ZIP code
38501
in Cookeville, TennesseePopulation 42,471
46.27/ 100
Ranked #21,024 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 34%)
Ranked #164 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (top 27%)
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.
Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 3.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS96thDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Physician access
2.5 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of physicians’ 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 6.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Homeownership rate
48.9%
in the bottom 8.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
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 ›Slow internet speeds
1.2%
in the top 9.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
264 units
in the top 9.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST89thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Outpatient-care access
0.44 per 1,000 residents
in the top 10.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient clinics 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 ›Distance to a Superfund site
54.2 mi
in the top 10.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS89thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Dental provider access
0.7 per 1,000 residents
in the top 13.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS86thDefinition & 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 ›The read
On the composite measure, ZIP 38501, one of several in Cookeville, Tennessee stands in the bottom 34% nationally (21,024th) and the top 27% of Tennessee (164th).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: physicians settles in the top 4.8% nationally. Distance to an emergency room rests at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Subsidized affordable housing lands in the top 9.4% nationally, outpatient settles in the top 10.0% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site rests in the top 10.6% nationally. By contrast, modeled expected annual loss lands in the top 3.7% nationally, modeled disaster risk settles in the top 6.2% nationally, and homeownership rests in the bottom 8.5% nationally. Modeled cognitive disability lands in the top 9.4% nationally, and slow internet speeds settles in the top 9.3% nationally.
Set beside the wider area around it, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. ZIP 38505, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 61%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 72%
14%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 60%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 49%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 14%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 4%
8%
Disability
healthier than 33%
7%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 84%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 67%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 71%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 77%
11%
Disability
healthier than 67%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 83%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 11%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 24%
8%
“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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 75.2 ± 1.2 years. A median household income of $52,145 predicts 77.5 years — 2.3 years below.
Ranked #3,105 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
38505
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 50.75
Closest healthier
38506
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 46.97
Similar health profile
72736
Arkansas96% similar profile
Score 49.33
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 | 27.1% | 24.3–29.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.0% | 31.4–38.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.5% | 6.8–8.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.2% | 9.9–12.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.4% | 5.8–7.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.5% | 7.6–9.2 |
| Depression among adults | 29.7% | 25.9–33.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.5% | 10.1–12.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.3% | 32.6–39.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.0% | 30.4–43.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 3.1–3.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.0% | 13.6–18.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.0% | 11.2–14.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 72.2% | 69.7–74.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 75.4% | 71.6–78.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 81.7% | 79.5–83.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.9% | 58.2–67.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.6% | 51.1–58.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.8% | 65.3–79.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.6% | 12.0–17.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.2% | 15.2–19.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.4% | 21.6–29.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.2% | 31.5–43.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.4% | 19.9–24.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 21.6% | 19.4–23.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.9% | 13.3–16.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 20.0% | 18.0–21.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.3% | 32.1–40.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.8–8.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.6% | 9.5–11.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.0% | 13.3–16.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.7–4.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.8% | 5.3–6.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 21.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 15.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 31.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 32.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 48.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 7.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 48.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 14.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 31.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $52,145 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $284,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $883 | $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 | 75.2 yr ± 0.62 | 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 0.62 years of 75.2, 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