ZIP code
28516
in Beaufort, North CarolinaPopulation 11,289
52.26/ 100
Ranked #13,096 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 41%)
Ranked #298 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 38%)
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.
Outer-floodplain exposure
21.2%
in the top 1.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
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 ›Floodplain exposure
63.7%
in the top 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Transportation noise
19.9%
in the top 2.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & 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 ›Pharmacy access
0.54 per 1,000 residents
in the top 4.4% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS96thDefinition & 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 ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 6.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS94thDefinition & source ›
This area’s national rank on its single highest non-flood natural hazard — such as wildfire, tornado, or earthquake — in FEMA’s modeled National Risk Index; flooding is shown separately.
Full methodology ›Loud transportation noise
2.2%
in the top 6.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of residents exposed to average road, rail, and aviation noise at or above 65 decibels — around the volume of normal conversation.
Full methodology ›Radon
0.6 pCi/L
in the bottom 0.5% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Grocery access
0.18 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST83rdUS91stDefinition & 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 ›Recreation access
0.89 per 1,000 residents
in the top 11.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST93rdUS89thDefinition & source ›
The number of places for physical recreation — gyms, sports, and fitness venues — 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
11.6 mi
in the top 11.7% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST91stUS88thDefinition & 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 ›The read
Beaufort, North Carolina (ZIP 28516), by its overall standing, sits in the top 41% healthiest ZIPs nationally (13,096th) and the top 38% of North Carolina (298th).
The measures fall on both sides of the ledger for this area: pharmacy settles in the top 4.4% nationally, modeled radon registers in the bottom 0.5% nationally, and grocery stands in the top 8.8% nationally. Modeled extreme heat lands at the national minimum, shared with about 19% of ZIPs. Subsidized affordable housing is in the top 10.3% nationally. Set against that, outer-floodplain exposure resides in the top 1.9% nationally, and floodplain exposure rests in the top 2.2% nationally. Modeled transportation noise lies in the top 2.5% nationally, and disaster risk sits in the top 6.0% nationally. Modeled loud transportation noise settles in the top 6.6% nationally.
Held up against its neighbors, outer-floodplain exposure runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. Defined in plain terms, disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Outer-floodplain exposure is land with a lower but real 1-in-500 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "500-year floodplain". The nearest ZIP ranking healthier overall is ZIP 28512, 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
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 86%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 73%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 90%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 79%
11%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 51%
8%
Disability
healthier than 42%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 55%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 28%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 8%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 85%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 88%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 72%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 74%
8%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 57%
14%
Disability
healthier than 59%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 45%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 40%
21%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 6%
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.
Below what income predicts
The ZIP codes that outlive their incomes
Estimated life expectancy is 76.5 ± 1.6 years. A median household income of $66,057 predicts 78.4 years — 2.0 years below.
Ranked #2,564 of the 5,842 ZIP codes this finding names, ordered by years above what income predicts, highest first.
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
28512
North Carolinashares a border
Score 61.81
Closest healthier
28520
North Carolinashares a border
Score 55.41
Similar health profile
47616
Indiana96% similar profile
Score 48.76
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 | 33.7% | 30.1–37.8 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 42.3% | 37.8–47.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 11.1% | 10.1–12.1 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.0% | 9.7–12.5 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.5% | 7.6–9.5 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 9.0% | 8.0–10.3 |
| Depression among adults | 24.7% | 21.1–28.7 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.5% | 11.7–15.6 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 40.8% | 36.2–45.6 |
| Obesity among adults | 35.6% | 28.1–44.0 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.4% | 4.0–4.8 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.0% | 11.4–17.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.4% | 7.0–9.9 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.5% | 78.5–84.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 82.5% | 79.3–85.4 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 90.0% | 88.5–91.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 71.9% | 66.9–76.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 64.4% | 60.7–68.0 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 79.1% | 71.7–85.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 13.8% | 11.3–16.7 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.3% | 12.2–16.5 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 23.9% | 19.9–28.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 33.3% | 27.1–39.9 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 19.7% | 17.2–22.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.5% | 13.7–17.6 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.3% | 12.6–16.2 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.1% | 12.4–15.8 |
| Any disability among adults | 33.9% | 29.6–38.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.3% | 8.3–10.5 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.4% | 7.5–9.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 16.9% | 14.8–19.3 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.3% | 3.9–4.7 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.3% | 4.7–5.8 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.3% | 17.1–23.7 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.1% | 10.2–14.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.0% | 8.5–11.6 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.3% | 7.9–10.8 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.8% | 6.0–7.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.0% | 25.0–35.1 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.4% | 5.5–7.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.2% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.8% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 31.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 3.5% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.0% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 94.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 27.7% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.0% | 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 | 2.1% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 63.2% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 30.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 55.6 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $66,057 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $315,400 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $944 | $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 | 76.5 yr ± 0.83 | 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 0.83 years of 76.5, 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