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ZipVitals

ZIP code

37849

in Powell, TennesseePopulation 29,375

49.16/ 100

Ranked #17,424 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 46%)

Ranked #111 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (top 18%)

Ranked #12 of 72 Knoxville, TN ZIPs (top 17%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Poverty rate

5.1%

in the bottom 19% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST10th
US19th
Definition & source ›

The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Full methodology ›

The read

Powell, Tennessee (ZIP 37849), by its composite score, sits in the bottom 46% nationally (17,424th) and the top 18% of Tennessee (111th).

continue reading

The measures land in both directions, and neither dominates: distance to an emergency room settles at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Physicians sits in the top 13.6% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing lies in the top 13.7% nationally. Outpatient rests in the top 18% nationally, poverty resides in the bottom 19% nationally, and modeled energy burden is in the bottom 20% nationally. Dental providers lands in the top 21% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled expected annual loss stands in the top 13.3% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility registers at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Modeled humid heat settles in the top 20% nationally.

Next to the surrounding area, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For anyone unfamiliar, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. 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. Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 37931, 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 Knoxville, TN metro area.

Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 80%

16%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 52%

21%

Preventive Care

healthier than 51%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 57%

11%

Disability

healthier than 51%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 42%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 52%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 29%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 7%

8%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 81%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 89%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 81%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 85%

11%

Disability

healthier than 82%

7%

About typical

Mental Health

healthier than 53%

8%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 47%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 51%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 22%

14%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 86%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 90%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 69%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 79%

11%

Disability

healthier than 86%

7%

About typical

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 42%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 58%

8%

Holding it back

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 27%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 37%

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

2 of our published findings list 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 77.7 ± 1.0 years. A median household income of $84,275 predicts 79.4 years — 1.8 years below.

    Ranked #2,203 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.

  • Above its nearby ZIPs

    The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors

    Estimated life expectancy is 77.7 ± 1.0 years. The 43 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 75.4 years — 2.2 years above them.

    Ranked #1,278 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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults31.7%29.2–34.2
High blood pressure among adults38.4%35.6–41.3
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults9.4%8.6–10.2
Current asthma among adults10.7%9.6–11.8
Coronary heart disease among adults6.8%6.2–7.5
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults8.2%7.3–9.1
Depression among adults30.9%27.8–33.9
Diagnosed diabetes among adults12.5%11.1–13.9
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened38.5%35.4–41.4
Obesity among adults34.7%30.7–38.8
Stroke among adults3.4%3.2–3.7
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years12.5%10.5–14.7
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years9.5%8.2–10.9
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure76.6%74.1–79.0
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults78.5%75.7–81.1
Cholesterol screening among adults87.6%86.1–89.0
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years66.8%62.9–70.4
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults60.6%57.4–63.5
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years75.7%69.6–81.0
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults15.8%13.6–18.1
Current cigarette smoking among adults16.1%14.1–18.0
No leisure-time physical activity among adults23.8%20.9–27.0
Short sleep duration among adults35.2%31.2–39.4
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults19.8%17.7–22.0
Frequent mental distress among adults18.9%17.1–20.7
Frequent physical distress among adults14.2%12.8–15.8
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults16.6%14.9–18.2
Any disability among adults33.8%30.7–37.2
Hearing disability among adults7.8%7.1–8.7
Independent living disability among adults8.6%7.7–9.4
Mobility disability among adults15.1%13.5–16.8
Self-care disability among adults3.5%3.2–3.9
Vision disability among adults4.6%4.2–5.1
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)TN median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate5.1%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36413.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609
Uninsured 18–6410.9%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28614.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615
No HS diploma (25+)8.3%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50511.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613
Bachelor's or higher (25+)32.4%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50519.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613
Unemployment rate (16+)3.1%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613
Households without a vehicle4.3%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608
Broadband subscription90.2%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32286.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)17.3%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32221.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608
Homeownership rate82.4%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32277.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608
Crowded housing (>1 per room)1.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608
Foreign-born population4.1%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617
Single-parent households53.1%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08752.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608
Population 65+18.2%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617
Median age38.8 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615
Median household income$84,275$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594
Median home value$290,900$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593
Median gross rent$1,205$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$908 ($659–$1,523) n=516
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)TN median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth77.6 yr ± 0.5278.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30875.1 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 77.6, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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