ZIP code
38253
in Rives, TennesseePopulation 917
41.68/ 100
Ranked #25,502 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 20%)
Ranked #273 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (top 44%)
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
99.8%
in the top 2.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST87thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
52.7%
in the top 3.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›PFAS in drinking water
12.2%
in the bottom 14.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS14thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Walkability
3 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 16% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS16thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
0.28%
in the bottom 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS16thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
2.0%
in the bottom 27% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS27thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›The read
Rives, Tennessee (ZIP 38253), in overall standing, comes out in the bottom 20% nationally (25,502nd) and the top 44% of Tennessee (273rd).
A balanced showing across the data, with a few readings each side: fiber broadband lies in the top 2.5% nationally, housing-cost burden registers in the bottom 12.2% nationally, and modeled pfas is in the bottom 14.4% nationally. Households without a vehicle lies in the bottom 16% nationally. On the other hand, floodplain exposure registers in the top 3.5% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Walkability lies in the bottom 16% nationally. Recreation registers at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs. Modeled colon screening is in the bottom 14.7% nationally. Physicians lies at the national minimum, shared with about 38% of ZIPs.
Defined simply, for reference, pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. 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". The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 38059, about 3.3 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 84%
14%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 56%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 25%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 36%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 33%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 34%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 9%
8%
Disability
healthier than 33%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 4%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 90%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 65%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 67%
8%
Disability
healthier than 67%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 59%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 58%
13%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 56%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 28%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 1%
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
38233
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 34.82
Closest healthier
38059
Tennesseeabout 3.3 mi away
Score 41.94
Similar health profile
38023
Tennessee97% similar profile
Score 40.02
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 | 35.4% | 31.6–39.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 41.6% | 37.2–45.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.9% | 8.8–11.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.1% | 7.2–9.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.0% | 8.5–11.5 |
| Depression among adults | 29.9% | 25.8–34.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.5% | 12.4–16.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.4% | 36.8–45.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.6% | 30.0–45.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.0% | 14.8–21.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.3% | 8.3–12.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.2% | 74.9–81.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.7% | 75.0–82.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.7% | 85.7–89.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 60.1% | 54.5–65.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.9% | 53.8–61.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.7% | 63.9–80.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.1% | 11.4–17.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.4% | 15.3–21.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.2% | 22.7–31.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 39.2% | 32.1–46.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 23.4% | 20.1–26.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.7% | 16.5–21.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.3% | 14.2–18.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.2% | 15.0–19.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.4% | 32.6–42.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.9% | 7.8–9.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.5% | 8.2–10.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.7% | 15.1–20.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.7–4.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.4% | 4.7–6.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 28.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 11.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 83.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 55.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 16.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 45.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $69,954 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $250,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $683 | $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 | 75.7 yr ± 0.96 | 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 0.96 years of 75.7, 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