ZIP code
27960
in Ocracoke, North CarolinaPopulation 723
34.68/ 100
Ranked #29,499 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 8.1%)
Ranked #764 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 3.7%)
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
1.3 per 1,000 residents
in the top 0.2% 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 ›Tooth loss
32.6%
in the top 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
48.1 mi
in the top 0.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & 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 hazardous-chemical facility
44.6 mi
in the top 1.0% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
35.8 mi
in the top 1.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Floodplain exposure
74.3%
in the top 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Housing-cost burden
57.1%
in the top 1.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
21.4%
in the top 4.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
8.9%
in the top 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Coronary heart disease
11.0%
in the top 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›Cross-source signals
Combined exposures in this ZIP
More than one environmental exposure stands out in this ZIP. Each is established independently and shown on its own above; they are grouped here for context — not because one causes the other.
This area ranks among the highest 10% of US ZIP codes for both flood exposure and the share of households without a vehicle.
See the full flooding, evacuation & humid-heat analysis →
The read
By the composite health measure, Ocracoke, North Carolina (ZIP 27960) ranks in the bottom 8.1% nationally (29,499th) and the bottom 3.7% of North Carolina (764th).
Several measures weigh most on this area's profile, and they come first: modeled tooth loss resides in the top 1.9% nationally, and distance to an emergency room registers in the top 0.8% nationally. Distance to a nursing home rests in the top 1.1% nationally, and floodplain exposure stands in the top 1.5% nationally. Housing-cost burden lies in the top 1.5% nationally, households without a vehicle lands in the top 4.1% nationally, and outer-floodplain exposure sits in the top 4.2% nationally. Modeled coronary heart disease is in the top 4.3% nationally. On the better side, grocery settles in the top 0.2% nationally, and distance to a hazardous-chemical facility resides in the top 1.0% nationally.
Read against the ZIPs closest to it, grocery runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To spell things out, distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is a plant handling large amounts of hazardous chemicals that must file an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". Close by, ZIP 27943, just across the boundary, ranks healthier overall.
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
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.2%
14%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 45%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 4%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 9%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 27%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 24%
8%
Disability
healthier than 8%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 4%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 6%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.00%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 4%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 10%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 9%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 24%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 21%
8%
Disability
healthier than 9%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 2%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the bottom 0.8%
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.
Nearby
27943
North Carolinashares a border
Score 58.06
Closest healthier
27936
North Carolinaabout 4.9 mi away
Score 55.10
Similar health profile
75944
Texas99% similar profile
Score 36.72
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 | 38.3% | 34.0–42.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 47.1% | 42.0–51.8 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.1% | 9.9–12.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.4% | 10.0–12.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 11.0% | 9.5–12.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 13.6% | 11.2–16.4 |
| Depression among adults | 26.8% | 22.7–31.1 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.5% | 14.9–20.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 43.9% | 38.9–49.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.1% | 31.2–49.4 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.6% | 4.8–6.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 32.6% | 27.5–38.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 12.8% | 10.2–15.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 82.0% | 79.0–84.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.9% | 78.2–85.0 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.2% | 86.0–90.1 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 58.7% | 52.9–64.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 52.4% | 48.3–56.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 67.2% | 57.2–76.1 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.3% | 9.8–15.0 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 20.7% | 16.5–25.0 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.4% | 26.4–38.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.7% | 26.8–41.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 27.5% | 23.1–32.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.4% | 15.1–19.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 18.2% | 15.5–21.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.7% | 15.1–20.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 41.6% | 35.7–47.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.8% | 10.2–13.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.8% | 9.9–13.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 22.8% | 19.1–26.7 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.5% | 5.4–7.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 8.1% | 6.9–9.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.6% | 16.9–24.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.4% | 15.4–23.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 18.9% | 14.7–23.5 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.8% | 10.3–15.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.7% | 8.1–11.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.1% | 24.8–35.7 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.5% | 7.8–11.2 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.7% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 17.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 6.0% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 39.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 21.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 92.0% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 57.1% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.7% | 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 | 31.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 13.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 49.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $77,583 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $456,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $1,408 | $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 ± 1.60 | 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 1.60 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