ZIP code
38849
in Guntown, MississippiPopulation 5,792
49.42/ 100
Ranked #17,038 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 47%)
Ranked #50 of 406 Mississippi ZIPs (top 12.4%)
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.
Arsenic in groundwater
1.0%
in the bottom 2.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST13thUS3rdDefinition & 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
53.7 mi
in the top 10.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS89thDefinition & 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
33%
in the bottom 28% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS28thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
6.2%
in the bottom 26% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS26thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, Guntown, Mississippi (ZIP 38849) lands in the bottom 47% nationally (17,038th) and the top 12.4% of Mississippi (50th).
The measures split the difference for this area: modeled arsenic sits in the bottom 2.8% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site rests in the top 10.8% nationally. Fiber broadband is in the top 13.6% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure stands at the national minimum, shared with about 36% of ZIPs. Housing-cost burden settles in the bottom 20% nationally. Against that, modeled loneliness lies in the top 10.1% nationally, and humid heat resides in the top 11.7% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lands at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. Recreation registers at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs. Modeled colon screening sits in the bottom 16% nationally.
To translate a couple of terms, 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. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 38866, 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 63%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 75%
14%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 44%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 47%
8%
Disability
healthier than 44%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 51%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 14%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 40%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 34%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 92%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 80%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 80%
11%
Disability
healthier than 89%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 93%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 43%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 23%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 16%
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 ›
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
38866
Mississippishares a border
Score 49.76
Similar health profile
79414
Texas97% similar profile
Score 49.58
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 | 27.2% | 24.4–30.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.7% | 37.0–44.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.5% | 6.9–8.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–11.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.2% | 5.6–6.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.6% | 6.7–8.5 |
| Depression among adults | 22.2% | 19.1–25.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.2% | 10.7–13.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.4% | 34.7–42.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.5% | 30.1–41.5 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.4% | 3.2–3.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.1% | 10.8–15.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.2% | 8.6–11.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 76.5% | 73.8–79.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.1% | 75.9–82.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.4% | 83.5–87.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 60.4% | 55.9–64.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 11.2% | 9.6–12.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.0% | 65.9–79.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.1% | 13.6–19.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.2% | 14.8–19.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.1% | 26.9–35.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.0% | 28.0–38.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.0% | 18.5–23.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.8–19.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.0% | 12.4–15.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.7% | 15.7–19.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.0% | 31.0–39.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.5% | 6.6–8.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.0% | 8.0–10.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.9% | 13.0–16.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.7–4.4 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.2% | 4.7–5.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 27.0% | 23.4–30.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.4% | 14.0–18.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 6.9–9.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.4% | 10.6–14.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.9% | 7.8–10.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 37.6% | 33.0–42.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.8% | 6.8–8.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MS median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 19.9% (8.3–37.0%) n=406 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 12.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 16.8% (8.1–29.3%) n=410 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 12.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 14.4% (5.9–25.0%) n=411 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 22.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 18.0% (7.1–33.6%) n=411 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.8% (0.0–14.2%) n=411 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 5.5% (0.0–13.9%) n=405 |
| Broadband subscription | 87.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 79.7% (62.7–93.0%) n=405 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 15.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.7% (9.7–36.0%) n=405 |
| Homeownership rate | 85.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.2% (49.8–91.7%) n=405 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–5.0%) n=405 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.6% (0.0–4.4%) n=412 |
| Single-parent households | 44.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 46.9% (29.2–61.4%) n=404 |
| Population 65+ | 14.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.8% (11.7–26.2%) n=412 |
| Median age | 36.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 39.5 yr (30.5–49.6) n=411 |
| Median household income | $76,019 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $50,353 ($32,100–$72,379) n=377 |
| Median home value | $152,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $118,100 ($72,660–$219,420) n=374 |
| Median gross rent | $908 | $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 | 78.0 yr ± 1.25 | 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 1.25 years of 78.0, 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