ZIP code
37920
in Knoxville, TennesseePopulation 44,995
46.00/ 100
Ranked #21,355 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 33%)
Ranked #172 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (top 28%)
Ranked #27 of 72 Knoxville, TN ZIPs (top 38%)
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.
Distance to a Superfund site
In this ZIP
at the national minimum
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
626 units
in the top 3.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
60.3%
in the top 7.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
37.9 per million
in the top 8.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST87thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 8.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Transit access
3.4 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Physician access
1.5 per 1,000 residents
in the top 11.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS88thDefinition & 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 ›Slow internet speeds
0.80%
in the top 13.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS86thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 18% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS82ndDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›The read
By the composite measure, ZIP 37920, one of several in Knoxville, Tennessee sits in the bottom 33% nationally (21,355th) and the top 28% of Tennessee (172nd).
The main burdens in the data show plainly and lead the picture: distance to a Superfund site stands at the national minimum, modeled pfas is in the top 7.8% nationally, and modeled air-toxics cancer risk rests in the top 8.0% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss sits in the top 8.2% nationally, and slow internet speeds registers in the top 13.7% nationally. More positively, subsidized affordable housing lands in the top 3.3% nationally. Distance to an emergency room resides at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Transit lies in the top 8.9% nationally, and physicians settles in the top 11.6% nationally. Distance to a nursing home stands at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs.
Compared with the ZIPs that surround it, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain language, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. ZIP 37777, just across the boundary, ranks healthier 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 Knoxville, 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 70%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 83%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 59%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 49%
11%
Disability
healthier than 41%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 42%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 15%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 29%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 3%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 84%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 79%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 78%
11%
Disability
healthier than 75%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 86%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 46%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 48%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 11%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 12%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 87%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 65%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 69%
11%
Disability
healthier than 72%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 87%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 41%
13%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 14%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 21%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 28%
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
37777
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 46.20
Closest healthier
37865
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 48.13
Similar health profile
37072
Tennessee98% similar profile
Score 48.41
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 | 29.0% | 26.4–31.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.6% | 33.4–39.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.3% | 7.5–9.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 9.7–12.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.5% | 5.8–7.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.2% | 7.3–9.2 |
| Depression among adults | 32.3% | 28.8–35.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.0% | 10.6–13.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.0% | 32.8–39.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 34.3% | 29.7–38.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 3.1–3.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.5% | 12.6–18.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.8% | 9.2–12.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 73.8% | 71.1–76.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.1% | 73.8–80.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.4% | 82.5–86.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.3% | 61.6–70.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.6% | 54.1–61.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.0% | 66.4–80.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.3% | 13.7–19.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.7% | 14.7–18.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.7% | 21.5–28.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 35.2% | 30.5–40.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.0% | 18.7–23.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.7% | 18.5–22.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.3% | 12.7–15.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.8% | 16.8–20.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.3% | 31.7–38.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.5% | 6.7–8.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.7–10.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.8% | 13.1–16.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–4.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.2% | 4.8–5.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 19.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 9.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 35.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 30.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 58.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 51.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 16.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 33.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $66,362 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $267,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $1,157 | $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 unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled. | |||
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