ZIP code
27521
in Coats, North CarolinaPopulation 6,549
46.15/ 100
Ranked #21,174 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 34%)
Ranked #535 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 33%)
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 ›Distance to an emergency room
20 mi
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Crowded housing
7.5%
in the top 7.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Elder-services access
0.16 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Radon
0.8 pCi/L
in the bottom 9.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST35thUS9thDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Coats, North Carolina (ZIP 27521) places in the bottom 34% nationally (21,174th) and the bottom 33% of North Carolina (535th).
The measures fall on both sides for this area, fairly evenly: lead in tap water resides at the national minimum, and elder services is in the top 9.5% nationally. Grocery lands in the top 10.8% nationally, and modeled radon stands in the bottom 9.1% nationally. Modeled arsenic registers in the bottom 16% nationally. Pulling the other way, distance to an emergency room settles in the top 5.5% nationally, crowded housing sits in the top 7.6% nationally, and PFOA in drinking water lies in the top 14.4% nationally. PFOS in drinking water rests in the top 15% nationally, and modeled humid heat resides in the top 17% nationally.
For readers new to these terms, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. PFOA in drinking water is one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 27501, 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 79%
14%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 50%
21%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 36%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 25%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 35%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 15%
8%
Disability
healthier than 33%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 34%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 34%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 65%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 65%
14%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 46%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 35%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 8%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 14%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 8%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 35%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 20%
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
27501
North Carolinashares a border
Score 50.49
Closest healthier
27504
North Carolinashares a border
Score 51.40
Similar health profile
38237
Tennessee99% similar profile
Score 40.52
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 | 28.5% | 25.4–31.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.6% | 34.5–42.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.7% | 6.9–8.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.2% | 9.9–12.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.0% | 6.3–7.8 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.6% | 7.5–9.7 |
| Depression among adults | 27.3% | 23.5–31.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.3% | 10.7–14.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 36.4% | 32.4–40.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.7% | 29.6–44.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.8% | 3.5–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.7% | 14.5–21.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.8% | 11.7–15.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.4% | 72.4–78.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.6% | 75.0–82.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.7% | 83.7–87.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 62.5% | 57.0–67.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.3% | 53.5–61.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.8% | 64.1–80.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.7% | 12.9–18.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.3% | 14.9–19.8 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.9% | 23.7–32.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.9% | 30.2–43.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 22.6% | 19.9–25.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 18.7% | 16.6–20.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.7% | 13.0–16.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.8% | 15.8–20.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.4% | 32.0–41.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.9% | 7.0–8.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.7% | 8.6–10.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.2% | 14.2–18.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.5–6.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.9% | 20.3–27.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.2% | 15.6–21.1 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 14.9% | 12.7–17.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.0% | 12.0–16.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.7% | 8.4–11.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.9% | 28.8–39.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 7.9–10.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 20.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 19.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 23.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 92.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 68.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 7.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 10.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 50.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 22.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 40.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $61,590 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $227,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $894 | $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 | 76.7 yr ± 0.99 | 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 0.99 years of 76.7, 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