ZIP code
37618
in Bluff City, TennesseePopulation 12,548
44.55/ 100
Ranked #22,860 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 29%)
Ranked #197 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (top 32%)
Ranked #13 of 30 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA ZIPs (top 43%)
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.
Park land
22.7%
in the top 6.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 6.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Fiber broadband
95.6%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST70thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Mammography
79.8%
in the top 12.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Radon
2.7 pCi/L
in the top 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS83rdDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
91 days/year
in the top 27% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS73rdDefinition & 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 ›The read
Bluff City, Tennessee (ZIP 37618), on the composite measure, lands in the bottom 29% nationally (22,860th) and the top 32% of Tennessee (197th).
The readings split fairly evenly between strengths and concerns: park land rests in the top 6.1% nationally. Modeled extreme heat sits at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Fiber broadband registers in the top 9.8% nationally. Distance to a community health center lands at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Modeled binge drinking resides in the bottom 11.4% nationally, and mammography lies in the top 12.3% nationally. Working the other way, modeled industrial-pollution burden settles in the top 6.9% nationally, and unemployment stands in the top 16% nationally. Lithium in drinking water is in the top 16% nationally, and modeled radon rests in the top 17% nationally.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 37686, just across the boundary.
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 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 67%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 79%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 60%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 45%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 60%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 23%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 23%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 6%
8%
Disability
healthier than 26%
7%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 66%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 90%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 74%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 89%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 81%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 55%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 49%
8%
Disability
healthier than 58%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 17%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 69%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 76%
13%
Disability
healthier than 66%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 90%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 52%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 55%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 31%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 34%
8%
“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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 76.3 ± 1.0 years. A median household income of $63,851 predicts 78.3 years — 2.0 years below.
Ranked #2,714 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
37617
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 43.45
Closest healthier
37686
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 50.73
Similar health profile
26451
West Virginia98% similar profile
Score 43.57
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 | 36.8% | 33.7–39.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.2% | 38.7–45.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.3% | 9.4–11.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.3% | 10.1–12.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.4% | 7.6–9.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.5% | 9.3–11.7 |
| Depression among adults | 30.7% | 27.3–34.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.2% | 13.4–17.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.9% | 36.4–43.5 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.7% | 33.0–42.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.2% | 3.9–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.1% | 10.8–15.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.7% | 9.1–12.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.2% | 77.5–82.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.7% | 76.7–82.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.1% | 86.5–89.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.4% | 60.2–68.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.2% | 59.9–66.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.8% | 74.2–84.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.7% | 10.6–14.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.7% | 17.2–22.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.8% | 24.9–32.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.4% | 32.0–40.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.5% | 21.8–27.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.3% | 17.2–21.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.8% | 14.9–18.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.8% | 15.8–19.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.4% | 34.5–42.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.2–10.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.2% | 16.9–21.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.1–5.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.7% | 5.1–6.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 15.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 11.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 18.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 61.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 21.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 45.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $63,851 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $188,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $920 | $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 | 76.3 yr ± 0.52 | 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 0.52 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