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ZipVitals

ZIP code

37931

in Knoxville, TennesseePopulation 31,842

53.23/ 100

Ranked #11,735 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 37%)

Ranked #61 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (top 10.0%)

Ranked #6 of 72 Knoxville, TN ZIPs (top 8.4%)

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.

Air-toxics cancer risk

39.7 per million

in the top 6.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST89th
US93rd
Definition & 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 ›

Energy-cost burden

1.9%

in the bottom 11.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST7th
US11th
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.

A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.

Full methodology ›

Self-care disability

3.0%

in the bottom 16% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST9th
US16th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.

Full methodology ›

Vision disability

4.0%

in the bottom 20% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST8th
US20th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.

Full methodology ›

Tooth loss

9.9%

in the bottom 24% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST8th
US24th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.

Full methodology ›

Fair or poor health

17.5%

in the bottom 29% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST9th
US29th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.

Full methodology ›

Independent-living disability

7.5%

in the bottom 30% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST9th
US30th
Definition & 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 ›

The read

By the composite health measure, ZIP 37931, one of several in Knoxville, Tennessee ranks in the top 37% healthiest ZIPs nationally (11,735th) and the top 10.0% of Tennessee (61st).

continue reading

The measures that set this area apart are worth putting up front: modeled energy burden is in the bottom 11.5% nationally. Distance to a nursing home settles at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Modeled stroke resides in the bottom 15.0% nationally, subsidized affordable housing registers in the top 18% nationally, and modeled coronary heart disease rests in the bottom 19% nationally. Modeled self-care disability stands in the bottom 16% nationally. Set against that, modeled air-toxics cancer risk lies in the top 6.8% nationally, and expected annual loss lands in the top 11.2% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility sits at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Modeled humid heat is in the top 18% nationally.

Read against the ZIPs closest to it, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To spell things out, air-toxics cancer risk is a modeled EPA estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air, per million people. 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. Close by, ZIP 37932, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 73%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 82%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 67%

11%

Disability

healthier than 71%

7%

About typical

Preventive Care

healthier than 59%

13%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 43%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 54%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 19%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 9%

8%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 90%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 91%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 86%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 90%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 69%

8%

Disability

healthier than 91%

7%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 48%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 54%

5%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 14%

14%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 92%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 93%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 80%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 85%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 72%

8%

Disability

healthier than 93%

7%

Holding it back

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 24%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 30%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 39%

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

4 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 78.1 ± 1.2 years. A median household income of $92,150 predicts 79.8 years — 1.7 years below.

    Ranked #2,064 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 78.1 ± 1.2 years. The 42 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 75.9 years — 2.2 years above them.

    Ranked #1,292 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 18.9; chronic-disease standing 72.9 — 54 points apart, heavier on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #14,805 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 39.7 cases per million — among the tenth of compared ZIP codes with the most. Estimated life expectancy is 78.1 ± 1.2 years.

    Ranked #1,484 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.

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 adults28.5%25.9–31.2
High blood pressure among adults35.3%32.2–38.4
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults8.5%7.7–9.3
Current asthma among adults10.4%9.3–11.7
Coronary heart disease among adults5.7%5.1–6.3
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults6.7%6.0–7.5
Depression among adults30.4%27.1–33.8
Diagnosed diabetes among adults11.0%9.7–12.4
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened36.2%32.9–39.6
Obesity among adults32.9%28.5–37.4
Stroke among adults2.9%2.7–3.2
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years9.9%8.1–11.9
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years9.0%7.7–10.3
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure74.6%71.7–77.3
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults77.8%74.8–80.7
Cholesterol screening among adults88.0%86.4–89.5
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years68.1%63.7–72.1
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults63.8%60.6–66.9
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years77.9%71.2–83.5
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults16.8%14.2–19.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults14.4%12.5–16.2
No leisure-time physical activity among adults21.4%18.5–24.3
Short sleep duration among adults34.0%29.6–38.6
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults17.5%15.5–19.5
Frequent mental distress among adults18.2%16.4–20.2
Frequent physical distress among adults12.7%11.4–14.2
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults15.4%13.7–17.0
Any disability among adults30.3%27.1–33.4
Hearing disability among adults6.7%5.9–7.4
Independent living disability among adults7.5%6.7–8.4
Mobility disability among adults12.8%11.3–14.4
Self-care disability among adults3.0%2.8–3.3
Vision disability among adults4.0%3.7–4.4
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)TN median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate7.1%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36413.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609
Uninsured 18–648.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28614.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615
No HS diploma (25+)5.5%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50511.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613
Bachelor's or higher (25+)47.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50519.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613
Unemployment rate (16+)2.2%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613
Households without a vehicle2.6%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608
Broadband subscription93.5%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32286.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)18.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32221.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608
Homeownership rate71.3%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32277.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.7%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608
Foreign-born population4.9%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5531.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617
Single-parent households49.8%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08752.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608
Population 65+15.9%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617
Median age37.7 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615
Median household income$92,150$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594
Median home value$359,600$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593
Median gross rent$1,542$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 birth78.1 yr ± 0.5978.9 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 0.59 years of 78.1, 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