ZIP code
27822
in Elm City, North CarolinaPopulation 7,838
45.14/ 100
Ranked #22,263 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 31%)
Ranked #575 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 27%)
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
On balance, and by the composite measure, Elm City, North Carolina (ZIP 27822) ranks in the bottom 31% nationally (22,263rd) and the bottom 27% of North Carolina (575th).
The measures split the difference for this area: lead in tap water lies at the national minimum. Distance to a community health center resides at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Modeled arsenic lands in the bottom 14.3% nationally, grocery registers in the top 16% nationally, and modeled radon sits in the bottom 20% nationally. Modeled binge drinking rests in the bottom 19% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site is in the top 20% nationally. Against that, modeled stroke stands in the top 14.5% nationally, and self-care disability settles in the top 15% nationally. Physicians lies at the national minimum, shared with about 38% of ZIPs.
Compared with the ZIPs it borders, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plainer 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. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. For a healthier nearby ZIP overall, look to ZIP 27803, 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
Healthcare Access
healthier than 78%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 42%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 58%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 57%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 40%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 21%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 27%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 30%
8%
Disability
healthier than 19%
7%
Lifting this score
Healthcare Access
healthier than 75%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 44%
13%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 49%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 31%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 27%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 25%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 38%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 36%
8%
Disability
healthier than 25%
7%
“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
27801
North Carolinashares a border
Score 38.35
Closest healthier
27803
North Carolinashares a border
Score 47.05
Similar health profile
27311
North Carolina97% similar profile
Score 42.47
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 | 32.6% | 29.7–35.5 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.1% | 39.5–46.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.9% | 8.2–9.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.5% | 10.4–12.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.8% | 8.0–9.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.3% | 9.3–11.2 |
| Depression among adults | 25.1% | 22.1–28.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.5% | 13.8–17.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.1% | 35.4–42.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.5% | 30.5–42.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.6–5.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 19.0% | 16.3–22.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 11.9% | 10.4–13.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.0% | 77.6–82.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.2% | 78.4–83.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.3% | 85.8–88.7 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.9% | 62.1–69.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 59.3% | 56.3–62.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.1% | 71.2–82.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.5% | 11.5–15.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.9% | 16.0–20.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.6% | 25.9–33.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.4% | 28.7–38.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.7% | 22.3–27.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.7% | 16.0–19.5 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.8% | 14.3–17.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.3% | 15.7–18.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.7% | 35.1–42.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.2% | 8.3–10.1 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.8% | 9.9–11.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.6% | 17.7–21.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.7% | 5.3–6.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.7–7.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.4% | 20.6–26.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.6% | 17.5–21.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 17.9% | 15.9–20.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.3% | 12.7–16.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.2% | 9.2–11.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.6% | 27.8–35.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.1% | 9.0–11.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 17.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 9.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 19.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.5% | 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 | 86.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 17.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 83.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 54.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 22.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 44.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $63,703 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $165,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $862 | $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 | 77.2 yr ± 0.59 | 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 0.59 years of 77.2, 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