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ZipVitals

ZIP code

39824

in Bluffton, GeorgiaPopulation 480

40.62/ 100

Ranked #26,319 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 18%)

Ranked #553 of 711 Georgia ZIPs (bottom 22%)

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.

Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility

20.7 mi

in the top 4.6% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST99th
US95th
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 ›

Tooth loss

25.6%

in the top 6.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST90th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.

Full methodology ›

Diabetes

18.5%

in the top 6.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST85th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Slow internet speeds

1.8%

in the top 6.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST93rd
US94th
Definition & source ›

The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.

Full methodology ›

Humid extreme heat

142.8 days/year

in the top 6.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST89th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.

Full methodology ›

Poverty rate

2.1%

in the bottom 7.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST3rd
US7th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Self-care disability

6.5%

in the top 8.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST81st
US92nd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.

Full methodology ›

Home broadband subscription

73.4%

in the bottom 8.5% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST11th
US8th
Definition & source ›

The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Full methodology ›

High blood pressure

46.8%

in the top 8.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST84th
US92nd
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

Housing-cost burden

9.8%

in the bottom 9.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST5th
US9th
Definition & source ›

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

Full methodology ›

The read

Bluffton, Georgia (ZIP 39824), by its composite score, sits in the bottom 18% nationally (26,319th) and the bottom 22% of Georgia (553rd).

continue reading

The data opens on a genuinely even set of readings: distance to a hazardous-chemical facility sits in the top 4.6% nationally, and poverty lies in the bottom 7.1% nationally. Unemployment rests at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Households without a vehicle resides at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. On the other side, modeled tooth loss is in the top 6.6% nationally, modeled diabetes lands in the top 6.8% nationally, and slow internet speeds stands in the top 6.4% nationally. Modeled humid heat registers in the top 6.6% nationally, modeled self-care disability settles in the top 8.5% nationally, and home broadband subscription sits in the bottom 8.5% nationally.

For anyone unfamiliar, 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. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. For a healthier comparison close by, see ZIP 39866, about 6.3 miles away.

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 92%

14%

About typical

Mental Health

healthier than 45%

8%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 13%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 10%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 37%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 14%

11%

Disability

healthier than 16%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 31%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 39%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 93%

14%

About typical

Preventive Care

healthier than 55%

13%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 51%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 16%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 20%

16%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 14%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 33%

8%

Disability

healthier than 24%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 25%

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 adults31.6%28.0–35.1
High blood pressure among adults46.8%42.3–51.1
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults8.0%7.2–8.9
Current asthma among adults11.2%9.9–12.5
Coronary heart disease among adults8.8%7.8–9.9
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults10.4%8.9–12.0
Depression among adults21.0%17.9–24.4
Diagnosed diabetes among adults18.5%16.1–20.8
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened41.1%36.7–45.8
Obesity among adults41.2%33.0–49.7
Stroke among adults5.3%4.7–5.9
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years25.6%21.5–30.4
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years14.2%11.6–17.2
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure81.1%78.5–83.4
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults80.0%76.9–82.8
Cholesterol screening among adults86.3%84.5–88.0
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years65.5%60.2–70.7
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults48.6%45.0–52.3
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years76.2%68.9–82.9
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults13.0%10.8–15.5
Current cigarette smoking among adults19.8%16.5–23.2
No leisure-time physical activity among adults34.2%28.8–39.6
Short sleep duration among adults41.9%35.1–49.0
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults27.4%23.6–31.2
Frequent mental distress among adults18.9%16.7–21.1
Frequent physical distress among adults17.4%15.2–19.8
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults17.1%14.9–19.4
Any disability among adults36.9%32.0–41.7
Hearing disability among adults8.0%7.0–9.1
Independent living disability among adults11.7%10.2–13.4
Mobility disability among adults20.0%17.3–23.0
Self-care disability among adults6.5%5.7–7.4
Vision disability among adults7.9%6.9–8.9
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults25.4%21.8–29.4
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults24.1%20.3–28.4
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults23.1%19.3–27.1
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults18.6%15.8–21.6
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults12.4%10.7–14.3
Loneliness among adults36.7%31.6–41.9
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults13.4%11.5–15.5
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)GA median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate2.1%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36413.8% (5.6–27.5%) n=709
Uninsured 18–6411.4%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28618.3% (8.4–29.7%) n=713
No HS diploma (25+)31.7%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50512.1% (3.9–22.9%) n=720
Bachelor's or higher (25+)12.6%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50521.3% (9.1–49.2%) n=720
Unemployment rate (16+)0.0%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.1% (0.6–9.6%) n=714
Households without a vehicle0.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3224.4% (0.3–12.3%) n=707
Broadband subscription73.4%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.3% (72.5–96.4%) n=707
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)9.8%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32225.1% (13.6–38.3%) n=707
Homeownership rate93.1%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32273.7% (48.8–89.0%) n=707
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.7% (0.0–5.0%) n=707
Foreign-born population0.0%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5533.8% (0.0–15.8%) n=720
Single-parent households18.6%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08748.8% (36.1–66.7%) n=705
Population 65+10.0%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55317.0% (10.0–28.3%) n=720
Median age39.8 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29239.8 yr (33.1–51.4) n=715
Median household income$49,353$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$65,254 ($44,032–$106,158) n=677
Median home value$58,900$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$215,200 ($91,000–$413,150) n=666
Median gross rent$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$993 ($694–$1,769) n=627
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)GA median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth72.8 yr ± 0.6878.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30876.1 yr (73.3–79.7) n=668

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 0.68 years of 72.8, 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