ZIP code
38229
in Gleason, TennesseePopulation 2,378
35.19/ 100
Ranked #29,319 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 8.6%)
Ranked #496 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (bottom 19%)
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.
Cognitive disability
21%
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST84thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Distance to a community health center
19.9 mi
in the top 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›Mammography
68.6%
in the bottom 9.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST6thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
12.3%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST81stUS90thDefinition & 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 ›Pharmacy access
0.37 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies 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 ›Dental provider access
0.73 per 1,000 residents
in the top 13.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS87thDefinition & source ›
The number of dental 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 ›Radon
1 pCi/L
in the bottom 23% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS23rdDefinition & 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 ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Gleason, Tennessee (ZIP 38229) sits in the bottom 8.6% nationally (29,319th) and the bottom 19% of Tennessee (496th).
An even profile, with readings pulling both ways: pharmacy stands in the top 9.7% nationally, and dental providers resides in the top 13.0% nationally. Crowded housing sits at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Against that, modeled cognitive disability stands in the top 6.0% nationally, and distance to a community health center resides in the top 8.3% nationally. Modeled mammography sits in the bottom 9.1% nationally, and independent living disability stands in the top 9.8% nationally. Modeled fair or poor health resides in the top 13.7% nationally, and mobility disability sits in the top 13.9% nationally. Recreation stands at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs.
Put plainly, distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 38201, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 71%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 14%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 34%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 17%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 13%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 3%
8%
Disability
healthier than 12%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 28%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 9%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 70%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 38%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 26%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 18%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 21%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 14%
8%
Disability
healthier than 24%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 19%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 2%
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 70.7; chronic-disease standing 14.2 — 57 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,992 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
38201
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 40.23
Closest healthier
38225
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 37.63
Similar health profile
38473
Tennessee99% similar profile
Score 35.71
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 | 35.2% | 31.7–39.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.2% | 37.9–46.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.3% | 8.4–10.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.3–13.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.0% | 8.0–10.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 12.3% | 10.7–14.2 |
| Depression among adults | 31.0% | 27.0–35.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.8% | 13.8–18.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.1% | 36.8–45.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.4% | 33.9–49.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.6% | 4.2–5.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 20.0% | 16.4–23.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.1% | 10.6–15.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.1% | 75.1–80.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.5% | 73.6–81.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.2% | 82.8–87.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 60.5% | 54.5–65.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.7% | 50.5–58.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 68.6% | 58.7–75.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.7% | 11.2–16.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 23.0% | 19.6–26.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.7% | 26.7–37.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.8% | 32.1–46.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 27.7% | 24.0–31.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 21.5% | 19.0–24.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.4% | 16.2–21.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 21.0% | 18.3–23.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 42.0% | 37.0–47.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–11.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 12.3% | 10.6–14.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.8% | 18.0–23.9 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.5% | 4.8–6.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.0% | 6.1–7.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 19.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 18.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.2% | 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 | 79.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 49.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 16.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 45.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $58,715 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $146,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $685 | $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 | 75.6 yr ± 0.99 | 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 0.99 years of 75.6, 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