ZIP code
27857
in Oak City, North CarolinaPopulation 1,099
38.27/ 100
Ranked #27,862 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 13.2%)
Ranked #730 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 8.0%)
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.
Stroke
7.1%
in the top 1.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
21.7%
in the top 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Self-care disability
7.9%
in the top 3.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
52.9%
in the top 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Mobility disability
26.2%
in the top 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
10.1%
in the bottom 1.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Fatal road crashes
63.7 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Vision disability
9.8%
in the top 5.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Coronary heart disease
10.7%
in the top 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Fair or poor health
30.2%
in the top 8.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
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
- Food insecurity
- Adults reporting fair or poor health
- Chronic conditions
Barriers to reaching care
- 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
Judged by its overall standing, Oak City, North Carolina (ZIP 27857) sits in the bottom 13.2% nationally (27,862nd) and the bottom 8.0% of North Carolina (730th).
Here the data is straightforward about what defines the area: modeled stroke settles in the top 1.1% nationally, diabetes lands in the top 1.9% nationally, and self-care disability rests in the top 3.0% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure settles in the top 1.5% nationally, modeled mobility disability lands in the top 2.2% nationally, and fatal road crashes rests in the top 1.9% nationally. Modeled vision disability settles in the top 5.3% nationally, and coronary heart disease lands in the top 5.6% nationally. Modeled fair or poor health rests in the top 8.0% nationally. Better still, modeled binge drinking settles in the bottom 1.4% nationally.
A healthier nearby ZIP overall is ZIP 27812, just across the boundary. Across other measures, the 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
healthier than 84%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 74%
13%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 45%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 3%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 16%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 38%
11%
Disability
healthier than 5%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 24%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 28%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 71%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 67%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 64%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 3%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 17%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 17%
11%
Disability
healthier than 5%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 19%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 14%
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 84.2; chronic-disease standing 2.7 (bottom 10%) — 82 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #428 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
27812
North Carolinashares a border
Score 43.29
Closest healthier
27871
North Carolinashares a border
Score 40.44
Similar health profile
27553
North Carolina99% similar profile
Score 38.37
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 | 38.0% | 34.1–42.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 52.9% | 48.5–57.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.7% | 7.7–9.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 12.5% | 11.0–14.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.7% | 9.6–12.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 12.1% | 10.6–13.7 |
| Depression among adults | 22.8% | 19.3–26.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 21.7% | 19.0–24.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 42.2% | 37.5–47.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 43.5% | 34.8–52.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 7.1% | 6.4–7.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 22.7% | 18.6–27.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 12.4% | 10.3–14.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 84.3% | 82.0–86.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 84.4% | 81.5–87.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.1% | 87.5–90.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.9% | 60.5–70.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 52.0% | 47.9–55.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.5% | 72.2–85.4 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 10.1% | 8.1–12.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.0% | 16.2–22.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 35.3% | 30.0–41.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 38.7% | 31.6–46.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 30.2% | 26.4–34.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.6% | 15.6–19.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.6–20.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.9% | 15.8–20.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 44.3% | 39.3–49.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.6% | 8.5–10.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 12.8% | 11.3–14.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 26.2% | 22.9–29.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 7.9% | 7.0–8.9 |
| Vision disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.8–11.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 27.4% | 23.4–31.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 26.4% | 22.9–30.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 25.1% | 21.7–29.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 18.5% | 16.0–21.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 12.8% | 11.2–14.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 35.2% | 30.0–40.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 13.5% | 11.7–15.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 14.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 11.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 1.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 86.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 59.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 0.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 43.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 37.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 56.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $61,389 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $84,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 75.2 yr ± 1.43 | 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 1.43 years of 75.2, 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