ZIP code
28438
in Evergreen, North CarolinaPopulation 1,582
41.66/ 100
Ranked #25,523 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 20%)
Ranked #682 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 14.0%)
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.
Fatal road crashes
63.2 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 2.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The annual rate of fatal road crashes per 100,000 residents, pooled over a ten-year window.
A rate per resident population. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the rate to be reliable — about 30% of US ZIPs — no value is published rather than an unstable one; those ZIPs are absent from this comparison, not counted as crash-free.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.1%
in the bottom 4.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST5thUS5thDefinition & 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 ›Slow internet speeds
1.5%
in the top 7.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of homes whose fastest available download speed is under 10 Mbps.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
46.8%
in the top 8.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST89thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
12.2%
in the bottom 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST15thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report binge drinking — five or more drinks on one occasion for men, four or more for women.
Full methodology ›Stroke
5.4%
in the top 8.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST85thUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have had a stroke.
Full methodology ›Radon
0.7 pCi/L
in the bottom 2.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST8thUS2ndDefinition & 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 ›Distance to a nursing home
10 mi
in the top 11.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS89thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
10.7 mi
in the top 12.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST90thUS87thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest facility that handles enough hazardous chemicals to require an EPA risk-management plan for accidental releases.
Full methodology ›Walkability
2.8 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 13.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST10thUS14thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›The read
Evergreen, North Carolina (ZIP 28438) ranks in the bottom 20% nationally (25,523rd) and the bottom 14.0% of North Carolina (682nd).
Several signals sit on each side of the ledger here: modeled arsenic settles in the bottom 4.7% nationally. Unemployment rests at the national minimum, shared with about 15% of ZIPs. Modeled binge drinking lands in the bottom 7.9% nationally, and radon settles in the bottom 2.3% nationally. Working the other way, fatal road crashes rests in the top 2.0% nationally, slow internet speeds lands in the top 7.5% nationally, and modeled high blood pressure settles in the top 8.1% nationally. Modeled stroke rests in the top 8.9% nationally, floodplain exposure lands in the top 10.7% nationally, and distance to a nursing home settles in the top 11.2% nationally.
For context, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 28320, 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%
Preventive Care
healthier than 65%
13%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 45%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 11%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 31%
8%
Disability
healthier than 15%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 16%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 21%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 85%
14%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 55%
13%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 14%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 14%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 39%
8%
Disability
healthier than 19%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 12%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 9%
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 94.3 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 10.8 — 84 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #339 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
28320
North Carolinashares a border
Score 46.95
Closest healthier
28430
North Carolinashares a border
Score 43.79
Similar health profile
36343
Alabama98% similar profile
Score 39.95
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 | 35.0% | 31.5–38.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 46.8% | 42.6–51.2 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.7% | 8.7–10.6 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.8% | 10.5–13.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.6% | 8.6–10.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.1% | 9.7–12.6 |
| Depression among adults | 24.8% | 21.4–28.5 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.5% | 14.4–18.8 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.8% | 36.5–45.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.8% | 33.2–48.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.4% | 4.9–5.9 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 19.7% | 16.5–23.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.9% | 9.1–13.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 80.4% | 77.8–82.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.1% | 79.0–84.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 87.9% | 86.2–89.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.3% | 61.4–70.9 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 56.6% | 52.8–60.4 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.4% | 71.5–84.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.2% | 10.0–14.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.6% | 15.9–21.4 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 31.4% | 26.5–36.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.5% | 30.3–43.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 25.3% | 22.0–28.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.8% | 15.8–20.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 16.4% | 14.4–18.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 17.4% | 15.3–19.6 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.5% | 34.6–44.4 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.0% | 8.9–11.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.1% | 9.8–12.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.6% | 18.0–23.4 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.9% | 5.3–6.6 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.4% | 6.6–8.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.9% | 20.7–27.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.6% | 17.0–22.4 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 18.3% | 15.9–21.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.3% | 12.4–16.3 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.2% | 9.1–11.5 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.2% | 28.4–38.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.3% | 9.0–11.8 |
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 | 25.7% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 11.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 5.6% | 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 | 4.9% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 81.4% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 18.8% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.3% | 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 | 0.5% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 55.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 26.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 42.3 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $59,199 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $160,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $704 | $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 | 73.4 yr ± 1.03 | 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 1.03 years of 73.4, 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