ZIP code
38553
in Clarkrange, TennesseePopulation 2,521
39.65/ 100
Ranked #26,982 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 16%)
Ranked #350 of 616 Tennessee ZIPs (bottom 43%)
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.
Pharmacy access
1.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies 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 ›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 ›Recreation access
1.6 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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 ›Crowded housing
12.9%
in the top 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Child-care access
0.81 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The number of child day-care services 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 ›Unemployment rate
12.0%
in the top 6.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
0.48%
in the bottom 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS10thDefinition & 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 ›Obesity
43.3%
in the top 8.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
14.4 mi
in the top 12.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS88thDefinition & 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 nursing home
8.4 mi
in the top 15.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS85thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›The read
Clarkrange, Tennessee (ZIP 38553), overall, ranks in the bottom 16% nationally (26,982nd) and the bottom 43% of Tennessee (350th).
Reading across the data, the real pressures come first: crowded housing resides in the top 2.9% nationally, unemployment settles in the top 6.4% nationally, and modeled obesity is in the top 8.0% nationally. More encouragingly, pharmacy sits in the top 0.6% nationally, fiber broadband lands at the national maximum, and recreation lies in the top 2.8% nationally. Childcare stands in the top 3.7% nationally, and floodplain exposure rests in the bottom 9.6% nationally. Modeled extreme heat registers at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Outpatient resides in the top 11.4% nationally.
Measured against the nearby ZIPs, pharmacy runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". Extreme heat is a modeled count of days a year reaching a dangerously high temperature, a leading weather hazard. ZIP 38580, about 7.1 miles away, comes out healthier overall.
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 74%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 71%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 47%
16%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 13%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 28%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 29%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 4%
8%
Disability
healthier than 18%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 17%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 75%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 98%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 45%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 44%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 58%
11%
Disability
healthier than 42%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 34%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 31%
8%
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 ›
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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 73.8; chronic-disease standing 13.3 — 61 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,687 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
37726
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 33.53
Closest healthier
38580
Tennesseeabout 7.1 mi away
Score 41.44
Similar health profile
37018
Tennessee99% similar profile
Score 41.46
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 | 36.4% | 32.7–40.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.8% | 38.5–47.3 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.0% | 9.0–11.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.4% | 10.0–12.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.8% | 7.8–10.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.6% | 9.9–13.6 |
| Depression among adults | 30.5% | 26.3–34.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.3% | 13.3–17.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.0% | 37.5–46.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 43.3% | 35.1–52.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.5% | 3.9–5.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 20.3% | 16.7–24.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.9% | 9.4–14.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.7% | 75.7–81.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.2% | 74.2–81.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.9% | 83.7–87.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 59.8% | 53.9–65.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 54.5% | 50.3–58.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.8% | 66.4–82.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.4% | 10.8–16.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 20.2% | 16.9–23.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.8% | 24.7–35.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.2% | 30.9–45.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 26.4% | 22.6–30.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 20.5% | 18.1–23.2 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.5–20.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 19.4% | 16.8–22.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 40.6% | 35.3–46.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–11.0 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.2% | 9.7–13.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.1% | 17.2–23.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.2–5.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.3% | 5.5–7.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | TN median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.1–26.1%) n=609 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 21.9% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.0% (5.9–24.0%) n=615 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 21.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 11.6% (4.2–19.5%) n=613 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 22.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 19.0% (10.0–42.6%) n=613 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 12.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.0% (0.4–9.6%) n=613 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.3–10.1%) n=608 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (76.0–94.9%) n=608 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 21.4% (11.8–33.6%) n=608 |
| Homeownership rate | 89.7% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.7% (53.4–91.5%) n=608 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 12.9% | 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 | 56.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.6% (39.1–68.7%) n=608 |
| Population 65+ | 26.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.0% (11.5–27.9%) n=617 |
| Median age | 39.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.3 yr (33.8–52.5) n=615 |
| Median household income | $63,500 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $61,577 ($42,745–$94,822) n=594 |
| Median home value | $174,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,100 ($120,900–$397,120) n=593 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 75.6 yr ± 1.22 | 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 1.22 years of 75.6, 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