ZIP code
37659
in Jonesborough, TennesseePopulation 29,080
48.81/ 100
Ranked #17,901 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 44%)
Ranked #114 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (top 19%)
Ranked #4 of 16 Johnson City, TN ZIPs (top 25%)
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 4.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.3%
in the bottom 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST15thUS8thDefinition & 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 ›Park land
12.9%
in the top 9.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area that is public parkland.
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
86.7 days/year
in the top 29% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS71stDefinition & 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
By its overall health score, Jonesborough, Tennessee (ZIP 37659) lands in the bottom 44% nationally (17,901st) and the top 19% of Tennessee (114th).
Strengths and concerns sit side by side across the measures here: modeled arsenic rests in the bottom 7.9% nationally. Modeled extreme heat is at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Park land stands in the top 9.9% nationally. Distance to a community health center settles at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Distance to a nursing home lies at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Floodplain exposure resides in the bottom 18% nationally. On the other hand, modeled industrial-pollution burden lands in the top 4.4% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility registers at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Modeled radon sits in the top 17% nationally, and lithium in drinking water rests in the top 16% nationally.
Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, industrial-pollution burden runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of terms, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 37615, 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 62%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 64%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 89%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 44%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 54%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 55%
11%
Disability
healthier than 46%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 33%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 10%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 77%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 69%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 84%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 83%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 71%
8%
Disability
healthier than 80%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 93%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 90%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 24%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 86%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 71%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 86%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 86%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 86%
8%
Disability
healthier than 86%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 93%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 29%
14%
“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.
Above its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 77.8 ± 0.9 years. The 48 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 75.9 years — 1.9 years above them.
Ranked #1,420 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
37604
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 43.10
Closest healthier
37615
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 51.79
Similar health profile
37754
Tennessee99% similar profile
Score 47.70
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 | 33.5% | 30.3–37.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.6% | 34.9–42.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.1% | 9.2–11.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.7% | 9.5–12.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.5% | 6.8–8.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.8% | 7.9–9.8 |
| Depression among adults | 29.9% | 26.4–34.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.0% | 11.4–14.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.9% | 35.0–43.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.2% | 29.7–41.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.4% | 9.2–13.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.7% | 8.4–11.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.0% | 75.1–80.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.4% | 75.3–81.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.4% | 87.0–89.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.4% | 61.7–70.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 62.6% | 59.1–66.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.9% | 67.4–81.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.3% | 12.9–18.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.7% | 14.7–19.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.5% | 21.0–28.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.5% | 30.3–41.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.8% | 18.4–23.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.3% | 16.4–20.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.2% | 13.6–17.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.0% | 14.4–18.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.8% | 32.0–40.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.5% | 7.6–9.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.7% | 7.8–9.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.0% | 14.2–18.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.4–5.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 14.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 29.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 20.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 59.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 21.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 45.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $71,110 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $249,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $1,008 | $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 | 77.8 yr ± 0.46 | 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 0.46 years of 77.8, 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