ZIP code
28453
in Magnolia, North CarolinaPopulation 3,206
43.91/ 100
Ranked #23,498 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 27%)
Ranked #615 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 22%)
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.
Uninsured (under 65)
20.3%
in the top 4.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 18–64 with no current health-insurance coverage.
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 ›Vision disability
9.0%
in the top 7.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even with glasses.
Full methodology ›Self-care disability
6.5%
in the top 8.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST88thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with difficulty dressing or bathing.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
20.8%
in the top 7.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Food insecurity
27.3%
in the top 8.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
13.5%
in the top 9.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS91stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Utility shut-off threat
13.6%
in the top 9.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Radon
0.7 pCi/L
in the bottom 3.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST12thUS3rdDefinition & 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 ›Fair or poor health
28.5%
in the top 11.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST92ndUS88thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who rate their own general health as fair or poor.
Full methodology ›The read
Magnolia, North Carolina (ZIP 28453) ranks in the bottom 27% nationally (23,498th) and the bottom 22% of North Carolina (615th).
Several signals sit on each side of the ledger here: lead in tap water sits at the national minimum, and modeled radon resides in the bottom 3.2% nationally. Working the other way, modeled uninsured stands in the top 4.3% nationally, and vision disability sits in the top 7.6% nationally. Modeled self-care disability resides in the top 8.5% nationally, housing insecurity stands in the top 7.9% nationally, and food insecurity sits in the top 8.4% nationally. Modeled transportation resides in the top 9.1% nationally, modeled utility shutoff stands in the top 9.6% nationally, and fatal road crashes sits in the top 10.1% nationally.
For context, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. The closest ZIP that ranks healthier overall is ZIP 28349, 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 98%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 66%
5%
About typical
Risk Behavior
healthier than 46%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 46%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 41%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 27%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 8%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 22%
13%
Disability
healthier than 13%
7%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 93%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 67%
8%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 61%
5%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 52%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 39%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 8%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 7%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 25%
11%
Disability
healthier than 15%
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 97.8 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 27.4 — 70 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #1,048 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
28328
North Carolinashares a border
Score 41.48
Closest healthier
28349
North Carolinashares a border
Score 50.56
Similar health profile
88352
New Mexico95% similar profile
Score 42.33
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 | 28.7% | 25.7–31.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.6% | 38.8–46.6 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 6.7% | 6.1–7.3 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.4% | 10.1–12.7 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 7.9% | 7.1–8.6 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.0% | 8.0–10.1 |
| Depression among adults | 22.6% | 19.4–26.0 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 16.5% | 14.7–18.7 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 37.1% | 33.1–41.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 42.0% | 34.5–50.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.6–5.4 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 20.7% | 17.3–24.2 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 20.3% | 17.5–23.3 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 78.3% | 75.8–80.7 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.8% | 76.5–82.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.9% | 84.0–87.6 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 61.5% | 56.3–66.4 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 52.0% | 48.2–55.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 76.4% | 68.9–82.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.6% | 10.4–15.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.9% | 14.8–19.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.7% | 28.3–37.7 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.6% | 30.4–43.0 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 28.5% | 25.6–31.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 17.6% | 15.8–19.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 15.9% | 14.3–17.8 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 18.6% | 16.6–20.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 40.0% | 35.8–44.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 8.0% | 7.1–8.9 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.4% | 10.3–12.7 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.2% | 18.0–22.5 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.5% | 5.9–7.1 |
| Vision disability among adults | 9.0% | 8.3–9.9 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 26.2% | 22.6–29.9 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 27.3% | 24.0–30.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 23.4% | 20.4–26.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 20.8% | 18.2–23.5 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 13.5% | 12.0–15.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 34.8% | 29.8–39.9 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 13.6% | 11.9–15.5 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 18.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 22.4% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 26.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 25.7% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 10.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 78.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 19.9% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 2.2% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 21.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 45.5% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 13.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 29.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $61,165 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $140,500 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $691 | $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 | 78.7 yr ± 1.13 | 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 1.13 years of 78.7, 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