ZIP code
37694
in Watauga, TennesseePopulation 1,729
33.07/ 100
Ranked #30,023 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 6.4%)
Ranked #544 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (bottom 11.7%)
Ranked #16 of 16 Johnson City, TN ZIPs (bottom 6.3%)
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.
Cognitive disability
21.3%
in the top 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 5.0% 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 ›Mammography
67.9%
in the bottom 7.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST5thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
12.6%
in the top 8.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
29.5%
in the top 9.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
22.3%
in the top 8.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
42.3%
in the top 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
10.1%
in the top 9.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
93.5%
in the top 10.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS89thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
43.7%
in the top 7.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST86thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Watauga, Tennessee (ZIP 37694) lands in the bottom 6.4% nationally (30,023rd) and the bottom 11.7% of Tennessee (544th).
The signals balance out across the profile, strengths against concerns: modeled extreme heat is at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Homeownership settles in the top 10.9% nationally. Set against that, modeled cognitive disability resides in the top 5.3% nationally, industrial-pollution burden registers in the top 5.0% nationally, and mammography rests in the bottom 7.4% nationally. Modeled independent living disability stands in the top 8.4% nationally, fair or poor health lies in the top 9.3% nationally, and mobility disability lands in the top 8.7% nationally. Modeled short sleep sits in the top 8.3% nationally, and coronary heart disease is in the top 9.0% nationally.
Set beside the nearby areas, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. A note on the terms: industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 37601, just across the boundary, ranks better 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 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
Healthcare Access
healthier than 62%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 44%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 8%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 24%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 16%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 7%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 2%
8%
Disability
healthier than 8%
7%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 84%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 64%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 20%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 39%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 18%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 15%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 9%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 9%
8%
Disability
healthier than 15%
7%
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 21%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 21%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 21%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 7%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the bottom 0.00%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 7%
8%
Disability
in the bottom 0.00%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 14%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 36%
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
37601
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 40.44
Closest healthier
37618
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 44.55
Similar health profile
37873
Tennessee100% similar profile
Score 35.55
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 | 37.2% | 33.9–40.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 45.5% | 41.7–49.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.6% | 8.7–10.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.5% | 10.3–12.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.1% | 9.1–11.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 13.1% | 11.5–14.8 |
| Depression among adults | 32.2% | 28.5–36.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.0% | 15.0–19.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.7% | 39.7–47.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.6% | 33.1–46.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.9% | 4.5–5.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 22.0% | 18.4–25.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.4% | 11.1–16.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.5% | 74.8–80.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.7% | 74.4–80.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.8% | 82.8–86.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.3% | 57.7–67.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 52.0% | 48.7–55.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 67.9% | 60.0–75.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.4% | 11.1–15.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 23.7% | 20.6–27.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 33.6% | 29.0–38.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 42.3% | 36.5–48.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 29.5% | 26.2–33.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 21.4% | 19.3–23.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 19.4% | 17.3–21.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 21.3% | 19.0–23.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 45.3% | 40.9–49.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.7% | 9.6–11.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 12.6% | 11.2–14.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 22.3% | 19.8–25.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.8% | 5.2–6.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.5% | 6.7–8.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 16.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 24.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 14.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 93.5% | 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 | 2.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 65.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 23.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 50.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $81,250 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $203,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $755 | $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 | 75.0 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 75.0, 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