ZIP code
39834
in Climax, GeorgiaPopulation 2,251
42.88/ 100
Ranked #24,487 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 24%)
Ranked #481 of 711 Georgia ZIPs (bottom 32%)
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.
Humid extreme heat
148 days/year
in the top 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS95thDefinition & 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 ›PFAS in drinking water
9.4%
in the bottom 7.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST14thUS8thDefinition & 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 ›Home broadband subscription
73.7%
in the bottom 8.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST12thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
23.3%
in the top 9.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST82ndUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Crowded housing
6.4%
in the top 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Walkability
2.8 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 13.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS14thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
0.87%
in the bottom 21% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS21stDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Climax, Georgia (ZIP 39834) sits in the bottom 24% nationally (24,487th) and the bottom 32% of Georgia (481st).
A few readings each way define this mixed profile: modeled pfas rests in the bottom 7.6% nationally. Pulling the other way, modeled humid heat settles in the top 5.3% nationally, home broadband subscription lands in the bottom 8.7% nationally, and modeled tooth loss rests in the top 9.9% nationally. Crowded housing settles in the top 9.7% nationally, and modeled diabetes lands in the top 10.6% nationally. Modeled loneliness rests in the top 12.0% nationally, and fatal road crashes settles in the top 12.4% nationally. Slow internet speeds lands in the top 12.4% nationally, and modeled stroke rests in the top 11.3% nationally.
Put plainly, 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. Humid heat is a modeled heat-stress measure combining temperature, humidity, sun, and wind to gauge heat on the body outdoors. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 39897, 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 83%
14%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 55%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 49%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 15%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 17%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 35%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 34%
11%
Disability
healthier than 18%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 25%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 78%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 47%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 49%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 34%
16%
Disability
healthier than 29%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 30%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 39%
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 83.3; chronic-disease standing 14.7 — 69 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,149 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
31730
Georgiashares a border
Score 35.62
Closest healthier
39897
Georgiashares a border
Score 48.12
Similar health profile
39039
Mississippi99% similar profile
Score 38.51
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 | 31.9% | 28.4–35.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 44.9% | 40.5–49.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.4% | 8.5–10.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.2–11.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.3% | 8.2–10.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.3% | 8.9–11.8 |
| Depression among adults | 20.7% | 17.5–24.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.3% | 15.1–19.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.7% | 38.2–47.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.0% | 31.0–47.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.2% | 4.6–5.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 23.3% | 19.5–27.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 14.4% | 12.0–16.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.8% | 79.2–84.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.1% | 76.6–83.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.9% | 85.0–88.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.0% | 57.7–68.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 53.2% | 49.6–56.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.2% | 66.1–81.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.0% | 10.5–15.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.0% | 15.1–20.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.2% | 27.2–37.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.1% | 31.7–45.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.8% | 22.4–29.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.0% | 15.9–20.3 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.5% | 15.3–19.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.6% | 14.5–18.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 37.3% | 32.6–42.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.3% | 8.2–10.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.1% | 9.7–12.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.7% | 17.0–22.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.8% | 5.1–6.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.1% | 20.4–27.9 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 20.0% | 16.7–23.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 17.3% | 14.6–20.2 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.0% | 12.7–17.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.3% | 8.9–11.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 37.1% | 31.5–42.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.1% | 8.6–11.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | GA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 20.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.8% (5.6–27.5%) n=709 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 31.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 18.3% (8.4–29.7%) n=713 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 12.1% (3.9–22.9%) n=720 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 16.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 21.3% (9.1–49.2%) n=720 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.1% (0.6–9.6%) n=714 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.4% (0.3–12.3%) n=707 |
| Broadband subscription | 73.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.3% (72.5–96.4%) n=707 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 25.1% (13.6–38.3%) n=707 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 73.7% (48.8–89.0%) n=707 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 6.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.7% (0.0–5.0%) n=707 |
| Foreign-born population | 9.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 3.8% (0.0–15.8%) n=720 |
| Single-parent households | 55.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 48.8% (36.1–66.7%) n=705 |
| Population 65+ | 12.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 17.0% (10.0–28.3%) n=720 |
| Median age | 41.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 39.8 yr (33.1–51.4) n=715 |
| Median household income | $47,708 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,254 ($44,032–$106,158) n=677 |
| Median home value | $153,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $215,200 ($91,000–$413,150) n=666 |
| Median gross rent | $688 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $993 ($694–$1,769) n=627 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | GA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 75.2 yr ± 1.34 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 76.1 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 1.34 years of 75.2, 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