ZIP code
37938
in Knoxville, TennesseePopulation 17,437
51.73/ 100
Ranked #13,785 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 43%)
Ranked #84 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (top 13.7%)
Ranked #10 of 72 Knoxville, TN ZIPs (top 13.9%)
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.
Fiber broadband
98.5%
in the top 5.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST75thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
33.2%
in the bottom 29% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS29thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
68.9%
in the top 28% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS72ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Obesity
32.7%
in the bottom 27% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS27thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 37938, one of several in Knoxville, Tennessee ranks in the top 43% healthiest ZIPs nationally (13,785th) and the top 13.7% of Tennessee (84th).
The bright spots in the data define much of the story here: fiber broadband is in the top 5.7% nationally, and distance to an emergency room registers in the bottom 13.7% nationally. Homeownership lies in the top 14.6% nationally, and modeled energy burden is in the bottom 19% nationally. Poverty registers in the bottom 22% nationally, modeled self-care disability lies in the bottom 25% nationally, and civic is in the top 26% nationally. On the other side, modeled industrial-pollution burden registers in the top 13.6% nationally, humid heat lies in the top 20% nationally, and expected annual loss is in the top 21% nationally.
Against its neighbors, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Energy burden is the share of household income that goes to home energy bills. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 37931, about 5.0 miles away.
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 77%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 72%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 69%
11%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 50%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 46%
14%
Disability
healthier than 57%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 53%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Mental Health
healthier than 10%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 81%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 85%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 93%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 91%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 73%
8%
Disability
healthier than 86%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 75%
5%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 44%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 40%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 85%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 83%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 92%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 87%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 76%
8%
Disability
healthier than 89%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 68%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 59%
14%
Holding it back
Healthcare Access
healthier than 20%
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 77.1 ± 1.2 years. A median household income of $84,135 predicts 79.4 years — 2.3 years below.
Ranked #3,077 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 77.1 ± 1.2 years. The 42 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 75.1 years — 2.1 years above them.
Ranked #1,368 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.
Nearby
37705
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 46.74
Closest healthier
37931
Tennesseeabout 5.0 mi away
Score 53.23
Similar health profile
37118
Tennessee97% similar profile
Score 52.31
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 | 32.8% | 29.8–35.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.2% | 35.8–42.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.3% | 9.3–11.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.4% | 9.2–11.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.0% | 6.3–7.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.0% | 7.1–9.0 |
| Depression among adults | 30.2% | 26.9–33.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.5% | 10.9–14.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.4% | 35.8–42.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 32.7% | 28.2–37.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.5% | 3.2–3.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 12.2% | 9.8–14.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.6% | 7.3–10.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.0% | 75.1–80.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.4% | 76.4–82.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.9% | 87.3–90.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.9% | 64.3–73.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.8% | 61.4–68.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.0% | 69.8–82.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.7% | 13.2–18.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.2% | 13.1–17.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.0% | 19.8–26.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.2% | 28.6–37.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.8% | 16.5–21.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.9% | 15.9–19.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.9% | 12.3–15.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.5% | 13.8–17.2 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.9% | 29.4–36.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.2–9.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.0% | 7.1–8.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.0% | 13.2–16.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.3% | 3.0–3.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.9–4.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 34.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 17.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 91.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 60.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 21.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 47.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $84,135 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $322,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $1,353 | $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 | 77.1 yr ± 0.60 | 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 0.60 years of 77.1, 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