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ZIP code

39737

in Bellefontaine, MississippiPopulation 298

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

45.03/ 100

Ranked #22,373 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 30%)

Ranked #114 of 406 Mississippi ZIPs (top 28%)

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.

PFAS in drinking water

4.5%

in the bottom 0.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST2nd
US1st
Definition & source ›

The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.

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 ›

Poverty rate

53%

in the top 1.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST98th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Full methodology ›

Fiber broadband

99.4%

in the top 3.8% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST96th
US96th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.

Full methodology ›

Households without a vehicle

17.2%

in the top 5.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US94th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with no vehicle available.

Full methodology ›

Home broadband subscription

69.7%

in the bottom 6.0% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST21st
US6th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility

17.6 mi

in the top 6.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST97th
US94th
Definition & source ›

The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.

Full methodology ›

Housing-cost burden

42.6%

in the top 7.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST96th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.

Full methodology ›

Walkability

2.3 intersections/sq mi

in the bottom 9.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST3rd
US10th
Definition & source ›

The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the bottom 11.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST7th
US11th
Definition & source ›

This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.

Full methodology ›

Expected annual disaster loss

$0

in the bottom 15% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST8th
US15th
Definition & 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 ›

The read

Overall, Bellefontaine, Mississippi (ZIP 39737) lands in the bottom 30% nationally (22,373rd) and the top 28% of Mississippi (114th).

continue reading

Where the load on this area runs deepest, the data leads: poverty is in the top 1.4% nationally, and households without a vehicle settles in the top 5.7% nationally. Home broadband subscription resides in the bottom 6.0% nationally, and housing-cost burden registers in the top 7.4% nationally. Walkability rests in the bottom 9.6% nationally. More encouragingly, modeled pfas stands in the bottom 0.7% nationally, fiber broadband lies in the top 3.8% nationally, and distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lands in the top 6.1% nationally. Unemployment sits at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled loud transportation noise is at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs.

A note on the terms: pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. 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. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 39771, about 1.4 miles away, ranks better overall.

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

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 89%

14%

Mental Health

healthier than 69%

8%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 25%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 22%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 23%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 39%

11%

Disability

healthier than 27%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 24%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 15%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 63%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 60%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 72%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 62%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 78%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 66%

8%

Disability

healthier than 76%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 68%

5%

Holding it back

Healthcare Access

healthier than 4%

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 ›

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 adults32.4%28.6–36.5
High blood pressure among adults45.7%41.1–50.5
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults8.9%7.9–9.9
Current asthma among adults9.8%8.5–11.3
Coronary heart disease among adults7.9%6.7–9.1
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults9.4%7.7–11.3
Depression among adults20.4%17.1–24.1
Diagnosed diabetes among adults15.2%13.0–17.8
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened43.0%38.3–47.8
Obesity among adults38.4%30.6–46.7
Stroke among adults4.4%3.8–5.1
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years21.0%17.2–25.0
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years10.4%7.6–13.8
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure80.9%78.0–83.5
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults81.5%77.8–84.8
Cholesterol screening among adults87.3%84.7–89.5
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years62.6%57.2–67.6
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults9.7%8.2–11.3
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years72.1%63.3–79.8
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults13.2%10.6–16.0
Current cigarette smoking among adults18.1%14.4–22.2
No leisure-time physical activity among adults33.6%27.5–40.0
Short sleep duration among adults35.4%28.6–42.7
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults23.6%19.7–28.1
Frequent mental distress among adults16.6%14.4–19.2
Frequent physical distress among adults15.5%13.2–18.1
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults17.1%14.4–20.1
Any disability among adults38.0%32.4–43.9
Hearing disability among adults8.7%7.4–10.0
Independent living disability among adults9.7%8.2–11.5
Mobility disability among adults19.0%15.8–22.3
Self-care disability among adults5.0%4.2–5.8
Vision disability among adults6.3%5.4–7.3
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults25.9%21.8–30.4
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults18.5%14.9–22.5
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults10.6%8.2–13.2
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults13.5%11.1–16.2
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults9.6%8.0–11.3
Loneliness among adults34.6%29.2–39.9
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults8.7%7.2–10.3
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)MS median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate53.0%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36419.9% (8.3–37.0%) n=406
Uninsured 18–640.0%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28616.8% (8.1–29.3%) n=410
No HS diploma (25+)21.8%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50514.4% (5.9–25.0%) n=411
Bachelor's or higher (25+)0.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50518.0% (7.1–33.6%) n=411
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.8% (0.0–14.2%) n=411
Households without a vehicle17.2%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3225.5% (0.0–13.9%) n=405
Broadband subscription69.7%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32279.7% (62.7–93.0%) n=405
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)42.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32222.7% (9.7–36.0%) n=405
Homeownership rate57.4%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32277.2% (49.8–91.7%) n=405
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.4% (0.0–5.0%) n=405
Foreign-born population0.0%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5530.6% (0.0–4.4%) n=412
Single-parent households56.9%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08746.9% (29.2–61.4%) n=404
Population 65+18.8%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55317.8% (11.7–26.2%) n=412
Median age34.9 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29239.5 yr (30.5–49.6) n=411
Median household income—$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$50,353 ($32,100–$72,379) n=377
Median home value—$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$118,100 ($72,660–$219,420) n=374
Median gross rent—$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 birth77.3 yr ± 1.5578.9 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 1.55 years of 77.3, 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