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ZIP code

39440

in Laurel, MississippiPopulation 19,385

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

36.37/ 100

Ranked #28,821 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 10.2%)

Ranked #282 of 406 Mississippi ZIPs (bottom 31%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Industrial-pollution burden

in the top 0.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.

Full methodology ›

Self-care disability

7.4%

in the top 4.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST69th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.

Full methodology ›

Vision disability

10.0%

in the top 4.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST74th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.

Full methodology ›

High blood pressure

50.4%

in the top 3.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST64th
US97th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.

Full methodology ›

Pharmacy access

0.61 per 1,000 residents

in the top 3.3% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST96th
US97th
Definition & 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 ›

Lack of transportation

17.5%

in the top 3.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST79th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Obesity

46.6%

in the top 2.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST77th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with obesity, defined as a body-mass index of 30 or higher.

Full methodology ›

Diabetes

19.2%

in the top 5.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST66th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.

Full methodology ›

Independent-living disability

13.4%

in the top 5.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST74th
US95th
Definition & 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 ›

Utility shut-off threat

17.4%

in the top 4.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST79th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

The read

Overall, ZIP 39440, one of several in Laurel, Mississippi places in the bottom 10.2% nationally (28,821st) and the bottom 31% of Mississippi (282nd).

continue reading

The measures that matter most for this area lead the way: modeled industrial-pollution burden registers in the top 0.5% nationally, and self-care disability settles in the top 4.4% nationally. Modeled vision disability sits in the top 4.9% nationally, and high blood pressure lies in the top 3.1% nationally. Modeled transportation rests in the top 3.7% nationally, obesity resides in the top 2.5% nationally, and diabetes is in the top 5.2% nationally. Modeled independent living disability lands in the top 5.5% nationally, and utility shutoff stands in the top 4.3% nationally. On the better side, pharmacy registers in the top 3.3% nationally.

Beside the areas that surround it, industrial-pollution burden runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For readers new to these terms, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 39437, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Mental Health

healthier than 70%

8%

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 13%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 9%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 5%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 18%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 21%

11%

Disability

healthier than 6%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 17%

5%

Lifting this score

Mental Health

healthier than 68%

8%

Healthcare Access

in the top 0.00%

5%

About typical

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 41%

21%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 48%

11%

Holding it back

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 36%

16%

Environmental Hazard

in the bottom 0.00%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 37%

13%

Disability

healthier than 31%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

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 73.3 ± 1.0 years. A median household income of $46,947 predicts 77.1 years — 3.8 years below.

    Ranked #4,906 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.

  • Below its nearby ZIPs

    The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors

    Estimated life expectancy is 73.3 ± 1.0 years. The 49 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 75.3 years — 2.0 years below them.

    Ranked #1,567 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.

Nearby & similar ZIPs

Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults31.1%27.9–34.4
High blood pressure among adults50.4%46.2–54.5
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults6.7%6.0–7.3
Current asthma among adults10.7%9.4–12.1
Coronary heart disease among adults8.4%7.5–9.3
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults10.1%9.0–11.3
Depression among adults18.2%15.3–21.3
Diagnosed diabetes among adults19.2%16.9–21.5
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened38.9%34.6–43.1
Obesity among adults46.6%39.5–53.6
Stroke among adults5.6%5.2–6.1
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years25.5%21.5–29.9
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years15.4%13.3–17.7
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure80.2%77.8–82.5
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults82.3%79.0–85.2
Cholesterol screening among adults85.0%83.0–86.8
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years61.1%56.0–66.1
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults7.5%6.3–8.8
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years75.3%67.9–82.0
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults11.2%9.0–13.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults19.7%17.3–22.4
No leisure-time physical activity among adults42.3%37.3–47.3
Short sleep duration among adults36.4%30.6–42.6
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults30.3%27.1–33.6
Frequent mental distress among adults18.1%16.0–20.1
Frequent physical distress among adults16.6%14.7–18.6
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults20.0%17.9–22.2
Any disability among adults42.9%38.5–47.4
Hearing disability among adults8.3%7.4–9.3
Independent living disability among adults13.4%12.0–14.9
Mobility disability among adults23.2%20.7–25.8
Self-care disability among adults7.4%6.8–8.1
Vision disability among adults10.0%9.2–10.9
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults32.7%28.7–36.8
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults32.8%29.4–36.2
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults23.3%20.6–26.3
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults24.3%21.6–27.1
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults17.5%15.6–19.3
Loneliness among adults38.9%33.8–43.8
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults17.4%15.4–19.5
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MS median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate25.9%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36419.9% (8.3–37.0%) n=406
Uninsured 18–6421.7%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28616.8% (8.1–29.3%) n=410
No HS diploma (25+)12.3%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50514.4% (5.9–25.0%) n=411
Bachelor's or higher (25+)20.4%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50518.0% (7.1–33.6%) n=411
Unemployment rate (16+)5.2%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.8% (0.0–14.2%) n=411
Households without a vehicle4.4%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3225.5% (0.0–13.9%) n=405
Broadband subscription77.9%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32279.7% (62.7–93.0%) n=405
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)29.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32222.7% (9.7–36.0%) n=405
Homeownership rate58.3%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32277.2% (49.8–91.7%) n=405
Crowded housing (>1 per room)1.9%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.4% (0.0–5.0%) n=405
Foreign-born population3.3%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5530.6% (0.0–4.4%) n=412
Single-parent households33.2%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08746.9% (29.2–61.4%) n=404
Population 65+13.8%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55317.8% (11.7–26.2%) n=412
Median age33.3 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29239.5 yr (30.5–49.6) n=411
Median household income$46,947$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$50,353 ($32,100–$72,379) n=377
Median home value$125,400$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$118,100 ($72,660–$219,420) n=374
Median gross rent$917$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$827 ($532–$1,130) n=319
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MS median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth73.3 yr ± 0.5378.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30875.4 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 0.53 years of 73.3, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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