ZIP code
37656
in Fall Branch, TennesseePopulation 3,849
47.32/ 100
Ranked #19,771 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 38%)
Ranked #143 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (top 23%)
Ranked #5 of 16 Johnson City, TN ZIPs (top 31%)
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.
Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 3.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›PFOS in drinking water
86.3%
in the top 10.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a Superfund site
47.6 mi
in the top 13.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS87thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
89.5 days/year
in the top 28% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS72ndDefinition & 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
Fall Branch, Tennessee (ZIP 37656), by its composite score, sits in the bottom 38% nationally (19,771st) and the top 23% of Tennessee (143rd).
The data opens on a genuinely even set of readings: modeled extreme heat settles at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled arsenic sits in the bottom 12.3% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site lies in the top 13.5% nationally. Floodplain exposure rests in the bottom 14.1% nationally. Crowded housing resides at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Pharmacy is in the top 16% nationally. On the other side, modeled industrial-pollution burden lands in the top 3.3% nationally, PFOS in drinking water stands in the top 10.3% nationally, and lithium in drinking water registers in the top 16% nationally. Recreation settles at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs.
Next to the surrounding area, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For anyone unfamiliar, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. 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. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 37659, 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 Johnson City, TN 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 61%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 68%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 64%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 56%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 30%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 37%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 10%
8%
Disability
healthier than 39%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 25%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 65%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 67%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 91%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 84%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 73%
8%
Disability
healthier than 73%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 94%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 29%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 21%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 64%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 64%
16%
Preventive Care
in the top 0.00%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 93%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 93%
8%
Disability
healthier than 79%
7%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 50%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Healthcare Access
healthier than 7%
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
37641
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 43.81
Closest healthier
37659
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 48.81
Similar health profile
49099
Michigan97% similar profile
Score 45.86
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 | 35.6% | 33.1–38.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.7% | 37.8–43.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.8% | 10.0–11.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.9–12.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.6–9.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.6% | 8.6–10.6 |
| Depression among adults | 29.6% | 27.0–32.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.0% | 12.6–15.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.5% | 37.6–43.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.1% | 31.7–41.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.0% | 3.7–4.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 12.2% | 10.3–14.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.4% | 8.1–11.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.7% | 77.7–81.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.3% | 76.9–81.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.7% | 87.5–90.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.3% | 64.7–71.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.7% | 60.7–66.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.8% | 70.0–81.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.3% | 12.5–16.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.1% | 15.1–19.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.8% | 22.9–29.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.7% | 31.6–40.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.7% | 19.6–24.1 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.3% | 16.8–20.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.0% | 14.6–17.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.3% | 14.8–18.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.1% | 33.9–40.6 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.4–10.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.1% | 8.2–10.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.3% | 15.6–19.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.6–4.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.0% | 4.6–5.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 22.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 20.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 87.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 67.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 25.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 51.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $63,617 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $236,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $794 | $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 | 76.7 yr ± 0.56 | 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 0.56 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