ZIP code
27299
in Linwood, North CarolinaPopulation 5,034
49.76/ 100
Ranked #16,567 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 48%)
Ranked #404 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 49%)
Ranked #21 of 39 Winston-Salem, NC ZIPs (bottom 46%)
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.
Lead in tap water
0 ppb
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
US1stDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›The read
Judged by its overall standing, Linwood, North Carolina (ZIP 27299) sits in the bottom 48% nationally (16,567th) and the bottom 49% of North Carolina (404th).
An even profile, with readings pulling both ways: lead in tap water lies at the national minimum, modeled energy burden registers in the bottom 20% nationally, and home broadband subscription is in the top 22% nationally. Modeled radon lies in the bottom 33% nationally, and tree cover registers in the top 27% nationally. Against that, modeled industrial-pollution burden is in the top 14.8% nationally. Recreation lies at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs. Physicians registers at the national minimum, shared with about 38% of ZIPs. Modeled humid heat is in the top 20% nationally. Childcare lies at the national minimum, shared with about 42% of ZIPs.
Put plainly, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 27028, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Winston-Salem, NC metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 63%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 64%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 60%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 53%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 59%
11%
Disability
healthier than 47%
7%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 32%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 15%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 32%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 76%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 63%
16%
Disability
healthier than 64%
7%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 42%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 58%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 36%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 13%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 8%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 31%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 74%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 61%
14%
Disability
healthier than 68%
7%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 55%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 13%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 29%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 16%
8%
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 75.6 ± 2.4 years. A median household income of $65,621 predicts 78.4 years — 2.8 years below.
Ranked #3,852 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
27028
North Carolinashares a border
Score 50.89
Closest healthier
28146
North Carolinashares a border
Score 51.04
Similar health profile
37130
Tennessee96% similar profile
Score 48.51
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 | 27.6% | 24.2–30.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.0% | 30.7–39.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.9% | 7.2–8.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.2% | 9.9–12.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.5% | 5.8–7.3 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.1% | 7.0–9.2 |
| Depression among adults | 27.4% | 23.4–31.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.1% | 9.4–12.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.2% | 31.0–39.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.3% | 29.1–43.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.5% | 3.1–3.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 16.2% | 13.1–19.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.6% | 8.9–12.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.5% | 72.0–78.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 77.6% | 73.7–81.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.9% | 83.9–87.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.5% | 57.4–67.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 61.0% | 57.1–64.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 73.7% | 65.4–80.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.8% | 12.8–18.8 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.5% | 14.0–19.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.7% | 20.5–29.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.6% | 27.4–40.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.6% | 16.9–22.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.6% | 16.4–20.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.9% | 12.1–15.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.9% | 14.8–19.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.8% | 28.4–37.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.6% | 6.6–8.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.9% | 7.7–10.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.1% | 12.1–16.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.6–4.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.2% | 4.7–5.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.9% | 18.5–25.3 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.8% | 12.5–17.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 12.1% | 10.2–14.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.6% | 9.8–13.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.3% | 7.3–9.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.5% | 26.6–36.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.9% | 6.7–9.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 94.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 19.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 47.8% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 13.9% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 35.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $65,621 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $196,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $938 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $957 ($715–$1,575) n=687 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 75.6 yr ± 1.21 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 77.3 yr (74.6–80.8) n=747 |
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 1.21 years of 75.6, 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