ZIP code
28552
in Lowland, North CarolinaPopulation 201
40.44/ 100
Ranked #26,456 of 32,066 US ZIPs (bottom 17%)
Ranked #705 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (bottom 11.1%)
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.
Floodplain exposure
81.5%
in the top 1.1% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS99thDefinition & 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 ›Walkability
0.58 intersections/sq mi
in the bottom 1.3% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & source ›
The number of street intersections per square mile — a standard street-connectivity measure; denser networks correlate with more walkable neighborhoods.
Full methodology ›Distance to an emergency room
28.2 mi
in the top 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare-certified hospital with an emergency room.
Full methodology ›Transportation noise
0.00%
at the national minimum
Lower is healthier
ST1stUS1stDefinition & 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 ›Homeownership rate
100%
at the national maximum
Higher is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The share of occupied homes that are owned, rather than rented, by the people living in them.
Full methodology ›Lead in tap water
10 ppb
in the top 2.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
US97thDefinition & 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 ›Coronary heart disease
11.2%
in the top 3.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have coronary heart disease or angina.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
49.5%
in the top 3.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST94thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Hearing disability
11.8%
in the top 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
Full methodology ›Distance to a nursing home
15.3 mi
in the top 5.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST98thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing home.
Full methodology ›Cross-source signals
Combined exposures in this ZIP
More than one environmental exposure stands out in this ZIP. Each is established independently and shown on its own above; they are grouped here for context — not because one causes the other.
This area ranks among the highest 10% of US ZIP codes for both flood exposure and the share of households without a vehicle.
See the full flooding, evacuation & humid-heat analysis →
The read
Overall, Lowland, North Carolina (ZIP 28552) places in the bottom 17% nationally (26,456th) and the bottom 11.1% of North Carolina (705th).
The measures that define this area's challenges come through directly: floodplain exposure stands in the top 1.1% nationally, and walkability registers in the bottom 1.3% nationally. Distance to an emergency room settles in the top 2.2% nationally, and lead in tap water sits in the top 2.9% nationally. Modeled coronary heart disease lies in the top 3.6% nationally, high blood pressure rests in the top 3.9% nationally, and hearing disability resides in the top 5.2% nationally. Distance to a nursing home is in the top 5.2% nationally. On the stronger side, modeled transportation noise lands at the national minimum, and homeownership stands at the national maximum.
Beside the areas that surround it, outer-floodplain exposure runs far lower than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For readers new to these terms, lead in tap water is the EPA trigger, 15 parts per billion in tap samples, above which a water system must act on lead. Floodplain exposure is land with about a 1-in-100 chance of flooding each year, nicknamed the "100-year floodplain". Transportation noise is the modeled share of an area exposed to average road, rail, and air noise at or above 55 decibels. Among nearby ZIPs, the nearest healthier one overall is ZIP 27810, 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 92%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 65%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 67%
11%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 51%
8%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 5%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 18%
16%
Disability
healthier than 18%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 4%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 9%
5%
Lifting this score
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 82%
14%
Mental Health
healthier than 74%
8%
About typical
Preventive Care
healthier than 54%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 52%
11%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 5%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 19%
16%
Disability
healthier than 23%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 1%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 2%
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 ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
27806
North Carolinashares a border
Score 36.45
Closest healthier
27810
North Carolinashares a border
Score 42.88
Similar health profile
73440
Oklahoma98% similar profile
Score 39.46
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 | 39.6% | 35.1–44.2 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 49.5% | 44.3–54.9 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 12.3% | 10.9–13.7 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.4–12.3 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 11.2% | 9.6–13.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 12.6% | 9.7–15.8 |
| Depression among adults | 24.7% | 20.8–28.9 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 17.2% | 14.4–20.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 44.9% | 39.8–50.0 |
| Obesity among adults | 37.9% | 29.3–47.3 |
| Stroke among adults | 5.5% | 4.7–6.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 24.0% | 19.7–28.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 9.8% | 6.5–14.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 83.1% | 79.8–85.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 83.2% | 79.8–86.2 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 90.5% | 88.3–92.3 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 64.2% | 59.0–69.2 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 57.7% | 53.9–61.7 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 72.2% | 63.9–79.9 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 12.5% | 10.0–15.2 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 18.4% | 13.7–23.3 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 28.6% | 22.7–35.8 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.2% | 25.8–39.3 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 24.7% | 19.7–30.5 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.5% | 13.3–18.0 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 17.1% | 14.2–20.3 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 15.4% | 12.6–18.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 39.5% | 33.1–46.2 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 11.8% | 10.0–13.7 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 9.8% | 7.9–12.0 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 21.1% | 17.0–26.0 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 5.7% | 4.5–7.2 |
| Vision disability among adults | 6.6% | 5.3–8.2 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.7% | 16.7–25.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 14.1% | 10.2–18.7 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 12.3% | 8.8–16.3 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.4% | 7.2–12.0 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 7.5% | 5.9–9.2 |
| Loneliness among adults | 29.2% | 23.8–35.0 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.9% | 5.5–8.4 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 3.5% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 0.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 12.2% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 11.6% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 0.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 12.8% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 80.9% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 7.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 100.0% | 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 | 0.0% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 100.0% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 61.7% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 66.9 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $63,841 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $98,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | — | $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 | 74.4 yr ± 1.10 | 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 1.10 years of 74.4, 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