$1,523) n=516 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 74.9 yr ± 1.01 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 75.1 yr (72.6–78.1) n=587 |
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 1.01 years of 74.9, 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