ZIP code
28080
in Iron Station, North CarolinaPopulation 7,606
53.37/ 100
Ranked #11,541 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 36%)
Ranked #261 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 33%)
Ranked #48 of 113 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC ZIPs (top 42%)
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.
PFAS in drinking water
57.5%
in the top 9.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST83rdUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Poverty rate
4.0%
in the bottom 13.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS14thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›The read
By its overall health score, Iron Station, North Carolina (ZIP 28080) lands in the top 36% healthiest ZIPs nationally (11,541st) and the top 33% of North Carolina (261st).
Taken together, the profile's clearest strengths surface right away: distance to a community health center lands at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Modeled arsenic registers in the bottom 11.5% nationally, and poverty sits in the bottom 13.9% nationally. Modeled tree cover rests in the top 17% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure is at the national minimum, shared with about 36% of ZIPs. Modeled energy burden stands in the bottom 18% nationally. Against that, modeled pfas settles in the top 9.1% nationally, industrial-pollution burden lies in the top 14.0% nationally, and humid heat resides in the top 18% nationally. Physicians lands at the national minimum, shared with about 38% of ZIPs.
Weighed against the ZIPs nearby, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. To translate a couple of terms, 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. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Industrial-pollution burden is the EPA's modeled screening score weighting industrial chemical releases by their toxicity and how many people live nearby. Overall, the nearest healthier neighbor is ZIP 28037, 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area.
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 72%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 68%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 70%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 70%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 54%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 44%
14%
Disability
healthier than 55%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 44%
5%
Holding it back
Mental Health
healthier than 33%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 70%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 73%
16%
Disability
healthier than 72%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 66%
5%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 59%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 56%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 42%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 58%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 27%
14%
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 67%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 61%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 68%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 49%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 59%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 57%
14%
Disability
healthier than 59%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Mental Health
healthier than 36%
8%
“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 75.4 ± 1.6 years. A median household income of $71,997 predicts 78.8 years — 3.4 years below.
Ranked #4,590 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
28006
North Carolinashares a border
Score 53.13
Closest healthier
28037
North Carolinashares a border
Score 61.40
Similar health profile
29670
South Carolina96% similar profile
Score 53.07
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 | 29.5% | 26.0–33.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.5% | 33.2–41.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.0% | 8.1–10.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 9.7–12.4 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.9% | 6.1–7.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.8% | 6.8–8.9 |
| Depression among adults | 25.9% | 22.0–30.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.4% | 9.9–13.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.5% | 33.0–42.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.3% | 27.7–43.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.0% | 11.3–17.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.9% | 7.4–10.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.9% | 74.8–80.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.4% | 75.9–82.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.3% | 86.6–90.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.9% | 60.9–70.6 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 66.3% | 62.6–69.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.8% | 70.5–83.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 16.0% | 13.1–19.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.0% | 12.8–17.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.9% | 18.8–27.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.9% | 26.7–39.6 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.3% | 15.7–21.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.8% | 14.8–18.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.4% | 11.7–15.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.0% | 13.2–17.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.8% | 27.4–36.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.8% | 6.9–8.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.1% | 7.1–9.1 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.3% | 12.4–16.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.9% | 3.5–4.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.8% | 4.3–5.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.6% | 18.3–25.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.1% | 10.1–14.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.5% | 7.8–11.4 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.9% | 8.4–11.6 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.9% | 6.0–7.9 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.8% | 26.9–37.2 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.5% | 5.6–7.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 4.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 15.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 13.1% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 20.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.7% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 89.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 22.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 88.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.4% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 4.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 46.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 15.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 45.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $71,997 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $268,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $1,147 | $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 | 75.4 yr ± 0.83 | 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 0.83 years of 75.4, 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