ZIP code
28607
in Boone, North CarolinaPopulation 35,679
50.95/ 100
Ranked #14,918 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 47%)
Ranked #355 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 45%)
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.
High cholesterol
28.4%
in the bottom 2.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS2ndDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with high cholesterol, among those who have ever been screened for it.
Full methodology ›Arsenic in groundwater
1.1%
in the bottom 4.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The modeled probability that untreated groundwater in this area — the source private wells draw on — exceeds the federal arsenic limit of 10 micrograms per liter.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Poverty rate
34.4%
in the top 4.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS95thDefinition & source ›
The share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Full methodology ›Cognitive disability
20.9%
in the top 6.3% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Full methodology ›High blood pressure
27%
in the bottom 4.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST3rdUS5thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been told by a health professional that they have high blood pressure.
Full methodology ›Natural-disaster risk
in the top 6.6% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST95thUS93rdDefinition & 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 ›Housing-cost burden
43.4%
in the top 6.7% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
The share of households spending 30% or more of their income on housing.
Full methodology ›Diabetes
7.8%
in the bottom 3.8% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST4thUS4thDefinition & source ›
The estimated share of adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 7.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST97thUS93rdDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Distance to a hazardous-chemical facility
15.3 mi
in the top 7.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS92ndDefinition & 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
On the composite measure, Boone, North Carolina (ZIP 28607) stands in the top 47% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,918th) and the top 45% of North Carolina (355th).
A balanced set of signals defines this area, not any single one: modeled high cholesterol lands in the bottom 2.2% nationally, and arsenic settles in the bottom 4.0% nationally. Distance to an emergency room rests at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Modeled high blood pressure lands in the bottom 4.7% nationally, and diabetes settles in the bottom 3.8% nationally. By contrast, poverty rests in the top 4.7% nationally, modeled cognitive disability lands in the top 6.3% nationally, and modeled disaster risk settles in the top 6.6% nationally. Housing-cost burden rests in the top 6.7% nationally, and modeled expected annual loss lands in the top 7.4% nationally.
Set beside the wider area around it, expected annual loss runs far higher than the surrounding ZIPs on this measure. For clarity, arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Disaster risk is the area's national rank on its highest non-flood peril in FEMA's modeled Risk Index, like wildfire or quake. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. ZIP 28604, just across the boundary, ranks better overall among the ZIPs nearby.
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
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 89%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 63%
14%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 73%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 85%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Disability
healthier than 42%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 32%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 14%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 2%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 93%
21%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 62%
11%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 97%
5%
Healthcare Access
in the top 0.00%
5%
About typical
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 48%
14%
Disability
healthier than 59%
7%
Holding it back
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 31%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 3%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 1%
8%
“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
28604
North Carolinashares a border
Score 55.75
Closest healthier
28605
North Carolinashares a border
Score 61.11
Similar health profile
28723
North Carolina99% similar profile
Score 50.89
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 | 19.2% | 16.9–21.7 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 27.0% | 23.6–30.7 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 5.6% | 5.1–6.2 |
| Current asthma among adults | 11.7% | 10.3–13.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 4.9% | 4.4–5.4 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 6.2% | 5.5–7.0 |
| Depression among adults | 30.6% | 26.5–35.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 7.8% | 6.8–9.0 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 28.4% | 25.0–32.2 |
| Obesity among adults | 33.1% | 25.5–41.6 |
| Stroke among adults | 2.5% | 2.3–2.7 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 15.7% | 12.8–18.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 10.5% | 8.8–12.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 65.7% | 63.4–68.0 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 75.9% | 71.8–79.8 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 76.6% | 73.7–79.4 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 66.7% | 61.7–71.5 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 60.1% | 56.2–63.8 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 75.7% | 67.7–82.6 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 17.7% | 14.4–21.5 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 12.1% | 10.2–14.2 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.5% | 18.5–27.1 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 32.2% | 25.9–39.1 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.7% | 16.0–21.6 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 22.2% | 19.6–25.1 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 11.9% | 10.4–13.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 20.9% | 18.2–23.7 |
| Any disability among adults | 35.3% | 30.4–40.5 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 6.4% | 5.7–7.2 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 11.0% | 9.6–12.5 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 10.7% | 9.3–12.2 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 3.4% | 3.1–3.8 |
| Vision disability among adults | 5.9% | 5.2–6.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 20.7% | 17.5–24.1 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 19.1% | 16.1–22.3 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 16.2% | 13.6–19.0 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 12.8% | 10.9–14.9 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 12.6% | 10.9–14.3 |
| Loneliness among adults | 37.1% | 31.7–42.6 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 7.8–10.6 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 34.4% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 11.8% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 7.7% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 54.4% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 10.0% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.1% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 90.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 43.4% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 50.2% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 1.5% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 3.7% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 58.7% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 14.0% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 23.2 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $46,639 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $378,600 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $1,152 | $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 unavailable for this ZIP — fewer than 80% of the census tracts that make it up could be matched across the 2010→2020 tract-boundary revision, so no value is published rather than an unreliable one. See how coverage gaps are handled. | |||
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