ZIP code
28609
in Catawba, North CarolinaPopulation 6,615
54.85/ 100
Ranked #9,625 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 30%)
Ranked #227 of 793 North Carolina ZIPs (top 29%)
Ranked #4 of 24 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC ZIPs (top 17%)
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.
Distance to a Superfund site
1.4 mi
in the bottom 8.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST8thUS8thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest Superfund site — an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has listed for cleanup.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Catawba, North Carolina (ZIP 28609) lands in the top 30% healthiest ZIPs nationally (9,625th) and the top 29% of North Carolina (227th).
A number of measures place this area on solid footing: distance to a community health center is at the national minimum, shared with about 23% of ZIPs. Modeled short sleep settles in the bottom 12.0% nationally, and energy burden resides in the bottom 11.4% nationally. Modeled arsenic registers in the bottom 13.7% nationally, housing-cost burden rests in the bottom 18% nationally, and subsidized affordable housing stands in the top 19% nationally. Modeled mammography lies in the top 18% nationally. By contrast, distance to a Superfund site lands in the bottom 8.5% nationally. Recreation sits at the national minimum, shared with about 35% of ZIPs. Modeled humid heat is in the top 20% nationally.
A note on the terms: distance to a Superfund site is an abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous-waste site the EPA has identified for cleanup. Arsenic is a natural groundwater contaminant, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Distance to a community health center is a federally funded (HRSA) community health center serving everyone regardless of ability to pay. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 28673, just across the boundary, ranks better overall.
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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, 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 83%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 76%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 81%
11%
About typical
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 52%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 45%
14%
Disability
healthier than 59%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 43%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 59%
5%
Holding it back
Mental Health
healthier than 35%
8%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 67%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 82%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 69%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 76%
11%
Disability
healthier than 74%
7%
About typical
Mental Health
healthier than 49%
8%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 56%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 50%
5%
Holding it back
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 27%
14%
Lifting this score
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 87%
21%
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 83%
16%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 70%
14%
Preventive Care
healthier than 83%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 83%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 74%
8%
Disability
healthier than 87%
7%
Holding it back
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 13%
5%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 17%
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 76.1 ± 1.9 years. A median household income of $77,679 predicts 79.1 years — 3.0 years below.
Ranked #4,061 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
28610
North Carolinashares a border
Score 49.68
Closest healthier
28673
North Carolinashares a border
Score 58.27
Similar health profile
29621
South Carolina96% similar profile
Score 55.74
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 | 29.5% | 26.1–33.1 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 37.3% | 33.1–41.5 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 9.4% | 8.5–10.4 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.8% | 9.5–12.2 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 6.9% | 6.1–7.7 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 7.7% | 6.7–8.8 |
| Depression among adults | 26.1% | 22.4–30.2 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 11.6% | 9.9–13.3 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 38.8% | 34.3–43.3 |
| Obesity among adults | 36.7% | 29.4–44.9 |
| Stroke among adults | 3.6% | 3.3–4.0 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.1% | 11.4–16.9 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 8.9% | 7.5–10.6 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 77.4% | 74.1–80.2 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.4% | 75.7–82.6 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 88.7% | 86.9–90.2 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 69.5% | 64.3–73.8 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 65.9% | 62.1–69.2 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.9% | 71.3–84.7 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 15.5% | 12.6–18.6 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 14.5% | 12.2–16.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 22.1% | 18.3–26.4 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.5% | 24.4–36.5 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 18.0% | 15.6–20.8 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 16.3% | 14.3–18.4 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 13.1% | 11.4–14.9 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 14.4% | 12.7–16.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 31.3% | 27.1–35.7 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 7.8% | 6.9–8.8 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 7.8% | 6.9–8.8 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 14.1% | 12.2–16.3 |
| 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 | 21.9% | 18.5–25.6 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.9% | 10.0–14.0 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 9.2% | 7.7–10.8 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 9.5% | 8.0–11.1 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.7% | 5.8–7.7 |
| Loneliness among adults | 32.2% | 27.1–37.4 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.1% | 5.2–7.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | NC median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 13.0% (4.4–25.0%) n=793 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 14.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 14.5% (5.7–24.9%) n=794 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 11.3% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 10.4% (3.1–19.8%) n=798 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 21.0% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 22.8% (10.7–53.4%) n=798 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 1.8% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 4.2% (0.0–9.1%) n=796 |
| Households without a vehicle | 5.2% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 3.9% (0.0–10.2%) n=793 |
| Broadband subscription | 84.3% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 87.6% (76.2–96.3%) n=793 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 14.6% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 24.7% (14.1–36.5%) n=793 |
| Homeownership rate | 84.6% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 75.0% (52.7–89.7%) n=793 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.6% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 1.4% (0.0–4.5%) n=793 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.4% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 4.2% (0.0–12.9%) n=799 |
| Single-parent households | 54.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 51.8% (39.2–70.1%) n=790 |
| Population 65+ | 20.2% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 19.7% (11.1–31.9%) n=799 |
| Median age | 40.7 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.5 yr (33.3–55.7) n=797 |
| Median household income | $77,679 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $65,030 ($44,419–$97,111) n=749 |
| Median home value | $245,900 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $223,850 ($113,970–$452,990) n=758 |
| Median gross rent | $1,238 | $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 | 76.1 yr ± 0.95 | 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 0.95 years of 76.1, 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