ZIP code
23480
in Wachapreague, VirginiaPopulation 338
37.89/ 100
Ranked #28,078 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 12.5%)
Ranked #808 of 873 Virginia ZIPs (bottom 7.5%)
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.
Floodplain exposure
78.7%
in the top 1.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
20.3%
in the top 2.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
47.4%
in the top 1.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
11.2%
in the top 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
19.2%
in the top 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
49.1%
in the top 4.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
23.6%
in the top 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
18.3%
in the top 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 5.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Stroke
5.7%
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Cross-source signals
Combined exposures in this ZIP
More than one environmental exposure stands out in this ZIP. Each is established independently and shown on its own above; they are grouped here for context — not because one causes the other.
This area ranks among the highest 10% of US ZIP codes for both flood exposure and the share of households without a vehicle.
See the full flooding, evacuation & humid-heat analysis →
The read
On balance, and by the composite measure, Wachapreague, Virginia (ZIP 23480) ranks in the bottom 12.5% nationally (28,078th) and the bottom 7.5% of Virginia (808th).
The measures that press hardest set the tone here: floodplain exposure registers in the top 1.2% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure sits in the top 2.0% nationally. Modeled high cholesterol rests in the top 1.2% nationally, and coronary heart disease is in the top 3.6% nationally. Modeled diabetes stands in the top 5.2% nationally, high blood pressure settles in the top 4.4% nationally, and mobility disability lies in the top 5.6% nationally. Households without a vehicle resides in the top 5.2% nationally, and modeled stroke lands in the top 6.0% nationally. On the stronger side, modeled expected annual loss registers in the bottom 5.4% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer terms, expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 23410, 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 90%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 57%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 52%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 3%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 17%
16%
Disability
healthier than 9%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 5%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 31%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 84%
14%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 43%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 4%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 31%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 37%
11%
Disability
healthier than 8%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 2%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 34%
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.
Nearby
23410
Virginiashares a border
Score 48.15
Closest healthier
23418
Virginiashares a border
Score 44.56
Similar health profile
28369
North Carolina99% similar profile
Score 39.62
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 | 39.2% | 35.8–43.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 49.1% | 45.1–53.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.2% | 10.1–12.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.2–13.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 11.2% | 9.8–12.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 12.8% | 10.8–15.1 |
| Depression among adults | 23.6% | 20.4–27.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 19.2% | 16.8–21.9 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 47.4% | 43.2–51.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 39.3% | 33.1–46.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.7% | 5.0–6.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 23.8% | 20.0–28.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.5% | 8.1–13.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 83.7% | 81.2–85.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.2% | 79.0–85.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.3% | 85.3–89.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.1% | 62.9–72.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 55.9% | 52.1–59.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 71.3% | 63.1–78.5 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 11.6% | 9.4–14.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.0% | 14.8–21.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 34.6% | 29.5–40.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.3% | 28.6–40.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 28.1% | 24.2–32.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.4% | 15.4–19.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.6% | 16.3–21.1 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.9% | 15.5–20.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 42.1% | 37.1–47.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.2% | 9.8–12.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 12.0% | 10.3–13.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 23.6% | 20.4–27.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.2% | 5.3–7.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.7–8.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.7% | 17.4–24.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.6% | 14.4–21.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 17.1% | 13.9–20.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.8% | 9.8–14.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.3% | 7.8–10.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.9% | 28.2–38.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 7.0–9.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 9.2% (2.0–22.9%) n=863 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 21.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 8.3% (0.0–19.2%) n=861 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 2.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 9.2% (1.9–20.7%) n=872 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 26.8% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 26.0% (9.2–59.8%) n=872 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 11.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 3.2% (0.0–8.2%) n=860 |
| Households without a vehicle | 18.3% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.6% (0.0–11.3%) n=862 |
| Broadband subscription | 78.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.9% (69.5–97.9%) n=862 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 16.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 23.1% (10.8–38.1%) n=862 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 78.1% (52.2–95.9%) n=862 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.7% (0.0–4.0%) n=862 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 2.9% (0.0–17.0%) n=874 |
| Single-parent households | 71.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 54.3% (38.2–78.2%) n=855 |
| Population 65+ | 37.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.5% (10.8–37.3%) n=874 |
| Median age | 54.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 43.6 yr (34.0–59.2) n=864 |
| Median household income | $57,868 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,854 ($46,504–$141,698) n=804 |
| Median home value | $172,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $274,800 ($123,240–$642,380) n=789 |
| Median gross rent | — | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $1,144 ($742–$2,191) n=615 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | VA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 82.8 yr ± 3.20 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 77.6 yr (74.5–81.4) n=826 |
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 3.20 years of 82.8, 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