ZIP code
28468
in Sunset Beach, North CarolinaPopulation 5,154
60.32/ 100
Ranked #4,618 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 14.5%)
Ranked #93 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 11.8%)
Ranked #8 of 28 Wilmington, NC ZIPs (top 29%)
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.
Loneliness
25.8%
in the bottom 0.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who report feeling lonely.
Full methodology ›Housing insecurity
5.2%
in the bottom 0.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who experienced housing insecurity in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Colon-cancer screening
78.8%
in the top 0.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults aged 45–75 who are up to date on colorectal-cancer screening.
Full methodology ›Utility shut-off threat
3.5%
in the bottom 1.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults whose household was threatened with a utility shut-off in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Binge drinking
10.0%
in the bottom 1.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS1stDefinition & 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 ›High cholesterol
47.4%
in the top 1.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Lack of transportation
4.2%
in the bottom 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST2ndUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who lacked reliable transportation in the past 12 months.
Full methodology ›Grocery access
0.4 per 1,000 residents
in the top 2.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The number of full supermarkets 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. ZipVitals’s food-access signal is derived from these in-ZIP densities — it is not USDA’s food-desert designation, which measures distance to the nearest supermarket. Where a leg is missing, a ZIP reads “not determinable,” never “not a food desert.”
Full methodology ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
22.2 mi
in the top 3.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Hearing disability
11.9%
in the top 4.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›The read
Sunset Beach, North Carolina (ZIP 28468), by its overall standing, sits in the top 14.5% healthiest ZIPs nationally (4,618th) and the top 11.8% of North Carolina (93rd).
The measures fall on both sides of the ledger for this area: modeled loneliness resides in the bottom 0.9% nationally, housing insecurity rests in the bottom 0.9% nationally, and colon screening lies in the top 0.5% nationally. Modeled utility shutoff sits in the bottom 1.6% nationally, binge drinking settles in the bottom 1.3% nationally, and transportation registers in the bottom 2.2% nationally. Grocery stands in the top 2.4% nationally, and distance to a hazardous-chemical facility lands in the top 3.9% nationally. Set against that, modeled high cholesterol is in the top 1.2% nationally, and hearing disability resides in the top 4.8% nationally.
Defined in plain terms, 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. The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 28469, 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. Compare it against the US, this state and the Wilmington, NC metro area.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 97%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 97%
14%
Preventive Care
in the top 0.2%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 98%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 93%
8%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 49%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 12%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 18%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 38%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 96%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 91%
14%
Preventive Care
in the top 0.00%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 99%
11%
Mental Health
in the top 0.2%
8%
Disability
healthier than 66%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 17%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 14%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 23%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 92%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 77%
14%
Preventive Care
in the top 0.00%
13%
Risk Behavior
in the top 0.00%
11%
Mental Health
in the top 0.00%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 62%
5%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 46%
7%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
in the bottom 0.00%
21%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 8%
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
2 of our published findings list 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.
Above its nearby ZIPs
The ZIP codes that outlive their neighbors
Estimated life expectancy is 79.3 ± 2.4 years. The 48 nearest ZIP codes with estimates average 76.2 years — 3.0 years above them.
Ranked #793 of the 3,687 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above the nearby-ZIP average, highest first.
Clean environment, heavy chronic burden
Where the environment and chronic illness point in opposite directions
Environmental-hazard standing 97.1 (top 10%); chronic-disease standing 12.3 — 85 points apart, cleaner on the environment than it is on chronic illness.
Ranked #287 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
28469
North Carolinashares a border
Score 61.34
Similar health profile
28571
North Carolina99% similar profile
Score 56.72
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 | 42.1% | 37.7–46.6 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 47.0% | 42.2–52.1 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 16.3% | 14.8–17.9 |
| Current asthma among adults | 9.8% | 8.6–11.1 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 10.7% | 9.5–11.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.2% | 8.0–10.5 |
| Depression among adults | 21.1% | 17.7–24.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 14.8% | 12.8–17.2 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 47.4% | 42.3–52.4 |
| Obesity among adults | 30.3% | 23.9–37.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.0% | 4.5–5.5 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 9.2% | 7.3–11.3 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 6.5% | 5.5–7.8 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 87.0% | 84.3–89.4 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 88.0% | 85.5–90.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 94.7% | 93.8–95.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 78.8% | 74.4–82.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 73.1% | 69.8–76.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 81.6% | 75.0–86.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 10.0% | 8.0–12.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 10.3% | 8.6–12.1 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.3% | 18.5–26.5 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 28.8% | 23.3–34.4 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 17.4% | 14.9–19.9 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 11.3% | 9.9–12.8 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.5% | 11.9–15.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 10.4% | 9.1–11.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 34.4% | 30.0–39.0 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.9% | 10.5–13.4 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.1% | 6.2–8.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 17.6% | 15.3–20.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.8% | 3.4–4.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.7% | 4.2–5.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 16.7% | 14.0–19.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 7.3% | 6.1–8.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 5.6% | 4.6–6.7 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 5.2% | 4.4–6.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 4.2% | 3.7–4.8 |
| Loneliness among adults | 25.8% | 21.5–30.3 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 3.5% | 3.0–4.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 7.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 3.5% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 40.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 2.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 2.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 93.1% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 28.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 87.4% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.3% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.2% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 83.4% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 56.5% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 68.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $83,358 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $412,000 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $1,300 | $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 | 79.3 yr ± 1.21 | 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 1.21 years of 79.3, 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