ZIP code
27954
in Manteo, North CarolinaPopulation 7,237
58.15/ 100
Ranked #6,272 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 20%)
Ranked #134 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 17%)
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.
Loud transportation noise
12.9%
in the top 0.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Transportation noise
36.8%
in the top 0.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Short sleep
27.2%
in the bottom 1.8% 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
49%
in the top 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Fatal road crashes
1.4 per 100,000 residents per year
in the bottom 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS5thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›PFAS in drinking water
66.5%
in the top 5.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS95thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that PFAS “forever chemicals” would be detected in untreated groundwater in this area, the source private wells draw on.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Distance to a Superfund site
67.3 mi
in the top 7.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Radon
0.8 pCi/L
in the bottom 6.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST27thUS6thDefinition & 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 ›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 ›The read
Manteo, North Carolina (ZIP 27954), on the composite measure, lands in the top 20% healthiest ZIPs nationally (6,272nd) and the top 17% of North Carolina (134th).
The readings split fairly evenly between strengths and concerns: modeled short sleep lands in the bottom 1.8% nationally, fatal road crashes resides in the bottom 5.2% nationally, and distance to a Superfund site lies in the top 7.1% nationally. Modeled extreme heat settles at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Grocery stands in the top 11.3% nationally. Distance to a community health center is at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Working the other way, modeled loud transportation noise rests in the top 0.2% nationally, and transportation noise sits in the top 0.9% nationally. Floodplain exposure registers in the top 4.1% nationally, and modeled pfas lands in the top 5.5% nationally.
Set against the neighboring ZIPs, loud transportation noise runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In everyday language, pfas is the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down; here a modeled estimate of the chance a private well contains them. Distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Loud transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to road, rail, and air noise at or above 65 decibels, near conversation volume. A healthier neighbor overall sits at ZIP 27959, about 0.2 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 87%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 91%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 94%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 61%
8%
Disability
healthier than 66%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 68%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 58%
21%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 38%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 14%
5%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 74%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 87%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 89%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 92%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 84%
8%
Disability
healthier than 82%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 63%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 22%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 10%
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
27981
North Carolinashares a border
Score 51.81
Closest healthier
27959
North Carolinaabout 0.2 mi away
Score 62.78
Similar health profile
73150
Oklahoma98% similar profile
Score 54.91
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 | 29.9% | 26.4–33.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.1% | 33.6–42.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.2% | 9.2–11.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.4% | 9.1–11.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.1% | 6.3–8.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.1% | 6.0–8.4 |
| Depression among adults | 24.1% | 20.4–28.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.7% | 10.0–13.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.2% | 33.5–42.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 32.9% | 25.0–41.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.2–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 10.3% | 8.3–12.7 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.8% | 7.2–10.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.7% | 76.6–82.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.5% | 78.1–84.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 90.1% | 88.6–91.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.9% | 66.1–75.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 72.6% | 69.4–75.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.7% | 72.9–85.8 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.2% | 11.5–17.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.0% | 9.8–14.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 21.8% | 17.7–26.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 27.2% | 21.7–33.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 16.8% | 14.3–19.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 14.8% | 13.0–16.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 12.4% | 10.8–14.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 12.8% | 11.1–14.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 30.4% | 26.1–34.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.1–9.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.2% | 6.2–8.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 13.9% | 11.9–16.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.5% | 3.1–4.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.5% | 4.0–5.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 19.6% | 16.4–23.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.6% | 8.6–12.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 8.0% | 6.4–9.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.7% | 7.2–10.4 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.1% | 5.2–7.1 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.7% | 24.8–34.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 5.7% | 4.8–6.7 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 10.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 38.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 3.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 23.2% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.8% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.8% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 5.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 48.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 27.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 44.1 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $80,587 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $418,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $1,243 | $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 | 81.0 yr ± 1.78 | 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 1.78 years of 81.0, 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