ZIP code
37909
in Knoxville, TennesseePopulation 16,774
52.58/ 100
Ranked #12,652 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 39%)
Ranked #73 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (top 11.9%)
Ranked #8 of 72 Knoxville, TN ZIPs (top 11.2%)
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.
Physician access
3.5 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of physicians’ offices 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
40 per million
in the top 4.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
47.1%
in the bottom 7.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST6thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Mental-health provider access
0.12 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics 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 ›Outpatient-care access
0.44 per 1,000 residents
in the top 10.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient clinics 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 ›Transit access
2.9 per 1,000 residents
in the top 10.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS89thDefinition & source ›
The number of public-transit stops 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 ›Loud transportation noise
1.6%
in the top 10.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS89thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
0.92%
in the bottom 11.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS12thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
93.9%
in the top 17% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS83rdDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFAS — man-made “forever chemicals” that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down — were 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 ›High cholesterol
34.1%
in the bottom 14.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS14thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 37909, one of several in Knoxville, Tennessee, by its composite score, sits in the top 39% healthiest ZIPs nationally (12,652nd) and the top 11.9% of Tennessee (73rd).
The clearest bright points in the data come first here: physicians stands in the top 2.6% nationally, and mental-health providers registers in the top 8.4% nationally. Subsidized affordable housing settles in the top 10.1% nationally, and outpatient sits in the top 10.1% nationally. Transit lies in the top 10.6% nationally, and fiber broadband rests in the top 10.8% nationally. By contrast, modeled air-toxics cancer risk resides in the top 4.5% nationally, homeownership is in the bottom 7.7% nationally, and modeled loud transportation noise lands in the top 10.6% nationally. Modeled industrial-pollution burden stands in the top 11.5% nationally.
Next to the surrounding area, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For anyone unfamiliar, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. 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 37919, 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.
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 77%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 79%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 67%
11%
Disability
healthier than 64%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 84%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 41%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 15%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 7%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 92%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 89%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 72%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 90%
11%
Disability
healthier than 88%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 84%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 86%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 57%
8%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 11%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 96%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 86%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 86%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 63%
8%
Disability
healthier than 92%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 80%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 89%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 59%
13%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 13%
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
3 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.
Above its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 78.7 ± 1.6 years. The 41 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 75.8 years — 2.8 years above them.
Ranked #942 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Heavy environment, light chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 14.9; chronic-disease standing 77.1 — 62 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #15,625 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Highest-risk tenth
Air toxics and the years between the two ends of the risk scale
Modeled air-toxics cancer risk is 40.0 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 78.7 ± 1.6 years.
Ranked #504 of the 4,173 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by modeled air-toxics risk, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
37919
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 56.41
Closest healthier
37923
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 52.88
Similar health profile
49008
Michigan98% similar profile
Score 53.17
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 | 26.6% | 24.1–29.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 34.1% | 31.0–37.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.0% | 7.2–8.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.4% | 9.2–11.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 5.6% | 5.0–6.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.5% | 5.8–7.5 |
| Depression among adults | 30.4% | 27.0–33.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.6% | 9.3–12.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 34.1% | 30.9–37.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 32.3% | 27.8–36.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.9% | 2.7–3.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.8% | 9.5–14.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.2% | 8.6–11.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 73.0% | 70.4–75.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.0% | 73.8–80.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.7% | 83.8–87.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.0% | 64.5–73.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.2% | 56.7–63.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.5% | 69.2–82.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.6% | 14.1–19.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.6% | 11.7–15.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.3% | 19.2–25.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.5% | 29.9–39.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.1% | 15.8–20.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.0% | 16.9–21.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.5% | 11.0–14.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.5% | 14.5–18.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.8% | 28.3–35.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.8% | 6.1–7.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.2% | 7.2–9.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.8% | 11.3–14.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.0% | 2.7–3.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.4% | 4.0–4.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 14.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 46.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 31.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 47.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 8.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 48.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 18.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 36.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $66,984 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $312,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $1,204 | $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 | 78.6 yr ± 0.84 | 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 0.84 years of 78.6, 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