ZIP code
28169
in Waco, North CarolinaPopulation 108
51.16/ 100
Ranked #14,595 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 46%)
Ranked #344 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 43%)
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.
Natural-disaster risk
in the bottom 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS4thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Lead in tap water
0 ppb
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
US1stDefinition & source ›
The lead level at the 90th percentile of tap-water samples reported by the public water systems serving this ZIP, in parts per billion — the EPA requires action above 15 ppb.
Measured from EPA records for the public water systems that serve this ZIP. Households on private wells — roughly 30% of the US population — are not covered by this measure, and this figure says nothing about their water.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
1.9%
in the bottom 6.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS6thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.2%
in the bottom 7.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST11thUS7thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
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 ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the bottom 7.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS7thDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Slow internet speeds
1.4%
in the top 8.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›Home broadband subscription
75.6%
in the bottom 10.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST9thUS11thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
Full methodology ›The read
In overall standing, Waco, North Carolina (ZIP 28169) comes out in the top 46% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,595th) and the top 43% of North Carolina (344th).
The data is generous to this ZIP in several places worth naming: modeled disaster risk rests in the bottom 3.6% nationally, lead in tap water lies at the national minimum, and modeled arsenic sits in the bottom 7.0% nationally. Unemployment settles at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled expected annual loss registers in the bottom 7.4% nationally. Crowded housing stands at the national minimum, shared with about 29% of ZIPs. Working the other way, slow internet speeds lands in the top 8.5% nationally. Fiber broadband is at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Home broadband subscription resides in the bottom 10.6% nationally, and modeled pfas rests in the top 13.7% nationally.
Relative to the ZIPs around it, park land runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. In plain terms, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 28089, about 12 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
Risk Behavior
healthier than 69%
11%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 45%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 45%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 54%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 58%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 40%
8%
Disability
healthier than 45%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 41%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 58%
5%
Nothing measured is holding this score back.
Lifting this score
Disability
healthier than 62%
7%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 59%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 43%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 44%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 56%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 57%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 50%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 48%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 38%
14%
“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
28021
North Carolinashares a border
Score 49.44
Closest healthier
28089
North Carolinaabout 12 mi away
Score 52.46
Similar health profile
27207
North Carolina95% similar profile
Score 52.01
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% | 25.8–32.9 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 39.9% | 35.3–44.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.1% | 8.2–10.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.1% | 9.7–12.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.7% | 6.5–8.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.1% | 6.4–9.9 |
| Depression among adults | 24.8% | 20.8–28.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 12.2% | 10.2–14.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.9% | 33.3–42.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.5% | 28.2–44.7 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.0% | 3.4–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 13.6% | 10.8–16.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.4% | 8.1–13.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.8% | 74.7–80.5 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.4% | 76.7–83.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.2% | 86.1–90.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.3% | 59.6–70.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.5% | 53.4–61.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.4% | 70.3–84.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 14.1% | 11.3–16.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.8% | 11.7–18.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 25.1% | 20.3–30.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.9% | 28.1–41.7 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.8% | 16.3–23.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.7% | 14.5–19.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.6% | 11.5–15.7 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.3% | 12.9–18.0 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.1% | 28.9–39.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.4–9.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.2–10.2 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.3% | 12.5–18.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.1% | 3.4–5.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.5–6.3 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.0% | 19.2–27.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.1% | 12.1–18.5 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 12.2% | 9.4–15.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.1% | 9.9–14.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.2% | 6.8–9.6 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.0% | 27.9–38.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.9% | 6.5–9.3 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 1.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 17.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 11.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 13.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.4% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 75.6% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 35.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.6% | 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 | 64.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 38.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 58.4 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | — | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $70,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 75.8 yr ± 1.32 | 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 1.32 years of 75.8, 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