ZIP code
27824
in Engelhard, North CarolinaPopulation 1,109
34.87/ 100
Ranked #29,442 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 8.2%)
Ranked #763 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 3.8%)
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
90.7%
in the top 0.6% 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 ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 0.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Stroke
6.5%
in the top 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
29.4%
in the top 3.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Self-care disability
7.7%
in the top 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
20.6%
in the top 3.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
25.6 mi
in the top 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
51.1%
in the top 2.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
24.6%
in the top 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
24.6 mi
in the top 3.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Cross-source signals
Health need and barriers to care documented here
On our reading, this ZIP code carries the overlap at its acute level: acute means at least three of the six health-need readings and at least three of the six access barriers apply to the same place.
These are two separate readings of public data that both apply to this place — never a claim that one causes the other, never a severity score, and never a statement about any person who lives here.
Health need documented here
- People living in poverty
- Adults reporting fair or poor health
- Chronic conditions
Barriers to reaching care
- Distance to the nearest emergency room
- Thin local supply of doctors
- Thin local supply of pharmacies
- Limited home internet for telehealth
A reading appears below only where this ZIP code is among the most-affected 10% of US ZIP codes on it — one national bar, the same for every ZIP in the country.
See the full care-deserts analysis →The read
By the composite measure, Engelhard, North Carolina (ZIP 27824) sits in the bottom 8.2% nationally (29,442nd) and the bottom 3.8% of North Carolina (763rd).
What the data shows most clearly about this place comes first: floodplain exposure lands in the top 0.6% nationally, modeled stroke resides in the top 2.3% nationally, and modeled tooth loss lies in the top 3.5% nationally. Modeled self-care disability settles in the top 3.6% nationally, modeled diabetes stands in the top 3.0% nationally, and distance to a nursing home is in the top 2.2% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure rests in the top 2.5% nationally, and mobility disability sits in the top 4.0% nationally. Distance to an emergency room registers in the top 3.2% nationally. More positively, modeled industrial-pollution burden lands in the bottom 0.8% nationally.
Compared with the ZIPs that surround it, outer-floodplain exposure runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain language, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". ZIP 27826, just across the boundary, ranks healthier overall. This ZIP also shows documented health need overlapping with barriers to reaching care, sitting in the most-affected 10% of US ZIP codes on several need measures and several access barriers.
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
in the top 0.6%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 50%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 42%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 3%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 4%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 35%
11%
Disability
healthier than 5%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 4%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 13%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.6%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 60%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 3%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 3%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 33%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 13%
11%
Disability
healthier than 5%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 2%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 4%
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 99.5 (top 1%); chronic-disease standing 2.8 (bottom 10%) — 97 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #13 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
27826
North Carolinashares a border
Score 42.17
Closest healthier
27885
North Carolinashares a border
Score 42.56
Similar health profile
72311
Arkansas99% similar profile
Score 38.67
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 | 37.1% | 32.9–41.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 51.1% | 46.2–55.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.1% | 8.2–10.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.9% | 10.4–13.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 12.6% | 10.7–14.4 |
| Depression among adults | 23.5% | 19.7–27.4 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 20.6% | 17.8–23.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.4% | 37.4–47.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 43.6% | 34.4–53.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 6.5% | 5.8–7.3 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 29.4% | 24.8–34.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.1% | 10.8–15.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 83.2% | 80.5–85.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 83.4% | 80.2–86.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.5% | 86.8–90.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 61.3% | 55.6–67.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 49.7% | 45.8–53.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.6% | 68.9–83.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 11.1% | 8.9–13.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 20.0% | 16.7–23.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 34.6% | 28.8–40.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 37.4% | 30.2–45.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 29.7% | 25.5–33.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.4% | 15.1–19.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.4–20.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.9% | 15.6–20.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 42.6% | 37.0–48.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.2% | 9.0–11.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 12.5% | 10.8–14.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 24.6% | 21.1–28.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.7–8.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.7 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.6% | 21.0–28.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 25.4% | 21.6–29.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 24.9% | 21.2–28.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 17.5% | 14.9–20.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 12.5% | 10.8–14.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.4% | 27.2–38.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 13.2% | 11.4–15.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 36.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 41.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 15.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 9.4% | 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 | 10.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 65.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 17.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 15.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 25.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 14.6% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 46.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $42,589 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $79,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $865 | $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 | 78.7 yr ± 1.60 | 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 1.60 years of 78.7, 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