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ZIP code

27847

in Kelford, North CarolinaPopulation 1,044

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

27.02/ 100

Ranked #31,240 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 2.6%)

Ranked #791 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 0.3%)

Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.

Robust across all 9 health domains

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.

Self-care disability

10.8%

in the top 0.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.

Full methodology ›

Stroke

8.2%

in the top 0.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.

Full methodology ›

Vision disability

13.6%

in the top 1.0% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.

Full methodology ›

Diabetes

24.5%

in the top 0.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.

Full methodology ›

Tooth loss

35.2%

in the top 1.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.

Full methodology ›

Independent-living disability

16.7%

in the top 1.2% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office, because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition.

Full methodology ›

Mobility disability

29.8%

in the top 0.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.

Full methodology ›

High blood pressure

55.6%

in the top 0.7% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.

Full methodology ›

Fair or poor health

36.9%

in the top 1.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST99th
US98th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.

Full methodology ›

Binge drinking

9.6%

in the bottom 0.9% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & 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 ›

The read

By its overall health score, Kelford, North Carolina (ZIP 27847) lands in the bottom 2.6% nationally (31,240th) and the bottom 0.3% of North Carolina (791st).

continue reading

Where this area bears down hardest, the measures speak first: modeled self-care disability sits in the top 0.4% nationally, and stroke rests in the top 0.3% nationally. Modeled vision disability is in the top 1.0% nationally, and diabetes stands in the top 0.6% nationally. Modeled tooth loss settles in the top 1.2% nationally, independent living disability lies in the top 1.2% nationally, and mobility disability resides in the top 0.6% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure lands in the top 0.7% nationally, and fair or poor health registers in the top 1.6% nationally. On the encouraging side, modeled binge drinking sits in the bottom 0.9% nationally.

Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 27805, 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.

Compare within

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 97%

14%

About typical

Healthcare Access

healthier than 51%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

in the bottom 0.9%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

in the bottom 0.7%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 39%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 4%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 26%

8%

Disability

in the bottom 0.8%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 27%

5%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 92%

14%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

in the bottom 0.4%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

in the bottom 0.4%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 19%

13%

Risk Behavior

in the bottom 0.2%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 27%

8%

Disability

in the bottom 0.6%

7%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 24%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 39%

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 97.4 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 0.8 (bottom 1%) — 97 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #14 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.

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
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Arthritis among adults36.8%32.9–40.8
High blood pressure among adults55.6%51.0–60.1
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults7.0%6.2–7.7
Current asthma among adults13.4%11.7–15.1
Coronary heart disease among adults11.4%10.1–12.7
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults14.1%12.2–16.3
Depression among adults22.7%19.1–26.5
Diagnosed diabetes among adults24.5%21.6–27.6
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened40.4%35.7–45.2
Obesity among adults48.9%39.8–58.0
Stroke among adults8.2%7.3–9.2
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years35.2%30.0–40.7
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years15.6%12.5–18.8
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure82.5%80.0–84.8
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults84.0%80.7–86.8
Cholesterol screening among adults86.1%83.9–88.0
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years63.4%57.9–68.5
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults43.9%39.9–47.8
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years77.3%69.4–83.9
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults9.6%7.6–11.8
Current cigarette smoking among adults23.7%20.2–27.4
No leisure-time physical activity among adults42.1%36.1–48.0
Short sleep duration among adults46.0%38.4–53.5
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults36.9%32.5–41.4
Frequent mental distress among adults20.0%17.5–22.4
Frequent physical distress among adults19.7%17.3–22.3
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults21.6%19.0–24.5
Any disability among adults48.4%43.1–53.7
Hearing disability among adults9.6%8.5–10.9
Independent living disability among adults16.7%14.7–19.0
Mobility disability among adults29.8%26.4–33.5
Self-care disability among adults10.8%9.5–12.2
Vision disability among adults13.6%12.0–15.3
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults30.5%26.1–35.2
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults39.9%34.7–45.1
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults41.8%36.5–47.1
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults27.1%23.4–30.9
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults19.7%17.2–22.4
Loneliness among adults36.8%31.2–42.8
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults22.0%19.2–25.0
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NC median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate16.7%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36413.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793
Uninsured 18–6417.1%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28614.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794
No HS diploma (25+)13.0%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50510.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798
Bachelor's or higher (25+)17.3%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50522.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798
Unemployment rate (16+)1.5%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796
Households without a vehicle5.5%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793
Broadband subscription67.6%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)36.6%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32224.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793
Homeownership rate63.4%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32275.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793
Crowded housing (>1 per room)0.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793
Foreign-born population0.0%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5534.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799
Single-parent households81.1%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08751.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790
Population 65+9.4%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799
Median age46.9 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797
Median household income$62,205$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749
Median home value$64,800$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758
Median gross rent$1,177$1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670$957 ($715–$1,575) n=687
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NC median (p10–p90)
Life expectancy at birth74.0 yr ± 2.4378.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,30877.3 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 2.43 years of 74.0, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.

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