ZIP code
39301
in Meridian, MississippiPopulation 20,807
39.33/ 100
Ranked #27,185 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 15%)
Ranked #236 of 406 Mississippi ZIPs (bottom 42%)
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
0.91%
in the bottom 1.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Self-care disability
7.2%
in the top 5.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST67thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›Physician access
3.1 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of physicians’ offices 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 ›Dental provider access
1.2 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The number of dental offices 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 ›Subsidized affordable housing
475 units
in the top 4.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Vision disability
9.3%
in the top 6.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST67thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
15.4%
in the top 5.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST68thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Independent-living disability
12.8%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST67thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
47.6%
in the top 6.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST48thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›The read
ZIP 39301, one of several in Meridian, Mississippi ranks in the bottom 15% nationally (27,185th) and the bottom 42% of Mississippi (236th).
Several signals sit on each side of the ledger here: modeled arsenic resides in the bottom 1.0% nationally, and physicians stands in the top 3.3% nationally. Dental providers sits in the top 4.5% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing resides in the top 4.8% nationally. Distance to an emergency room stands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Working the other way, modeled expected annual loss sits in the top 2.6% nationally, self-care disability resides in the top 5.1% nationally, and vision disability stands in the top 6.6% nationally. Modeled transportation sits in the top 5.8% nationally, and independent living disability resides in the top 7.5% nationally.
Against its neighbors, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For context, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Subsidized affordable housing is the main federal tax-credit program (HUD) funding affordable rental housing, counted as local units it supports. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 39305, 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 67%
14%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 58%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 15%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 10%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 20%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 12%
11%
Disability
healthier than 7%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 31%
5%
Lifting this score
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 89%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 47%
21%
Preventive Care
healthier than 46%
13%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 39%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 31%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 30%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 38%
8%
Disability
healthier than 35%
7%
“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 73.2 ± 1.2 years. A median household income of $41,766 predicts 76.6 years — 3.5 years below.
Ranked #4,660 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 67.2; chronic-disease standing 15.3 — 52 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #2,348 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
36912
Alabamashares a border
Score 36.00
Closest healthier
39305
Mississippishares a border
Score 49.01
Similar health profile
39648
Mississippi99% similar profile
Score 34.93
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 | 32.5% | 29.3–35.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 47.6% | 43.8–51.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.6% | 6.9–8.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.6% | 9.4–12.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.5% | 7.8–9.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.5% | 9.5–11.6 |
| Depression among adults | 19.6% | 16.7–22.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.5% | 15.6–19.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.9% | 35.1–42.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 42.8% | 36.6–49.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.5% | 5.2–5.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 24.2% | 20.8–28.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.0% | 11.3–14.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.3% | 79.1–83.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.9% | 78.9–84.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.0% | 84.2–87.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.0% | 57.4–66.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 8.6% | 7.4–10.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.1% | 66.1–79.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.6% | 10.4–15.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 20.2% | 17.9–22.7 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 37.0% | 32.7–41.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 41.3% | 36.0–46.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 28.2% | 25.4–31.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.4% | 16.5–20.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.7% | 14.9–18.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 19.5% | 17.6–21.5 |
| Any disability among adults | 41.4% | 37.3–45.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.7–9.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 12.8% | 11.6–14.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 22.3% | 20.1–24.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.7–7.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 9.3% | 8.6–10.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 29.9% | 26.3–33.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 28.3% | 25.7–31.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 20.6% | 18.6–22.9 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 21.0% | 18.7–23.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 15.4% | 13.9–16.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 36.5% | 31.9–41.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 15.0% | 13.4–16.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | MS median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 27.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 19.9% (8.3–37.0%) n=406 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 16.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 16.8% (8.1–29.3%) n=410 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 15.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 14.4% (5.9–25.0%) n=411 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 18.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 18.0% (7.1–33.6%) n=411 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 6.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.8% (0.0–14.2%) n=411 |
| Households without a vehicle | 14.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 5.5% (0.0–13.9%) n=405 |
| Broadband subscription | 80.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 79.7% (62.7–93.0%) n=405 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 25.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 22.7% (9.7–36.0%) n=405 |
| Homeownership rate | 60.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 77.2% (49.8–91.7%) n=405 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–5.0%) n=405 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.6% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.6% (0.0–4.4%) n=412 |
| Single-parent households | 38.6% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 46.9% (29.2–61.4%) n=404 |
| Population 65+ | 20.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.8% (11.7–26.2%) n=412 |
| Median age | 42.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 39.5 yr (30.5–49.6) n=411 |
| Median household income | $41,766 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $50,353 ($32,100–$72,379) n=377 |
| Median home value | $119,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $118,100 ($72,660–$219,420) n=374 |
| Median gross rent | $905 | $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 | 73.2 yr ± 0.59 | 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 0.59 years of 73.2, 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