ZIP code
28338
in Ellerbe, North CarolinaPopulation 3,265
46.03/ 100
Ranked #21,315 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 34%)
Ranked #540 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 32%)
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.
Mental-health provider access
0.26 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS97thDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics located 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 ›Grocery access
0.26 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST92ndUS95thDefinition & 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 ›Elder-services access
0.26 per 1,000 residents
in the top 5.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities 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 ›Unemployment rate
12.7%
in the top 5.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The share of the civilian labor force that is unemployed.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.2%
in the bottom 6.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS6thDefinition & 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 ›Lead in tap water
6.8 ppb
in the top 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
US94thDefinition & 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 ›Walkability
2.6 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 11.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST9thUS12thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
114.1 days/year
in the top 16% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS84thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year when modeled heat stress — temperature, humidity, sun, and wind combined — reaches levels hard on the body outdoors.
Full methodology ›Dry extreme heat
10.1 days/year
in the top 35% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS65thDefinition & source ›
The average number of days per year with a modeled daily high of at least 95 °F.
Full methodology ›The read
Ellerbe, North Carolina (ZIP 28338) ranks in the bottom 34% nationally (21,315th) and the bottom 32% of North Carolina (540th).
A profile of give and take, with clear readings each way: mental-health providers settles in the top 2.6% nationally, and grocery rests in the top 4.6% nationally. Elder services lands in the top 5.4% nationally, and modeled arsenic settles in the bottom 6.2% nationally. Modeled binge drinking rests in the bottom 12.2% nationally. On the other side, unemployment lands in the top 5.6% nationally, lead in tap water settles in the top 6.3% nationally, and walkability rests in the bottom 11.9% nationally. Fatal road crashes lands in the top 12.8% nationally, and PFOS in drinking water settles in the top 13.5% nationally.
For context, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. PFOS in drinking water is a common one of the man-made "forever chemicals" that build up in the body and environment instead of breaking down. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 27281, 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.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 84%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 60%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 64%
11%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 41%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 30%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 34%
8%
Disability
healthier than 20%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 31%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 72%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 47%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 47%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 45%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 27%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 29%
16%
Disability
healthier than 26%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 17%
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 ›
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.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 84.7; chronic-disease standing 18.8 — 66 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,330 of the 18,187 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by the gap from cleanest environment to heaviest chronic burden, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
27229
North Carolinashares a border
Score 42.68
Closest healthier
27281
North Carolinashares a border
Score 52.04
Similar health profile
28902
North Carolina96% similar profile
Score 43.64
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 | 32.9% | 29.1–36.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.4% | 38.8–48.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.0% | 8.1–10.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.6% | 10.2–13.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.9% | 7.8–10.0 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 10.0% | 8.6–11.6 |
| Depression among adults | 25.1% | 21.3–29.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.7% | 13.6–18.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.3% | 34.6–44.1 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.4% | 31.8–49.2 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.5–5.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 18.3% | 15.0–21.6 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 12.3% | 10.1–14.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.1% | 77.3–82.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 81.5% | 78.1–84.5 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.8% | 85.9–89.5 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 65.5% | 60.0–70.3 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.0% | 56.3–63.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.5% | 70.0–83.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.8% | 10.3–15.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.9% | 14.2–20.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.1% | 24.2–34.6 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.9% | 27.4–40.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.5% | 21.3–28.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.2% | 15.1–19.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.7% | 13.7–18.0 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 16.9% | 14.8–19.3 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.3% | 33.4–43.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.3% | 8.1–10.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.5% | 9.2–12.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 19.4% | 16.8–22.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.7% | 5.1–6.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.3% | 6.5–8.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.2% | 19.2–27.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.4% | 16.1–23.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 16.9% | 14.0–20.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.6% | 12.2–17.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.2% | 8.7–11.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.3% | 26.4–38.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.2% | 8.6–11.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 21.3% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 14.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 17.2% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 12.7% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 83.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 20.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.9% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 7.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 45.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 20.3% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 42.8 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $58,532 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $156,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $590 | $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 | 75.5 yr ± 0.93 | 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 0.93 years of 75.5, 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