ZIP code
27948
in Kill Devil Hills, North CarolinaPopulation 12,436
60.39/ 100
Ranked #4,556 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 14.3%)
Ranked #91 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 11.5%)
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.
Short sleep
27.3%
in the bottom 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
53.1%
in the top 3.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Grocery access
0.25 per 1,000 residents
in the top 5.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 5.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS94thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
61.4 mi
in the top 8.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
3.2%
in the top 10.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS89thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Radon
0.7 pCi/L
in the bottom 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST16thUS4thDefinition & 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 ›Food insecurity
8.8%
in the bottom 11.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS12thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
5.4%
in the bottom 12.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS12thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Loneliness
28.9%
in the bottom 13.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST10thUS13thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›The read
In its overall standing, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina (ZIP 27948) lands in the top 14.3% healthiest ZIPs nationally (4,556th) and the top 11.5% of North Carolina (91st).
This area's most favorable readings come through plainly in the numbers: modeled short sleep stands in the bottom 1.9% nationally, grocery rests in the top 5.0% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site registers in the top 8.4% nationally. Modeled extreme heat resides at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Modeled radon settles in the bottom 4.0% nationally, and housing insecurity is in the bottom 11.4% nationally. Modeled food insecurity sits in the bottom 11.6% nationally. On the other side, floodplain exposure lands in the top 3.5% nationally, and modeled disaster risk lies in the top 5.7% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure stands in the top 10.6% nationally.
Against the wider neighborhood, park land runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Put simply, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. On the overall standing, ZIP 27949, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.
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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 68%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 86%
16%
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.9%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 87%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 94%
11%
Disability
healthier than 79%
7%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 54%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 11%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 82%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 85%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 99%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 84%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 91%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 77%
8%
Disability
healthier than 89%
7%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 9%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 33%
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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 77.6 ± 1.5 years. A median household income of $86,193 predicts 79.5 years — 1.9 years below.
Ranked #2,489 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
27949
North Carolinashares a border
Score 66.97
Closest healthier
27959
North Carolinashares a border
Score 62.78
Similar health profile
28443
North Carolina99% similar profile
Score 60.13
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 | 28.6% | 25.1–32.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.8% | 31.4–40.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.9% | 9.0–11.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.3% | 9.0–11.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.4% | 5.6–7.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.5% | 5.6–7.6 |
| Depression among adults | 25.1% | 21.3–29.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.4% | 8.9–12.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.4% | 32.7–42.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 32.0% | 24.4–40.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.2% | 2.9–3.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 11.2% | 9.0–13.8 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.1% | 5.8–8.4 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.2% | 74.9–81.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.7% | 77.2–83.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 90.2% | 88.7–91.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.0% | 64.2–73.7 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 71.6% | 68.3–74.9 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.4% | 71.2–84.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.5% | 12.6–18.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 11.8% | 9.6–14.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 19.4% | 15.6–23.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 27.3% | 21.8–33.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 15.0% | 12.7–17.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.9% | 12.9–16.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.8% | 10.2–13.5 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.2% | 10.6–13.9 |
| Any disability among adults | 27.9% | 23.6–32.3 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.4% | 6.5–8.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 6.5% | 5.6–7.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 12.2% | 10.3–14.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.1% | 2.8–3.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.4–4.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 18.5% | 15.5–22.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 7.1–10.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 6.5% | 5.2–8.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 6.2–9.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.4% | 4.6–6.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 28.9% | 24.2–34.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.1% | 4.3–6.0 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 16.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 43.5% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 92.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 33.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 4.3% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 59.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 21.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 48.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $86,193 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $437,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $1,673 | $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 | 77.6 yr ± 0.79 | 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 0.79 years of 77.6, 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