ZIP code
28081
in Kannapolis, North CarolinaPopulation 29,075
50.96/ 100
Ranked #14,902 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 46%)
Ranked #353 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 45%)
Ranked #67 of 113 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC ZIPs (bottom 41%)
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
64.1%
in the top 6.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Crowded housing
4.9%
in the top 14.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS86thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes with more than one person per room, the Census definition of crowded housing.
Full methodology ›Transit access
1.6 per 1,000 residents
in the top 17% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST95thUS83rdDefinition & source ›
The number of public-transit stops 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
On the composite measure, ZIP 28081, one of several in Kannapolis, North Carolina stands in the top 46% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,902nd) and the top 45% of North Carolina (353rd).
The bright spots in the data define much of the story here: distance to a nursing home sits at the national minimum, shared with about 27% of ZIPs. Lead in tap water resides in the bottom 16% nationally, and transit stands in the top 17% nationally. On the other side, modeled pfas sits in the top 6.4% nationally, crowded housing resides in the top 14.2% nationally, and modeled expected annual loss stands in the top 15% nationally. Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility sits at the national minimum, shared with about 31% of ZIPs. PFOS in drinking water resides in the top 16% nationally, distance to a Superfund site stands in the bottom 16% nationally, and modeled industrial-pollution burden sits in the top 18% nationally.
For clarity, 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. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. 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. ZIP 28027, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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
Risk Behavior
healthier than 63%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 66%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 57%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 53%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 57%
14%
Disability
healthier than 43%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 43%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 40%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 28%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 73%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 61%
5%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 51%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 42%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 46%
11%
Disability
healthier than 60%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 56%
5%
Holding it back
Preventive Care
healthier than 19%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 31%
8%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 78%
14%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 64%
5%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 52%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 45%
11%
Disability
healthier than 43%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 46%
5%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 36%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 23%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 25%
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
2 of our published findings list 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 74.6 ± 0.9 years. A median household income of $71,665 predicts 78.8 years — 4.2 years below.
Ranked #5,177 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Below its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 74.6 ± 0.9 years. The 45 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 77.2 years — 2.7 years below them.
Ranked #2,084 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
28023
North Carolinashares a border
Score 48.57
Closest healthier
28027
North Carolinashares a border
Score 58.41
Similar health profile
27504
North Carolina96% similar profile
Score 51.40
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 | 27.7% | 25.2–30.3 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 36.4% | 33.1–39.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 7.8% | 7.2–8.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.1% | 10.0–12.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.6% | 6.1–7.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.7% | 6.9–8.5 |
| Depression among adults | 25.2% | 22.2–28.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.9% | 10.6–13.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 35.5% | 32.0–38.8 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.0% | 30.2–42.1 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.7% | 3.4–3.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 17.1% | 14.8–19.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 12.4% | 10.9–14.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 75.6% | 73.0–77.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 78.5% | 75.5–81.1 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.6% | 85.0–87.9 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 63.5% | 59.5–67.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.2% | 57.2–63.3 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.5% | 71.9–82.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.9% | 12.7–17.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.5% | 13.7–17.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.9% | 22.6–29.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.2% | 29.5–39.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.8% | 18.7–23.0 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.9% | 16.2–19.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.8% | 12.5–15.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.5% | 15.0–18.1 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.6% | 31.1–38.1 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.5% | 6.8–8.3 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.1% | 8.3–9.9 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.0% | 13.5–16.6 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 4.0–4.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.8% | 5.3–6.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.3% | 20.6–26.0 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 16.8% | 15.1–18.6 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 13.9% | 12.3–15.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 13.5% | 12.1–15.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 9.1% | 8.3–10.0 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.2% | 29.5–37.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 8.8% | 7.9–9.8 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 17.1% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.9% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 26.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.2% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 6.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.7% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.3% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 4.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 7.9% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 49.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 15.8% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 39.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $71,665 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $285,100 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $1,173 | $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 | 74.5 yr ± 0.48 | 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 0.48 years of 74.5, 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