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ZIP code

27949

in Kitty Hawk, North CarolinaPopulation 8,251

ZipVitals Score
How is the ZipVitals Score calculated? →

66.97/ 100

Ranked #1,291 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 4.1%)

Ranked #26 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 3.3%)

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.

Housing insecurity

5.1%

in the bottom 0.8% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Short sleep

25.4%

in the bottom 0.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who usually sleep less than seven hours in a 24-hour period.

Full methodology ›

Lack of transportation

3.9%

in the bottom 1.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Utility shut-off threat

3.4%

in the bottom 1.3% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Food insecurity

6.0%

in the bottom 1.5% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST1st
US1st
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.

Full methodology ›

Loneliness

27%

in the bottom 3.1% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST2nd
US3rd
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.

Full methodology ›

Colon-cancer screening

76.4%

in the top 1.5% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST98th
US99th
Definition & source ›

The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.

Full methodology ›

Natural-disaster risk

in the top 4.6% nationally

Lower is healthier

ST97th
US95th
Definition & 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 ›

Grocery access

0.25 per 1,000 residents

in the top 5.1% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST91st
US95th
Definition & 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 ›

Physician access

2.3 per 1,000 residents

in the top 5.5% nationally

Higher is healthier

ST95th
US95th
Definition & source ›

The number of physicians’ offices 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 ›

The read

Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (ZIP 27949), by its overall standing, sits in the top 4.1% healthiest ZIPs nationally (1,291st) and the top 3.3% of North Carolina (26th).

continue reading

Both sides of the picture show up plainly in this area's numbers: modeled housing insecurity stands in the bottom 0.8% nationally, short sleep lands in the bottom 0.5% nationally, and transportation is in the bottom 1.3% nationally. Modeled utility shutoff resides in the bottom 1.3% nationally, food insecurity rests in the bottom 1.5% nationally, and loneliness lies in the bottom 3.1% nationally. Modeled colon screening sits in the top 1.5% nationally, and grocery settles in the top 5.1% nationally. Physicians registers in the top 5.5% nationally. By contrast, modeled disaster risk stands in the top 4.6% nationally.

Defined in plain terms, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Locally, no neighbor ranks healthier overall than this ZIP.

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

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 60%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 98%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 99%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 99%

13%

Risk Behavior

healthier than 99%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 85%

8%

Disability

healthier than 85%

7%

Holding it back

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 34%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 20%

5%

Lifting this score

Chronic Disease Burden

healthier than 76%

21%

Social Need / SDOH

healthier than 98%

16%

Environmental Hazard

healthier than 97%

14%

Preventive Care

healthier than 98%

13%

Risk Behavior

in the top 0.4%

11%

Mental Health

healthier than 97%

8%

Disability

healthier than 93%

7%

Holding it back

Climate / Disaster Risk

healthier than 34%

5%

Healthcare Access

healthier than 8%

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 ›

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 adults31.9%27.9–35.7
High blood pressure among adults38.7%33.9–43.1
Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults12.7%11.5–14.0
Current asthma among adults9.8%8.5–11.0
Coronary heart disease among adults7.1%6.3–8.0
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults6.2%5.2–7.2
Depression among adults22.8%19.1–26.4
Diagnosed diabetes among adults10.7%9.0–12.4
High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened40.8%35.9–45.6
Obesity among adults29.1%21.9–36.6
Stroke among adults3.4%3.0–3.7
All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years6.2%4.9–7.7
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years5.5%4.5–6.7
Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure82.1%79.0–84.8
Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults83.7%80.7–86.4
Cholesterol screening among adults92.8%91.7–93.9
Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years76.4%72.1–80.5
Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults74.9%71.8–77.9
Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years81.5%74.9–87.1
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Binge drinking among adults13.6%11.0–16.4
Current cigarette smoking among adults9.2%7.4–11.1
No leisure-time physical activity among adults17.8%14.2–21.6
Short sleep duration among adults25.4%20.1–31.6
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults13.3%11.1–15.6
Frequent mental distress among adults12.4%10.7–14.2
Frequent physical distress among adults11.1%9.5–12.7
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Cognitive disability among adults10.0%8.6–11.5
Any disability among adults27.0%22.8–31.1
Hearing disability among adults8.3%7.3–9.4
Independent living disability among adults5.6%4.8–6.4
Mobility disability among adults12.1%10.2–14.2
Self-care disability among adults2.7%2.4–3.1
Vision disability among adults3.3%2.9–3.8
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
MeasureCrude prevalence95% CI
Lack of social and emotional support among adults16.9%13.9–20.0
Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults6.0%4.7–7.5
Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults4.1%3.2–5.2
Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults5.1%4.2–6.2
Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults3.9%3.3–4.5
Loneliness among adults27.0%22.5–32.0
Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults3.4%2.8–4.1
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
MeasureValueUS median (p10–p90)NC median (p10–p90)
Poverty rate3.2%10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,36413.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793
Uninsured 18–647.8%9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,28614.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794
No HS diploma (25+)2.5%7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,50510.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798
Bachelor's or higher (25+)55.0%23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,50522.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798
Unemployment rate (16+)9.2%3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,2744.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796
Households without a vehicle2.2%3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,3223.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793
Broadband subscription96.3%89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,32287.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793
Housing cost burden (≥30% income)22.3%23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,32224.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793
Homeownership rate83.4%78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,32275.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793
Crowded housing (>1 per room)1.7%1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,3221.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793
Foreign-born population5.8%2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,5534.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799
Single-parent households67.7%53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,08751.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790
Population 65+27.4%19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,55319.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799
Median age55.3 yr42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,29242.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797
Median household income$120,662$72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318$65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749
Median home value$677,600$222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049$223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758
Median gross rent$1,306$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 birth79.7 yr ± 1.0178.9 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 1.01 years of 79.7, 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