ZIP code
38506
in Cookeville, TennesseePopulation 30,100
46.97/ 100
Ranked #20,203 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 37%)
Ranked #155 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (top 25%)
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 6.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST87thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 6.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a Superfund site
47.1 mi
in the top 13.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS86thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Overall, ZIP 38506, one of several in Cookeville, Tennessee places in the bottom 37% nationally (20,203rd) and the top 25% of Tennessee (155th).
The measures fall on both sides for this area, fairly evenly: subsidized affordable housing stands in the top 12.4% nationally. Distance to a nursing home registers at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Distance to a Superfund site settles in the top 13.8% nationally, mental-health providers sits in the top 16% nationally, and modeled binge drinking lies in the bottom 17% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure rests at the national minimum, shared with about 36% of ZIPs. Elder services resides in the top 21% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled expected annual loss is in the top 6.5% nationally, modeled disaster risk lands in the top 6.7% nationally, and slow internet speeds stands in the top 22% nationally.
Beside the areas that surround it, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For readers new to these terms, 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. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 38505, about 1.4 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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 62%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 85%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 56%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 58%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 57%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 32%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 39%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 11%
8%
Disability
healthier than 33%
7%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 67%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 69%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 68%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 86%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 75%
8%
Disability
healthier than 68%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 84%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 88%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 51%
14%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
“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
2 of our published findings list 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 77.2 ± 0.7 years. A median household income of $70,279 predicts 78.7 years — 1.5 years below.
Ranked #1,817 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Above its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 77.2 ± 0.7 years. The 50 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 74.2 years — 3.1 years above them.
Ranked #784 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
38501
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 46.27
Closest healthier
38505
Tennesseeabout 1.4 mi away
Score 50.75
Similar health profile
27007
North Carolina99% similar profile
Score 46.86
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 | 33.3% | 30.3–36.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.5% | 36.9–43.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.7% | 8.8–10.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 9.8–12.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.8% | 7.1–8.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.7% | 8.7–10.7 |
| Depression among adults | 28.4% | 25.0–31.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.7% | 12.1–15.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.1% | 37.3–44.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.9% | 31.8–43.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.9% | 3.6–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.7% | 11.4–16.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.9% | 9.5–12.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.8% | 75.2–80.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.5% | 75.3–81.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.1% | 85.5–88.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.3% | 59.8–68.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 58.6% | 55.2–61.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.0% | 67.0–79.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.3% | 11.2–15.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.9% | 15.8–20.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.7% | 22.1–29.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.0% | 30.5–41.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.5% | 20.1–24.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.0% | 17.2–21.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.8% | 14.2–17.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.2% | 15.5–18.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.7% | 31.9–39.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.7% | 7.9–9.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.7% | 8.8–10.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.3% | 15.4–19.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.9–4.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.5% | 5.1–6.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 12.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 30.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 50.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 20.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 42.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $70,279 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $288,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $1,007 | $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 | 77.2 yr ± 0.38 | 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 0.38 years of 77.2, 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