ZIP code
38921
in Charleston, MississippiPopulation 4,786
34.57/ 100
Ranked #29,539 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 7.9%)
Ranked #307 of 406 Mississippi ZIPs (bottom 24%)
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
1.1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.8% 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 ›High blood pressure
54%
in the top 1.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Self-care disability
7.8%
in the top 3.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST74thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›Stroke
6.4%
in the top 2.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST79thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
20.8%
in the top 2.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST78thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Child-care access
1.1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Mobility disability
25.3%
in the top 3.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST77thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
64.5%
in the top 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Vision disability
10.0%
in the top 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST74thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
10.4%
in the bottom 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST15thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Charleston, Mississippi (ZIP 38921) sits in the bottom 7.9% nationally (29,539th) and the bottom 24% of Mississippi (307th).
The profile carries real weight, and several readings make that plain: modeled high blood pressure lands in the top 1.1% nationally, self-care disability rests in the top 3.3% nationally, and stroke settles in the top 2.5% nationally. Modeled diabetes lands in the top 2.7% nationally, modeled mobility disability rests in the top 3.1% nationally, and floodplain exposure settles in the top 2.1% nationally. Modeled vision disability lands in the top 4.9% nationally. Better still, pharmacy rests in the top 0.8% nationally, and childcare settles in the top 1.8% nationally. Modeled binge drinking lands in the bottom 1.9% nationally.
Placed beside its immediate neighbors, pharmacy runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put plainly, floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 38927, 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 92%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 73%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 6%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 5%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 24%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 12%
11%
Disability
healthier than 5%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 1%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 25%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 82%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 65%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 74%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 25%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 26%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 30%
11%
Disability
healthier than 29%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 5%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 14%
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 92.2 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 6.4 (bottom 10%) — 86 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #248 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
38643
Mississippishares a border
Score 27.88
Closest healthier
38927
Mississippishares a border
Score 45.48
Similar health profile
38744
Mississippi99% similar profile
Score 38.57
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 | 34.5% | 30.8–38.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 54.0% | 49.5–58.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.5% | 6.7–8.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.1% | 9.7–12.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.2% | 8.2–10.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.7% | 9.4–12.2 |
| Depression among adults | 18.2% | 15.2–21.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 20.8% | 18.3–23.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.8% | 37.2–46.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 45.3% | 36.6–54.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 6.4% | 5.8–7.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 21.9% | 18.1–26.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.0% | 10.8–15.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 83.3% | 81.0–85.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 84.4% | 81.4–87.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.4% | 85.6–89.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 59.7% | 53.9–65.1 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 7.3% | 6.1–8.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.4% | 63.5–80.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 10.4% | 8.3–12.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.6% | 16.8–22.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 41.3% | 35.7–47.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 42.4% | 35.3–49.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 31.1% | 27.4–34.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.7% | 15.6–20.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.3% | 15.2–19.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 19.2% | 17.0–21.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 43.3% | 38.3–48.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.6–9.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 13.2% | 11.7–14.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 25.3% | 22.3–28.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 7.8% | 7.0–8.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 10.0% | 9.0–11.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 33.4% | 29.0–38.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 31.5% | 27.7–35.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 22.7% | 19.7–25.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 23.4% | 20.4–26.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 16.2% | 14.3–18.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 38.3% | 32.7–44.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 16.8% | 14.7–19.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MS median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 31.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 19.9% (8.3–37.0%) n=406 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 25.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 16.8% (8.1–29.3%) n=410 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 18.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 14.4% (5.9–25.0%) n=411 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 12.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 18.0% (7.1–33.6%) n=411 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 11.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.8% (0.0–14.2%) n=411 |
| Households without a vehicle | 10.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 5.5% (0.0–13.9%) n=405 |
| Broadband subscription | 68.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 79.7% (62.7–93.0%) n=405 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.7% (9.7–36.0%) n=405 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.2% (49.8–91.7%) n=405 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.6% | 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 | 44.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 46.9% (29.2–61.4%) n=404 |
| Population 65+ | 17.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.8% (11.7–26.2%) n=412 |
| Median age | 37.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 39.5 yr (30.5–49.6) n=411 |
| Median household income | $37,326 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $50,353 ($32,100–$72,379) n=377 |
| Median home value | $102,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $118,100 ($72,660–$219,420) n=374 |
| Median gross rent | $695 | $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 | 67.4 yr ± 1.12 | 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 1.12 years of 67.4, 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