ZIP code
42602
in Albany, KentuckyPopulation 8,948
35.29/ 100
Ranked #29,285 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 8.7%)
Ranked #355 of 742 Kentucky ZIPs (top 48%)
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.
High cholesterol
50.4%
in the top 0.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
US99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
52.6%
in the top 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
US98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
20.1%
in the top 3.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
US96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
24.6%
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
US96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
26.8%
in the top 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST66thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
11.2%
in the top 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
US96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
11.3%
in the bottom 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
US4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›Stroke
5.7%
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
US94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
11.5%
in the top 6.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
US94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Nitrate in drinking water
0.07%
in the top 8.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams 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 ›The read
Albany, Kentucky (ZIP 42602) ranks in the bottom 8.7% nationally (29,285th) and the top 48% of Kentucky (355th).
A number of readings press hard on the profile and set its tone: modeled high cholesterol lies in the top 0.3% nationally, and high blood pressure is in the top 1.6% nationally. Modeled diabetes registers in the top 3.7% nationally, and mobility disability lies in the top 4.0% nationally. Modeled tooth loss is in the top 5.4% nationally, coronary heart disease registers in the top 3.6% nationally, and stroke lies in the top 6.0% nationally. Modeled hearing disability is in the top 6.5% nationally. On the brighter side, modeled binge drinking registers in the bottom 4.0% nationally. Distance to an emergency room lies at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs.
The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 38573, about 2.3 miles away. Modeled mobility disability lies in the top 4.0% nationally.
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
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 47%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 42%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 51%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
in the bottom 1.0%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 16%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 28%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 24%
8%
Disability
healthier than 13%
7%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
in the top 0.00%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
in the top 0.00%
16%
Preventive Care
in the top 0.00%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the top 0.00%
11%
Mental Health
in the top 0.00%
8%
Disability
in the top 0.00%
7%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
in the bottom 0.00%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
in the bottom 0.00%
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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 73.7 ± 1.4 years. A median household income of $44,375 predicts 76.9 years — 3.2 years below.
Ranked #4,394 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
38549
Tennesseeshares a border
Score 35.03
Closest healthier
38573
Tennesseeabout 2.3 mi away
Score 38.06
Similar health profile
15467
Pennsylvania97% similar profile
Score 31.26
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 | 46.4% | 41.3–51.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 52.6% | 46.9–58.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 14.0% | 12.1–16.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 9.4–12.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 11.2% | 9.0–13.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 15.3% | 10.8–20.7 |
| Depression among adults | 27.8% | 23.2–32.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 20.1% | 16.2–24.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 50.4% | 44.9–55.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.1% | 31.6–51.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.7% | 4.4–7.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 26.8% | 22.3–31.4 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.0% | 8.4–18.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 84.2% | 81.3–86.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.6% | 79.2–85.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.8% | 87.6–91.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.6% | 57.1–67.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 51.3% | 47.3–55.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 69.8% | 60.6–77.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 11.3% | 9.0–13.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 20.7% | 14.2–27.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.9% | 23.5–40.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 40.2% | 32.9–47.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 28.0% | 20.9–36.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.6% | 13.6–19.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 19.4% | 15.3–24.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.6% | 12.9–21.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 43.6% | 35.4–52.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.5% | 9.4–13.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.7% | 7.9–14.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 24.6% | 18.3–31.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.5% | 4.0–7.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.9% | 5.1–9.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | KY median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 17.1% (4.6–39.2%) n=747 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 6.9% (0.0–16.5%) n=741 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 21.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 13.7% (3.8–29.1%) n=748 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 18.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 14.8% (1.5–33.6%) n=748 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 5.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.8% (0.0–11.2%) n=733 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 4.6% (0.0–15.0%) n=745 |
| Broadband subscription | 81.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 86.7% (71.5–97.1%) n=745 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 20.9% (6.2–34.7%) n=745 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.0% (58.2–96.7%) n=745 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.8%) n=745 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 0.3% (0.0–5.4%) n=749 |
| Single-parent households | 48.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 52.0% (34.7–75.0%) n=738 |
| Population 65+ | 21.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 18.2% (9.6–29.6%) n=749 |
| Median age | 43.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 41.8 yr (32.3–53.9) n=738 |
| Median household income | $44,375 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $57,097 ($34,611–$87,693) n=645 |
| Median home value | $124,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $144,600 ($66,860–$265,120) n=643 |
| Median gross rent | $619 | $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 | 73.6 yr ± 0.70 | 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 0.70 years of 73.6, 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