ZIP code
37686
in Piney Flats, TennesseePopulation 9,495
50.73/ 100
Ranked #15,223 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 47%)
Ranked #94 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (top 15%)
Ranked #5 of 30 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA ZIPs (top 17%)
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 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Pharmacy access
0.37 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Mammography
80.9%
in the top 7.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS93rdDefinition & 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 15% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS85thDefinition & 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 ›Energy-cost burden
2.0%
in the bottom 13.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS13thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
10.0%
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS25thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
68.9%
in the top 28% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS72ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Piney Flats, Tennessee (ZIP 37686) places in the top 47% healthiest ZIPs nationally (15,223rd) and the top 15% of Tennessee (94th).
The clearest bright points in the data come first here: modeled extreme heat rests at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Pharmacy resides in the top 9.7% nationally, and modeled mammography is in the top 7.1% nationally. Modeled energy burden lands in the bottom 13.0% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure stands at the national minimum, shared with about 36% of ZIPs. Distance to a Superfund site registers in the top 19% nationally, and modeled binge drinking settles in the bottom 19% nationally. By contrast, modeled industrial-pollution burden sits in the top 4.9% nationally, modeled radon lies in the top 15% nationally, and lithium in drinking water rests in the top 16% nationally.
Beside the areas that surround it, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For readers new to these terms, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall 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 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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 78%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 80%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 63%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 70%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 44%
21%
Disability
healthier than 54%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 28%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 11%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 38%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 77%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 87%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 95%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 89%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 77%
8%
Disability
healthier than 84%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 72%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 20%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 38%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
in the top 0.00%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 90%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 93%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 90%
11%
Disability
in the top 0.00%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 76%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 52%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 34%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 3%
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 ›
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 80.8 ± 3.0 years. The 48 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 75.7 years — 5.0 years above them.
Ranked #136 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
37601
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 40.44
Closest healthier
37615
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 51.79
Similar health profile
25304
West Virginia98% similar profile
Score 50.26
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 | 34.4% | 31.3–37.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.5% | 36.1–43.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.3–11.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.6–12.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.4% | 7.2–9.7 |
| Depression among adults | 29.6% | 26.1–33.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.4% | 11.7–15.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.1% | 35.6–42.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.4% | 30.8–40.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.2–3.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.0% | 8.2–12.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.0% | 7.4–11.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.7% | 76.9–82.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.7% | 76.7–82.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.1% | 87.3–90.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.9% | 64.9–72.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.0% | 59.6–66.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.9% | 75.3–85.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.5% | 11.4–15.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.2% | 13.7–18.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.5% | 21.1–28.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.9% | 32.5–41.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.4% | 17.8–23.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.9% | 15.8–20.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.7% | 12.9–16.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.5% | 13.6–17.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.0% | 30.2–38.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.0% | 7.1–9.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.2% | 7.2–9.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.8% | 13.7–18.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.5% | 3.1–4.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.4% | 3.9–5.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 13.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 9.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 35.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 18.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 57.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 16.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 44.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $84,264 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $352,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $1,032 | $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 | 80.8 yr ± 1.55 | 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 1.55 years of 80.8, 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