ZIP code
42254
in LaFayette, KentuckyPopulation 227
48.03/ 100
Ranked #18,894 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 41%)
Ranked #89 of 742 Kentucky ZIPs (top 12.0%)
Ranked #7 of 23 Clarksville, TN-KY ZIPs (top 30%)
Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.
Some domains have limited local data — read this Score as directional
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
0.99%
in the bottom 2.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS2ndDefinition & 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 ›Transportation noise
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Home broadband subscription
61.1%
in the bottom 3.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST5thUS3rdDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
9.7%
in the bottom 9.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST16thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
9.4 mi
in the top 12.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
13.3 mi
in the top 14.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS85thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
102.2 days/year
in the top 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS78thDefinition & 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 ›Energy-cost burden
2.5%
in the bottom 24% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS24thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.
A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.
Full methodology ›Mammography
77.6%
in the top 29% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS71stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of women aged 50–74 who had a mammogram within the past two years.
Full methodology ›Distance to a community health center
7.2 mi
in the top 29% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS71stDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›The read
With only some of the sources reporting, LaFayette, Kentucky (ZIP 42254) lands in the bottom 41% nationally (18,894th) and the top 12.0% of Kentucky (89th), based on limited data; treat as directional.
Reading what data there is, a few things can be said: modeled arsenic rests in the bottom 2.0% nationally, modeled transportation noise registers at the national minimum, and housing-cost burden resides in the bottom 9.1% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise settles at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Fiber broadband is in the top 11.3% nationally, and modeled disaster risk sits in the bottom 16% nationally. Distance to a Superfund site lands in the top 17% nationally. Working the other way, home broadband subscription lies in the bottom 3.1% nationally, and distance to a nursing home stands in the top 12.3% nationally. Distance to an emergency room rests in the top 14.6% nationally.
Put simply, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. On the overall standing, ZIP 42236, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.
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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Clarksville, TN-KY metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 78%
16%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 57%
19%
Preventive CarePartial
healthier than 59%
15%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 46%
6%
Holding it back
Healthcare Access
healthier than 19%
6%
Not placed: Chronic Disease Burden and Risk Behavior — too little of each is measured here to compare reliably. They still count toward the score (together 38% of it); we just will not publish a standing we cannot stand behind.
No data: Mental Health and Disability — not measured in this ZIP, so it is left out of the score entirely rather than estimated.
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
in the top 0.00%
19%
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.00%
16%
Preventive CarePartial
in the top 0.00%
15%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the bottom 0.00%
6%
Healthcare Access
in the bottom 0.00%
6%
Not placed: Chronic Disease Burden and Risk Behavior — too little of each is measured here to compare reliably. They still count toward the score (together 38% of it); we just will not publish a standing we cannot stand behind.
No data: Mental Health and Disability — not measured in this ZIP, so it is left out of the score entirely rather than estimated.
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 72%
19%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 86%
16%
Preventive CarePartial
healthier than 94%
15%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 84%
6%
Holding it back
Healthcare Access
in the bottom 0.00%
6%
Not placed: Chronic Disease Burden and Risk Behavior — too little of each is measured here to compare reliably. They still count toward the score (together 38% of it); we just will not publish a standing we cannot stand behind.
No data: Mental Health and Disability — not measured in this ZIP, so it is left out of the score entirely rather than estimated.
“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.
Nearby
42236
Kentuckyshares a border
Score 50.28
Closest healthier
42223
Tennesseeabout 2.7 mi away
Score 49.23
Similar health profile
63388
Missouri98% similar profile
Score 47.35
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 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.0% | 13.9–20.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.5% | 61.4–71.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.3% | 56.4–63.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.6% | 69.9–83.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.0% | 31.8–44.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | KY median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 17.1% (4.6–39.2%) n=747 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 18.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.9% (0.0–16.5%) n=741 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.7% (3.8–29.1%) n=748 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 16.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 14.8% (1.5–33.6%) n=748 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.8% (0.0–11.2%) n=733 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.6% (0.0–15.0%) n=745 |
| Broadband subscription | 61.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (71.5–97.1%) n=745 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 9.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 20.9% (6.2–34.7%) n=745 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.0% (58.2–96.7%) n=745 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.8%) n=745 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.3% (0.0–5.4%) n=749 |
| Single-parent households | 46.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.0% (34.7–75.0%) n=738 |
| Population 65+ | 12.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.2% (9.6–29.6%) n=749 |
| Median age | 39.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (32.3–53.9) n=738 |
| Median household income | $47,250 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $57,097 ($34,611–$87,693) n=645 |
| Median home value | $99,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $144,600 ($66,860–$265,120) n=643 |
| Median gross rent | $725 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $821 ($592–$1,170) n=466 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | KY median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 80.2 yr ± 3.32 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 74.8 yr (71.5–78.1) n=739 |
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 3.32 years of 80.2, 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