ZIP code
27896
in Wilson, North CarolinaPopulation 19,455
55.89/ 100
Ranked #8,386 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 26%)
Ranked #190 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 24%)
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.
Mental-health provider access
0.24 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics located 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 ›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 ›Fiber broadband
96.7%
in the top 8.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Subsidized affordable housing
252 units
in the top 9.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST86thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of affordable rental units in this ZIP supported by the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program.
Full methodology ›Radon
0.8 pCi/L
in the bottom 8.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST34thUS9thDefinition & 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 ›Loud transportation noise
1.1%
in the top 18% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS82ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›The read
In overall standing, ZIP 27896, one of several in Wilson, North Carolina comes out in the top 26% healthiest ZIPs nationally (8,386th) and the top 24% of North Carolina (190th).
Several readings land clearly in this area's favor and shape the picture: mental-health providers rests in the top 3.0% nationally, lead in tap water lies at the national minimum, and fiber broadband sits in the top 8.6% nationally. Subsidized affordable housing settles in the top 9.8% nationally, modeled arsenic registers in the bottom 10.6% nationally, and grocery stands in the top 12.3% nationally. Outpatient lands in the top 12.3% nationally, and modeled mammography is in the top 10.1% nationally. Modeled radon resides in the bottom 8.8% nationally. Set against that, modeled disaster risk rests in the top 13.8% nationally.
In plain 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. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 27591, about 13 miles away.
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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 72%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 67%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 82%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 81%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 69%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 52%
21%
Mental Health
healthier than 58%
8%
Disability
healthier than 51%
7%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 38%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 67%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 72%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 77%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 76%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 82%
8%
Disability
healthier than 69%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 65%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 51%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 43%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
“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.
Above its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 80.7 ± 1.9 years. The 49 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 77.5 years — 3.3 years above them.
Ranked #665 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
27807
North Carolinashares a border
Score 52.77
Closest healthier
27591
North Carolinaabout 13 mi away
Score 57.10
Similar health profile
27006
North Carolina97% similar profile
Score 60.07
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 | 29.6% | 26.2–33.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 40.1% | 35.9–44.4 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.8% | 8.0–9.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.1% | 9.8–12.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.9% | 6.2–7.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.3% | 6.4–8.1 |
| Depression among adults | 23.2% | 19.8–26.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.9% | 11.2–14.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.0% | 32.7–41.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.5% | 26.3–41.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.9% | 3.6–4.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.7% | 11.3–16.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.5% | 8.1–11.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.0% | 76.1–81.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.4% | 79.3–85.3 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.2% | 87.7–90.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 67.9% | 63.2–72.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 63.7% | 60.3–67.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 80.2% | 73.7–85.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.3% | 10.8–16.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.5% | 11.6–15.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 24.4% | 20.4–28.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.5% | 27.5–40.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.4% | 17.0–21.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.8% | 14.0–17.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.0% | 11.4–14.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.2% | 12.6–16.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.2% | 29.0–37.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.5% | 6.7–8.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.5–9.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.3% | 13.4–17.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.2% | 3.8–4.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.5% | 5.0–6.0 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 22.3% | 19.0–25.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.6% | 13.5–17.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.3% | 11.5–15.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.6% | 10.9–14.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.5% | 7.5–9.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.5% | 25.7–35.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 7.6–10.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 15.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 36.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.3% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 24.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.3% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.7% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 6.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 53.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 20.1% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 44.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $75,696 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $242,700 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $1,063 | $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 | 80.7 yr ± 0.99 | 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 0.99 years of 80.7, 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