ZIP code
27950
in Knotts Island, North CarolinaPopulation 1,796
56.36/ 100
Ranked #7,915 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 25%)
Ranked #184 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 23%)
Ranked #36 of 123 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC ZIPs (top 29%)
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.
Floodplain exposure
83.9%
in the top 0.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Transportation noise
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Homeownership rate
94.2%
in the top 9.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
73.1%
in the top 7.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
14.5 mi
in the top 12.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS88thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Distance to a community health center
15 mi
in the top 12.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS88thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 13.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST6thUS13thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20 per million
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS25thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›Tree cover
3.5%
in the bottom 32% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS32ndDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area covered by forest.
Full methodology ›The read
Knotts Island, North Carolina (ZIP 27950) ranks in the top 25% healthiest ZIPs nationally (7,915th) and the top 23% of North Carolina (184th).
A profile of give and take, with clear readings each way: modeled transportation noise is at the national minimum, and homeownership registers in the top 9.7% nationally. Modeled colon screening lies in the top 7.0% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise is at the national minimum, shared with about 22% of ZIPs. Modeled short sleep registers in the bottom 11.0% nationally, and industrial-pollution burden lies in the bottom 13.0% nationally. On the other side, floodplain exposure is in the top 0.9% nationally. Fiber broadband registers at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Distance to an emergency room lies in the top 12.1% nationally, and distance to a community health center is in the top 12.2% nationally.
For context, industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 23322, 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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 65%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 82%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 98%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 85%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 79%
11%
Disability
healthier than 70%
7%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 42%
8%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 7%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 11%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 80%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 81%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 94%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 81%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 73%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 61%
8%
Disability
healthier than 84%
7%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 5%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 3%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 65%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 79%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 91%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 64%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 73%
11%
Disability
healthier than 71%
7%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 41%
8%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 15%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 15%
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.
Nearby
23322
Virginiashares a border
Score 61.93
Closest healthier
27927
North Carolinashares a border
Score 63.80
Similar health profile
28524
North Carolina98% similar profile
Score 55.28
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 | 29.2% | 25.2–33.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 35.3% | 30.6–40.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.6% | 8.6–10.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.5% | 9.1–12.0 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.6% | 5.7–7.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.2% | 6.0–8.5 |
| Depression among adults | 25.3% | 21.3–29.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 10.6% | 8.8–12.5 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.5% | 32.8–42.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.8% | 25.5–42.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.3% | 2.9–3.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.9% | 7.8–12.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.7% | 6.1–9.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.5% | 73.8–80.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.6% | 75.8–83.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.9% | 87.1–90.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 73.1% | 68.4–77.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 69.0% | 65.4–72.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.8% | 71.2–85.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.7% | 13.5–20.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 13.8% | 11.2–16.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.5% | 17.0–26.2 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.3% | 24.0–37.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.4% | 13.6–19.4 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.1% | 13.9–18.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.7% | 10.8–14.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.8% | 11.8–16.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.5% | 25.6–35.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.6–8.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.1% | 6.0–8.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.1% | 10.8–15.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.3% | 2.8–3.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.5–4.6 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.8% | 17.3–24.5 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.5% | 7.6–11.8 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 7.0% | 5.4–8.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.1% | 6.6–9.7 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 5.7% | 4.8–6.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.2% | 25.2–35.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.1% | 4.3–6.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 22.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.4% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 0.5% | 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) | 15.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 94.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 69.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 19.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 39.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $88,250 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $290,300 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $1,200 | $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 | 76.9 yr ± 1.01 | 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 1.01 years of 76.9, 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