ZIP code
28450
in Lake Waccamaw, North CarolinaPopulation 2,337
49.16/ 100
Ranked #17,427 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 46%)
Ranked #429 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 46%)
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.
Pharmacy access
0.96 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies 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 ›Floodplain exposure
45.4%
in the top 4.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 1%-annual-chance floodplain — the “100-year” flood zone, where flooding has about a 1-in-100 chance in any given year.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Outpatient-care access
0.48 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of outpatient 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 ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
14.5 mi
in the top 8.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS92ndDefinition & 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 ›Radon
0.7 pCi/L
in the bottom 3.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST15thUS4thDefinition & 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 ›Hearing disability
10.8%
in the top 10.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS89thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
0.29%
in the bottom 11.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS12thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 55 decibels — a noticeable background presence.
Full methodology ›Humid extreme heat
119.7 days/year
in the top 13.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS86thDefinition & 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 ›Air-toxics cancer risk
20 per million
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS25thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled estimate of added lifetime cancer risk from breathing outdoor air toxics, in cases per million people exposed over a lifetime.
Full methodology ›The read
Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina (ZIP 28450), overall, ranks in the bottom 46% nationally (17,427th) and the bottom 46% of North Carolina (429th).
This area's measures are easy to read as a mixed set: pharmacy lies in the top 1.1% nationally, outpatient stands in the top 8.4% nationally, and distance to a hazardous-chemical facility rests in the top 8.4% nationally. Modeled radon registers in the bottom 3.7% nationally, transportation noise resides in the bottom 11.9% nationally, and binge drinking settles in the bottom 10.6% nationally. Set against that, floodplain exposure is in the top 4.9% nationally, and modeled hearing disability sits in the top 10.9% nationally. Modeled high blood pressure lands in the top 12.1% nationally, and fatal road crashes lies in the top 13.4% nationally.
Defined simply, 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. 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". ZIP 28462, about 9.0 miles away, comes out healthier overall.
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
in the top 0.9%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 84%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 75%
11%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 50%
16%
Mental Health
healthier than 58%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 55%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 17%
21%
Disability
healthier than 27%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 6%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 98%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 80%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 67%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 81%
8%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 46%
16%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 24%
21%
Disability
healthier than 39%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 4%
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 99.1 (top 1%); chronic-disease standing 17.3 — 82 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #413 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
28420
North Carolinashares a border
Score 46.31
Closest healthier
28462
North Carolinaabout 9.0 mi away
Score 49.67
Similar health profile
23417
Virginia97% similar profile
Score 48.09
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 | 35.1% | 31.5–39.0 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 45.1% | 40.7–49.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.2% | 10.1–12.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.3% | 10.0–12.8 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.5% | 8.4–10.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.5% | 8.0–11.1 |
| Depression among adults | 23.4% | 20.0–27.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.4% | 13.3–17.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 41.6% | 37.0–46.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.6% | 29.2–45.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.5–5.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.1% | 11.5–17.1 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.0% | 7.2–11.1 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.2% | 78.4–83.8 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.7% | 79.5–85.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 89.8% | 88.2–91.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 70.2% | 65.1–74.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 61.5% | 57.8–65.1 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 77.8% | 70.2–84.3 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.6% | 10.2–15.3 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 15.4% | 12.8–18.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 26.8% | 22.2–31.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.5% | 27.3–40.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 21.7% | 18.6–25.2 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.7% | 13.7–17.7 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.1% | 13.1–17.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.7% | 12.8–16.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 36.8% | 32.0–41.8 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.3% | 8.0–10.6 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 18.6% | 15.9–21.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.1–5.3 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.3% | 5.5–7.1 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 21.9% | 18.4–25.9 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.4% | 11.9–17.2 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 11.3% | 9.4–13.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 10.5% | 8.9–12.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 8.0% | 7.0–9.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 31.1% | 26.0–36.8 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 7.2% | 6.2–8.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 17.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 10.4% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 29.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.6% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 85.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.1% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 2.2% | 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+ | 26.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 45.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $69,554 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $264,200 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $817 | $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 | 75.2 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 75.2, 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