ZIP code
28385
in Salemburg, North CarolinaPopulation 2,575
46.62/ 100
Ranked #20,619 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 36%)
Ranked #517 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 35%)
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.
Radon
0.7 pCi/L
in the bottom 2.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST7thUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›Housing-cost burden
12.9%
in the bottom 14.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS14thDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Fiber broadband
91%
in the top 14.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS85thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›The read
In overall standing, Salemburg, North Carolina (ZIP 28385) comes out in the bottom 36% nationally (20,619th) and the bottom 35% of North Carolina (517th).
The measures fall on both sides of the ledger for this area: modeled radon lies in the bottom 2.1% nationally. Distance to a community health center sits at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Housing-cost burden settles in the bottom 14.1% nationally, and fiber broadband registers in the top 14.8% nationally. Outer-floodplain exposure stands at the national minimum, shared with about 36% of ZIPs. Set against that, distance to a nursing home lands in the top 19% nationally, and modeled obesity is in the top 18% nationally. Modeled humid heat resides in the top 19% nationally, and high blood pressure rests in the top 18% nationally. Modeled housing insecurity lies in the top 20% nationally.
In plain terms, radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". The nearest healthier ZIP overall is ZIP 28318, 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 94%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 53%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 55%
11%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 23%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 34%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 30%
8%
Disability
healthier than 22%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 38%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 84%
14%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 45%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 41%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 33%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 33%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 37%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 35%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 37%
8%
Disability
healthier than 30%
7%
“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 93.8 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 23.2 — 71 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,040 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
28318
North Carolinashares a border
Score 51.37
Closest healthier
28334
North Carolinaabout 1.4 mi away
Score 46.65
Similar health profile
28320
North Carolina98% similar profile
Score 46.95
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 | 31.5% | 28.0–35.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.3% | 38.8–47.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 8.5% | 7.7–9.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.4% | 10.0–12.9 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.2% | 7.3–9.1 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.8 |
| Depression among adults | 24.9% | 21.2–29.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.3% | 13.2–17.4 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.9% | 34.3–43.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 41.1% | 32.8–49.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.7% | 4.3–5.2 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 19.6% | 16.1–23.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.0% | 11.1–15.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 79.4% | 76.5–82.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 80.6% | 77.1–83.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.0% | 85.2–88.8 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.3% | 61.3–70.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.4% | 53.5–61.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.0% | 71.0–84.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.6% | 10.9–16.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 17.2% | 14.7–19.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 29.3% | 24.5–34.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 34.5% | 28.4–41.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.4% | 21.4–27.7 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.8–20.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.4% | 13.5–17.4 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.2% | 15.2–19.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 38.2% | 33.4–42.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.6% | 7.6–9.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.8% | 16.4–21.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.5% | 4.9–6.0 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.1% | 6.4–7.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 24.5% | 20.9–28.2 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 20.0% | 17.2–22.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 17.4% | 14.8–20.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 15.0% | 13.0–17.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.4% | 9.1–11.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.6% | 29.4–39.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.4% | 9.0–11.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 13.9% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 8.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 8.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 15.3% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.9% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 91.8% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 12.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 75.5% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.9% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 53.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 19.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 38.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $66,860 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $145,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $629 | $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 | 77.0 yr ± 1.33 | 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 1.33 years of 77.0, 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