ZIP code
38481
in St. Joseph, TennesseePopulation 890
33.30/ 100
Ranked #29,955 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 6.6%)
Ranked #539 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (bottom 12.5%)
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.
Elder-services access
1.1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›Fiber broadband
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
21.7%
in the top 4.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 5.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS6thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
12.7%
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Fair or poor health
29.3%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.3%
in the bottom 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST17thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
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 ›Distance to an emergency room
15.5 mi
in the top 10.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
11.9 mi
in the top 11.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS89thDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a community health center
15.5 mi
in the top 11.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS88thDefinition & 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 ›The read
By its overall health score, St. Joseph, Tennessee (ZIP 38481) lands in the bottom 6.6% nationally (29,955th) and the bottom 12.5% of Tennessee (539th).
The measures that press hardest set the tone here: modeled cognitive disability is in the top 4.4% nationally, and independent living disability stands in the top 7.9% nationally. Modeled fair or poor health settles in the top 9.8% nationally, and distance to an emergency room lies in the top 10.3% nationally. Distance to a community health center resides in the top 11.7% nationally. On the stronger side, elder services lands in the top 0.6% nationally, fiber broadband registers at the national maximum, and modeled disaster risk sits in the bottom 5.8% nationally. Modeled arsenic rests in the bottom 8.9% nationally, and distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is in the top 11.3% nationally.
Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, elder services runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of terms, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. 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. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 35645, 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.
Nothing measured is lifting this score.
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 49%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 51%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 12%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 30%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 15%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 8%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 2%
8%
Disability
healthier than 9%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 10%
5%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 70%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 43%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 31%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 21%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 12%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 11%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 6%
8%
Disability
healthier than 18%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 3%
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
35645
Alabamashares a border
Score 53.85
Closest healthier
35648
Alabamashares a border
Score 49.82
Similar health profile
37374
Tennessee99% similar profile
Score 35.39
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 | 35.1% | 31.6–38.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.6% | 39.5–48.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.3% | 8.3–10.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.4% | 10.0–12.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.6% | 8.5–10.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 12.8% | 11.0–14.8 |
| Depression among adults | 32.3% | 28.1–36.8 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.9% | 13.8–18.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.7% | 37.4–46.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 42.1% | 34.6–50.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.9% | 15.4–22.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 14.3% | 11.4–17.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.9% | 74.1–79.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 76.7% | 72.8–80.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 83.7% | 81.5–85.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 60.2% | 54.9–65.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 51.2% | 47.4–55.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.8% | 63.5–80.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.1% | 11.5–17.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 23.8% | 20.4–27.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.8% | 27.7–38.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 40.3% | 33.9–47.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 29.3% | 25.4–33.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 21.9% | 19.3–24.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 19.0% | 16.6–21.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 21.7% | 18.8–24.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 42.4% | 37.3–48.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.5% | 9.3–11.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 12.7% | 10.9–14.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 21.2% | 18.5–24.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.6% | 4.9–6.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.4–8.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 16.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 78.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 32.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 42.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 18.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 42.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $49,567 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $192,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $628 | $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 | 75.3 yr ± 1.05 | 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 1.05 years of 75.3, 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