ZIP code
37921
in Knoxville, TennesseePopulation 28,717
40.83/ 100
Ranked #26,167 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 18%)
Ranked #309 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (bottom 50%)
Ranked #44 of 72 Knoxville, TN ZIPs (bottom 39%)
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.
Mental-health provider access
0.21 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the top 4.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS95thDefinition & 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 ›PFAS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Subsidized affordable housing
433 units
in the top 5.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
20.9%
in the top 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Transit access
4.4 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
39.4 per million
in the top 7.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS93rdDefinition & 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 9.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST82ndUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Fiber broadband
95.5%
in the top 10.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST69thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Walkability
73 intersections/sq mi
in the top 15% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS85thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 37921, one of several in Knoxville, Tennessee, by its overall standing, sits in the bottom 18% nationally (26,167th) and the bottom 50% of Tennessee (309th).
The measures fall on both sides of the ledger for this area: mental-health providers rests in the top 4.0% nationally, subsidized affordable housing lies in the top 5.3% nationally, and transit sits in the top 6.2% nationally. Fiber broadband settles in the top 10.0% nationally. Distance to a community health center registers at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Set against that, modeled industrial-pollution burden stands in the top 4.7% nationally, and PFAS in drinking water lands at the national maximum. Modeled cognitive disability is in the top 6.3% nationally, and air-toxics cancer risk resides in the top 7.2% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss rests in the top 9.4% nationally.
Held up against its neighbors, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. PFAS in drinking water is the family of man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 37849, 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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 61%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 91%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 45%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 54%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 17%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 17%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 19%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 2%
8%
Disability
healthier than 21%
7%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 78%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 67%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 76%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 92%
5%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 48%
7%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 13%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 17%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 36%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 7%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 76%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 69%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 97%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 45%
16%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 20%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 20%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 30%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 11%
8%
Disability
healthier than 34%
7%
“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 74.2 ± 1.1 years. A median household income of $60,013 predicts 78.1 years — 3.9 years below.
Ranked #5,007 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Highest-risk tenth
Air toxics and the years between the two ends of the risk scale
Modeled air-toxics cancer risk is 39.4 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 74.2 ± 1.1 years.
Ranked #1,559 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
37849
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 49.16
Closest healthier
37902
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 58.21
Similar health profile
37604
Tennessee99% similar profile
Score 43.10
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 | 29.2% | 26.5–31.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.6% | 35.3–41.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.1% | 6.4–7.8 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.3–13.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.6% | 6.0–7.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.4% | 8.4–10.4 |
| Depression among adults | 32.1% | 28.6–35.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.0% | 12.4–15.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.5% | 32.2–38.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.4% | 33.6–43.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.5–4.1 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.4% | 15.3–21.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 15.0% | 13.1–16.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 73.3% | 70.4–75.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.8% | 73.5–79.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.9% | 81.9–85.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.0% | 58.2–67.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 53.0% | 49.6–56.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.3% | 66.7–80.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.5% | 13.0–18.1 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 20.3% | 18.0–22.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.4% | 25.9–32.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.3% | 33.4–43.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.6% | 23.1–28.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 21.9% | 19.7–24.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.0% | 14.2–17.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 20.9% | 18.9–23.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.9% | 34.3–41.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.7% | 10.5–12.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.4% | 15.6–19.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.7–5.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.1% | 6.6–7.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 17.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 14.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 26.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 85.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 30.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 59.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 7.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 41.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 12.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 34.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $60,013 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $226,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $1,233 | $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 | 74.2 yr ± 0.56 | 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 0.56 years of 74.2, 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