ZIP code
38037
in Gates, TennesseePopulation 1,749
36.75/ 100
Ranked #28,648 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 10.7%)
Ranked #454 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (bottom 26%)
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.
Unemployment rate
14.1%
in the top 4.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
28.1%
in the top 8.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
20%
in the top 9.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST70thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Obesity
43.8%
in the top 6.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST87thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
26.7%
in the top 12.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS88thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
11.4 mi
in the top 12.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS88thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›Radon
1 pCi/L
in the bottom 23% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS23rdDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
20.9 days/year
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS78thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Gates, Tennessee (ZIP 38037) sits in the bottom 10.7% nationally (28,648th) and the bottom 26% of Tennessee (454th).
A balanced showing across the data, with a few readings each side: distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lands in the top 12.0% nationally, and modeled binge drinking rests in the bottom 13.8% nationally. On the other hand, unemployment settles in the top 4.4% nationally, poverty lands in the top 8.1% nationally, and modeled cognitive disability rests in the top 9.4% nationally. Modeled obesity settles in the top 6.7% nationally, and short sleep lands in the top 10.2% nationally. Floodplain exposure rests in the top 12.0% nationally, and modeled fair or poor health settles in the top 14.0% nationally. Modeled independent living disability lands in the top 13.9% nationally.
Put plainly, 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. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 38024, about 2.4 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 81%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 15%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 30%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 14%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 5%
8%
Disability
healthier than 16%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 16%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 37%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 86%
14%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 40%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 49%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 3%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 24%
11%
Disability
healthier than 37%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 6%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 34%
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
One of our published findings lists 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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 80.6; chronic-disease standing 15.2 — 65 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,358 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
38012
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 31.50
Closest healthier
38024
Tennesseeabout 2.4 mi away
Score 38.68
Similar health profile
38316
Tennessee99% similar profile
Score 39.28
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 | 34.9% | 32.0–38.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.3% | 40.7–48.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.5% | 7.8–9.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.0% | 10.8–13.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.1% | 7.4–8.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.9% | 9.8–12.2 |
| Depression among adults | 29.1% | 25.8–32.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.1% | 14.6–17.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.6% | 37.1–44.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 43.8% | 36.9–50.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.6% | 4.2–5.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 19.6% | 16.7–22.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.2% | 11.3–15.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.2% | 75.9–80.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.9% | 75.9–81.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.3% | 84.6–87.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.3% | 58.9–67.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.0% | 50.7–57.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.6% | 66.9–79.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.0% | 10.9–15.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 21.2% | 18.8–23.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.1% | 28.2–36.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 41.7% | 35.7–47.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 27.6% | 24.9–30.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 21.0% | 19.0–23.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.5% | 15.9–19.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 20.0% | 18.1–21.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 41.0% | 37.2–45.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.6–9.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.6% | 10.5–12.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.5% | 18.5–22.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.9–5.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.9% | 6.3–7.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 28.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 29.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 15.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 9.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 14.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 25.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 50.1% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 22.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 41.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $51,976 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $88,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $598 | $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 | 73.4 yr ± 1.95 | 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 1.95 years of 73.4, 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