ZIP code
28455
in Nakina, North CarolinaPopulation 1,644
37.88/ 100
Ranked #28,082 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 12.5%)
Ranked #736 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 7.2%)
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.
Fiber broadband
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of homes where fiber-optic internet service is available.
Full methodology ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
23.6 mi
in the top 3.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS97thDefinition & 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 ›Floodplain exposure
44%
in the top 5.2% 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 ›Fatal road crashes
42.6 per 100,000 residents per year
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS94thDefinition & 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 ›Poverty rate
28.3%
in the top 8.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Walkability
2.2 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 8.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST5thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Tooth loss
23.4%
in the top 9.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST87thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 65 and older who have lost all of their natural teeth.
Full methodology ›Median household income
$37,760
in the bottom 4.6% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST5thUS5thDefinition & source ›
The middle household income in this ZIP — half of households earn more, half earn less — in dollars per year.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
19.4%
in the top 12.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS88thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›Households without a vehicle
11.5%
in the top 11.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS88thDefinition & source ›
The share of households with no vehicle available.
Full methodology ›The read
In its overall standing, Nakina, North Carolina (ZIP 28455) lands in the bottom 12.5% nationally (28,082nd) and the bottom 7.2% of North Carolina (736th).
Reading the numbers as a whole, the picture lands somewhere in between: fiber broadband settles at the national maximum, and distance to a hazardous-chemical facility is in the top 3.4% nationally. On the other side, floodplain exposure sits in the top 5.2% nationally, fatal road crashes lands in the top 6.0% nationally, and poverty lies in the top 8.0% nationally. Walkability stands in the bottom 8.4% nationally, and modeled tooth loss rests in the top 9.7% nationally. Household income registers in the bottom 4.6% nationally, and modeled cognitive disability resides in the top 12.1% nationally. Households without a vehicle settles in the top 11.8% nationally.
Put 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. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". On the overall standing, ZIP 28420, just across the boundary, ranks healthier.
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 0.8%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 14%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 11%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 26%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 27%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 12%
8%
Disability
healthier than 11%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 9%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 29%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
in the top 0.7%
14%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 19%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 13%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 9%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 9%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 5%
8%
Disability
healthier than 13%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 8%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 15%
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 99.3 (top 1%); chronic-disease standing 13.8 — 86 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #262 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
28432
North Carolinashares a border
Score 43.88
Similar health profile
72469
Arkansas99% similar profile
Score 38.44
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 | 33.3% | 29.7–36.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 43.3% | 39.0–47.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.2% | 8.2–10.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.7% | 10.4–13.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 9.4% | 8.4–10.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 11.7% | 10.3–13.2 |
| Depression among adults | 27.2% | 23.4–31.3 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 15.3% | 13.3–17.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.8% | 35.4–44.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 40.4% | 32.5–48.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.6–5.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 23.4% | 19.4–28.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 13.3% | 11.0–16.0 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.9% | 74.9–80.6 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.5% | 75.8–82.9 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 85.3% | 83.2–87.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 60.9% | 55.4–66.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 51.3% | 47.2–55.5 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 74.8% | 66.5–82.0 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.7% | 11.1–16.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 20.5% | 17.6–23.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 32.2% | 27.3–37.3 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 36.4% | 29.7–43.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 26.3% | 23.1–29.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 19.4% | 17.3–21.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.3% | 15.3–19.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 19.4% | 17.2–21.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 40.6% | 35.7–45.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 10.3% | 9.2–11.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.9% | 10.6–13.3 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 20.2% | 17.7–22.8 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 6.1% | 5.4–6.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 7.7% | 6.9–8.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.2% | 19.6–27.4 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 20.6% | 17.5–23.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 19.0% | 16.1–22.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.5% | 12.4–16.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 10.8% | 9.4–12.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 33.7% | 28.4–39.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 10.3% | 8.9–11.9 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 28.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 21.5% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 4.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 17.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 7.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 11.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 88.2% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.5% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 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 | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 30.3% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 24.8% | 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 | $37,760 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $117,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $787 | $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 | 70.4 yr ± 1.43 | 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 1.43 years of 70.4, 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