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ZipVitals

ZIP code

27888

in Walstonburg, North CarolinaPopulation 2,054

42.27/ 100

Ranked #24,997 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 22%)

Ranked #657 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 17%)

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.

Uninsured (under 65)

17.4%

in the top 7.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US93rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.

Full methodology ›

Fatal road crashes

38.9 per 100,000 residents per year

in the top 7.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST93rd
US93rd
Definition & 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 ›

Radon

0.8 pCi/L

in the bottom 7.4% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST30th
US7th
Definition & source ›

The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.

Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.

Full methodology ›

Civic-institution access

0.48 per 1,000 residents

in the top 13.4% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST93rd
US87th
Definition & source ›

The number of civic and social organizations inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.

Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.

Full methodology ›

Energy-cost burden

4.9%

in the top 10.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST95th
US89th
Definition & source ›

The modeled share of household income spent on home energy bills — electricity, gas, and heating fuels.

A modeled share of household income spent on home energy. Estimates that hit the model’s 100% ceiling are suppressed rather than published, because at that point the figure reflects the model’s limit rather than a measured burden.

Full methodology ›

The read

Walstonburg, North Carolina (ZIP 27888), overall, ranks in the bottom 22% nationally (24,997th) and the bottom 17% of North Carolina (657th).

continue reading

Taken together, the data gives a genuinely mixed reading: households without a vehicle rests at the national minimum, shared with about 16% of ZIPs. Modeled radon registers in the bottom 7.4% nationally, and civic resides in the top 13.4% nationally. On the other side, modeled uninsured settles in the top 7.1% nationally, and fatal road crashes is in the top 7.3% nationally. Modeled housing insecurity sits in the top 11.9% nationally, and food insecurity lands in the top 12.0% nationally. PFOS in drinking water lies in the top 12.3% nationally, and modeled transportation stands in the top 12.6% nationally. Modeled vision disability rests in the top 11.6% nationally.

Defined simply, 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. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. ZIP 27829, just across the boundary, comes out healthier overall.

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 84%

14%

About typical

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 45%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 51%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 26%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 7%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 29%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 30%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 29%

8%

Disability

healthier than 15%

7%

Lifting this score

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 71%

14%

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 60%

5%

Holding it back

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 37%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 7%

16%

Preventive Care

healthier than 11%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 10%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 33%

8%

Disability

healthier than 19%

7%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 40%

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 26.0 — 58 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.

    Ranked #1,875 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 adults30.5%27.1–33.9
High blood pressure among adults41.8%37.5–46.1
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults7.5%6.8–8.2
Current asthma among adults11.4%10.1–12.9
Coronary heart disease among adults8.3%7.4–9.2
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults9.6%8.5–10.9
Depression among adults24.4%20.8–28.4
Diagnosed diabetes among adults16.0%13.9–18.2
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened37.7%33.3–42.3
Obesity among adults41.2%32.6–50.0
Stroke among adults4.9%4.5–5.3
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years18.5%15.4–21.6
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years17.4%14.8–20.3
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure78.6%75.9–81.0
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults79.3%75.8–82.6
Cholesterol screening among adults85.5%83.4–87.5
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years65.3%60.1–70.0
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults54.4%50.6–58.1
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years75.4%67.9–81.8
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults13.4%10.9–16.3
Current cigarette smoking among adults18.2%15.5–21.0
No leisure-time physical activity among adults32.4%27.5–37.7
Short sleep duration among adults38.2%31.6–44.7
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults26.7%23.4–30.2
Frequent mental distress among adults18.4%16.3–20.6
Frequent physical distress among adults16.1%14.2–18.2
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults18.7%16.5–21.1
Any disability among adults39.9%35.1–44.9
Hearing disability among adults8.7%7.7–9.7
Independent living disability among adults11.2%9.9–12.6
Mobility disability among adults19.6%17.2–22.1
Self-care disability among adults6.0%5.4–6.7
Vision disability among adults8.1%7.3–9.0
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults26.2%22.7–30.2
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults24.3%21.1–27.9
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults20.6%17.6–23.6
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults18.2%15.8–20.8
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults12.2%10.8–13.8
Loneliness among adults34.9%30.1–40.2
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults11.9%10.5–13.6
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NC median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate11.1%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36413.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793
Uninsured 18–6425.6%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28614.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794
No HS diploma (25+)24.9%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50510.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798
Bachelor's or higher (25+)13.6%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50522.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798
Unemployment rate (16+)5.1%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796
Households without a vehicle0.0%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793
Broadband subscription85.5%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)15.2%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32224.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793
Homeownership rate74.3%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32275.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793
Crowded housing (>1 per room)1.0%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793
Foreign-born population13.6%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5534.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799
Single-parent households49.5%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08751.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790
Population 65+13.7%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799
Median age37.6 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797
Median household income$55,167$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749
Median home value$109,400$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758
Median gross rent$593$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 birth77.5 yr ± 0.8978.9 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 0.89 years of 77.5, 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