ZIP code
27551
in Macon, North CarolinaPopulation 1,836
46.86/ 100
Ranked #20,322 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 37%)
Ranked #505 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 36%)
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.
PFOS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFOS, one of the most common “forever chemicals,” was detected in EPA testing.
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 ›Stroke
6.0%
in the top 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
10.8%
in the bottom 2.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›High blood pressure
49.4%
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
100%
at the national maximum
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents served by public water systems where PFAS — man-made “forever chemicals” that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down — were detected in EPA testing.
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 ›Diabetes
18.6%
in the top 6.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
10.4%
in the top 7.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
72.5%
in the top 8.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›High cholesterol
43.2%
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
14.9%
in the bottom 22% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS22ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
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
Overall, Macon, North Carolina (ZIP 27551) places in the bottom 37% nationally (20,322nd) and the bottom 36% of North Carolina (505th).
The measures land in both directions, and neither dominates: modeled binge drinking settles in the bottom 2.6% nationally, and arsenic sits in the bottom 10.8% nationally. Childcare lies in the top 11.2% nationally. Pulling the other way, PFOS in drinking water rests at the national maximum, modeled stroke resides in the top 4.1% nationally, and modeled high blood pressure is in the top 4.0% nationally. PFAS in drinking water lands at the national maximum, modeled diabetes stands in the top 6.5% nationally, and modeled coronary heart disease registers in the top 7.1% nationally. Modeled mobility disability settles in the top 10.7% nationally.
For readers new to these terms, PFOS in drinking water is a common one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. PFAS in drinking water is the family of man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 27850, 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 85%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 92%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 73%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 66%
8%
About typical
Healthcare Access
healthier than 43%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 6%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 32%
16%
Disability
healthier than 16%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 39%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 73%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 91%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 63%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 88%
8%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 6%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 31%
16%
Disability
healthier than 20%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 29%
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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 85.3; chronic-disease standing 6.2 (bottom 10%) — 79 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #536 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
23917
Virginiashares a border
Score 45.23
Closest healthier
27850
North Carolinashares a border
Score 47.32
Similar health profile
22520
Virginia98% similar profile
Score 47.14
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 | 37.4% | 33.4–41.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 49.4% | 44.6–54.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.7% | 9.7–11.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.2–13.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.4% | 9.3–11.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.7% | 9.2–12.2 |
| Depression among adults | 22.4% | 19.0–26.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 18.6% | 16.2–21.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.2% | 38.4–48.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.5% | 32.3–49.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 6.0% | 5.4–6.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.6% | 15.5–22.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.8% | 8.1–11.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 84.1% | 81.4–86.3 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 85.1% | 82.2–87.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 90.8% | 89.6–92.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 72.5% | 67.5–77.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.4% | 56.7–64.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.7% | 71.4–85.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 10.8% | 8.7–13.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.0% | 13.5–18.6 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.3% | 24.3–34.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.9% | 28.1–42.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.9% | 21.7–28.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.5% | 13.6–17.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.9% | 13.8–17.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.2% | 13.3–17.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.3% | 34.2–44.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.4% | 9.1–11.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.4% | 9.2–11.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 21.7% | 18.8–24.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.4–6.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.9–8.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.1% | 19.6–27.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.1% | 16.5–22.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 17.4% | 14.9–20.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.3% | 11.5–15.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 8.7–11.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.2% | 26.0–36.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 8.6–11.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 17.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 20.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 83.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 18.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 88.0% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 3.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 65.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 31.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 57.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $59,375 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $175,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $1,105 | $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 | 77.9 yr ± 1.01 | 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 1.01 years of 77.9, 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