ZIP code
27946
in Hobbsville, North CarolinaPopulation 1,008
42.74/ 100
Ranked #24,597 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 23%)
Ranked #639 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 19%)
Ranked #116 of 123 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC ZIPs (bottom 5.7%)
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.
Grocery access
0.87 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of full supermarkets 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. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”
Full methodology ›Lithium in drinking water
9.1 µg/L
in the bottom 1.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS1stDefinition & source ›
The average detected level of lithium — a natural trace metal with no federal drinking-water limit yet — across the public water systems serving this ZIP, in micrograms per liter.
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 ›Child-care access
0.87 per 1,000 residents
in the top 3.2% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of child day-care services 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 ›Home broadband subscription
63%
in the bottom 3.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST3rdUS4thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
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 ›Stroke
5.4%
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
10.1%
in the bottom 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
15.8 mi
in the top 9.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS90thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Walkability
2.4 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 10.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS10thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
45.9%
in the top 10.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›The read
Hobbsville, North Carolina (ZIP 27946), in overall standing, comes out in the bottom 23% nationally (24,597th) and the bottom 19% of North Carolina (639th).
A few readings account for most of this area's strain: home broadband subscription is in the bottom 3.6% nationally, modeled stroke lies in the top 8.9% nationally, and distance to an emergency room registers in the top 9.8% nationally. Walkability is in the bottom 10.4% nationally. On the better side, grocery lies in the top 0.5% nationally, and lithium in drinking water registers in the bottom 1.1% nationally. Childcare is in the top 3.2% nationally, and lead in tap water lies at the national minimum. Unemployment registers at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Housing-cost burden is in the bottom 9.6% nationally.
Set within its surrounding area, grocery runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined simply, for reference, lithium in drinking water is a natural metal that dissolves into some groundwater and has no federal drinking-water limit yet. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. The closest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 27919, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 97%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 61%
13%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 41%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 31%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 25%
8%
Disability
healthier than 16%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 23%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 35%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 89%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 47%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 15%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 30%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 19%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 25%
8%
Disability
healthier than 20%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 18%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 20%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 79%
14%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 47%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 5%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 17%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 26%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 16%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 15%
8%
Disability
healthier than 5%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 36%
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 96.7 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 11.5 — 85 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #270 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
27919
North Carolinashares a border
Score 45.88
Closest healthier
27938
North Carolinashares a border
Score 44.29
Similar health profile
28585
North Carolina99% similar profile
Score 42.33
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 | 35.3% | 31.8–38.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 45.9% | 41.9–49.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.5% | 8.7–10.5 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.3–13.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.5% | 8.5–10.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.3% | 10.0–12.9 |
| Depression among adults | 25.8% | 22.3–29.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.7% | 14.7–18.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.0% | 36.9–45.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.5% | 32.9–48.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.4% | 4.9–5.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 19.3% | 16.3–22.5 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.2% | 8.3–12.5 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.1% | 78.6–83.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.3% | 78.3–84.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.0% | 86.2–89.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.9% | 62.0–71.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 56.2% | 52.4–59.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.6% | 68.4–81.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.0% | 10.8–15.4 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 19.2% | 16.5–22.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 30.9% | 26.2–35.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.1% | 29.9–42.8 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.2% | 22.2–28.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.9% | 15.9–20.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.5% | 14.6–18.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.1% | 15.1–19.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.5% | 34.9–44.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.8% | 8.8–10.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.0% | 9.8–12.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.8% | 18.4–23.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.0% | 5.4–6.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.0% | 19.8–26.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.1% | 16.3–22.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 18.2% | 15.4–21.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.7% | 11.8–15.9 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–11.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.2% | 27.5–37.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.2% | 8.8–11.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.6% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 9.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 16.9% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 9.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 63.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 10.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.5% | 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 | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 65.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 30.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 58.5 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $74,421 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $204,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $1,537 | $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 ± 1.38 | 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 1.38 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