ZIP code
38548
in Buffalo Valley, TennesseePopulation 1,154
41.59/ 100
Ranked #25,576 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 20%)
Ranked #277 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (top 45%)
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.
Slow internet speeds
2.2%
in the top 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
68.9 mi
in the top 6.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Fiber broadband
97.8%
in the top 7.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST73rdUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
69.6%
in the top 9.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST83rdUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
93.2%
in the top 11.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS89thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 11.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS11thDefinition & 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 nursing home
9.8 mi
in the top 11.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS89thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
95.5%
in the top 17% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS83rdDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›The read
On the composite measure, Buffalo Valley, Tennessee (ZIP 38548) stands in the bottom 20% nationally (25,576th) and the top 45% of Tennessee (277th).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: distance to a Superfund site is in the top 6.8% nationally, and fiber broadband registers in the top 7.1% nationally. Unemployment lies at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled tree cover is in the top 9.3% nationally, homeownership registers in the top 11.3% nationally, and modeled disaster risk lies in the bottom 11.4% nationally. Modeled arsenic is in the bottom 14.9% nationally. By contrast, slow internet speeds registers in the top 5.2% nationally, distance to a nursing home lies in the top 11.5% nationally, and modeled cognitive disability is in the top 15% nationally.
For clarity, distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. 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. ZIP 38544, 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
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 66%
14%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 54%
16%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 20%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 26%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 29%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 8%
8%
Disability
healthier than 23%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 18%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 62%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 61%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 68%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 50%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 55%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 41%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 57%
11%
Disability
healthier than 52%
7%
Holding it back
Healthcare Access
healthier than 11%
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
38544
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 43.08
Closest healthier
38582
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 41.72
Similar health profile
38469
Tennessee100% similar profile
Score 38.67
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 | 34.1% | 31.2–36.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.1% | 38.8–45.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.3% | 8.5–10.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 9.8–12.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.8% | 7.9–9.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.0% | 9.6–12.4 |
| Depression among adults | 28.7% | 25.4–31.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.0% | 13.3–16.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.7% | 38.1–45.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.6% | 33.8–45.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.3% | 3.8–4.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.5% | 15.9–21.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 12.0% | 9.9–14.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.8% | 75.3–79.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.3% | 74.3–80.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.0% | 84.2–87.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.8% | 61.1–68.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 55.1% | 52.1–58.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.0% | 64.9–76.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.9% | 11.9–16.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 21.2% | 18.3–24.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.1% | 24.2–32.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.6% | 32.9–42.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.9% | 21.9–27.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.0% | 18.0–21.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.1% | 15.4–19.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.8% | 16.8–20.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.4% | 34.3–42.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.6% | 8.6–10.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.6% | 16.3–20.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.2–5.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.3–6.7 |
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 | 14.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 9.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 95.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 93.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.5% (0.0–4.5%) n=608 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.8% (0.0–8.3%) n=617 |
| Single-parent households | 77.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 27.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 53.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | — | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $268,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | $813 | $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 | 76.3 yr ± 1.15 | 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 1.15 years of 76.3, 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