ZIP code
38828
in Blue Springs, MississippiPopulation 5,120
44.14/ 100
Ranked #23,287 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 27%)
Ranked #134 of 406 Mississippi ZIPs (top 33%)
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.
Lithium in drinking water
93 µg/L
in the top 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.1%
in the bottom 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST15thUS4thDefinition & 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 a Superfund site
52.1 mi
in the top 11.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS89thDefinition & 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 ›Radon
1.1 pCi/L
in the bottom 27% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS27thDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›Short sleep
32.8%
in the bottom 26% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS26thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Blue Springs, Mississippi (ZIP 38828) ranks in the bottom 27% nationally (23,287th) and the top 33% of Mississippi (134th).
Neither strongly one way nor the other, the measures sit mixed: modeled arsenic is in the bottom 3.6% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site stands in the top 11.5% nationally. Modeled pfas settles in the bottom 11.6% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure lies at the national minimum, shared with about 36% of ZIPs. Against that, lithium in drinking water resides in the top 2.9% nationally, slow internet speeds lands in the top 11.2% nationally, and modeled humid heat registers in the top 11.6% nationally. Home broadband subscription sits in the bottom 14.0% nationally, modeled cognitive disability rests in the top 14.1% nationally, and poverty is in the top 17% nationally.
In plainer terms, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 38625, 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.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 86%
14%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 42%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 32%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 29%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 13%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 33%
11%
Disability
healthier than 21%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 36%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 73%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 69%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 65%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 70%
11%
Disability
healthier than 66%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 95%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 17%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 11%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 37%
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
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 75.4 ± 1.5 years. A median household income of $65,025 predicts 78.4 years — 3.0 years below.
Ranked #4,061 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 86.0; chronic-disease standing 32.4 — 54 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #2,211 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
38625
Mississippishares a border
Score 46.38
Closest healthier
38804
Mississippishares a border
Score 49.98
Similar health profile
88030
New Mexico96% similar profile
Score 36.29
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 | 31.1% | 28.1–34.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.0% | 39.3–47.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.5% | 7.7–9.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.9% | 8.9–11.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.8% | 7.0–8.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.7% | 8.5–11.1 |
| Depression among adults | 22.2% | 19.2–25.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.1% | 12.4–15.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.7% | 38.0–45.9 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.8% | 34.5–47.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.3% | 3.9–4.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.2% | 12.6–18.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 12.0% | 9.9–14.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.7% | 76.2–81.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.1% | 76.0–81.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 84.9% | 82.8–86.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 60.8% | 56.4–65.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 10.0% | 8.6–11.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.7% | 64.0–78.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.8% | 12.5–17.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.5% | 16.7–22.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 33.8% | 29.3–38.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.8% | 27.6–38.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.8% | 21.7–28.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.3% | 16.3–20.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.2% | 14.4–18.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 19.0% | 16.7–21.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.5% | 35.2–44.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.2–10.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.7% | 9.3–12.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.6% | 16.4–21.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.1% | 4.6–5.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.6% | 5.9–7.4 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 27.2% | 23.6–31.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.4% | 16.4–22.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.9% | 9.0–13.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.9% | 12.0–16.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.3% | 9.0–11.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.7% | 31.1–40.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.8–10.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MS median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 20.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 19.9% (8.3–37.0%) n=406 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 16.8% (8.1–29.3%) n=410 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 22.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 14.4% (5.9–25.0%) n=411 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 18.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 18.0% (7.1–33.6%) n=411 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.8% (0.0–14.2%) n=411 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 5.5% (0.0–13.9%) n=405 |
| Broadband subscription | 78.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 79.7% (62.7–93.0%) n=405 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 17.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.7% (9.7–36.0%) n=405 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.2% (49.8–91.7%) n=405 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–5.0%) n=405 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.6% (0.0–4.4%) n=412 |
| Single-parent households | 45.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 46.9% (29.2–61.4%) n=404 |
| Population 65+ | 11.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.8% (11.7–26.2%) n=412 |
| Median age | 32.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 39.5 yr (30.5–49.6) n=411 |
| Median household income | $65,025 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $50,353 ($32,100–$72,379) n=377 |
| Median home value | $158,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $118,100 ($72,660–$219,420) n=374 |
| Median gross rent | $867 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $827 ($532–$1,130) n=319 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MS median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 75.4 yr ± 0.75 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 75.4 yr (72.7–79.0) n=405 |
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 0.75 years of 75.4, 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